The Khedive's affairs appear to be getting into a worse
tangle than ever. When the nations of Europe last year gave up their claim to maintain Consular Courts, the Khedive agreed that the International Tribunal set up instead should have the right to grant decrees against the Daira or Commission managing .the private estates of his Highness and his family. S. Carpi, an Italian holder of bonds secured on the Daira, indignant at the reduction of his interest, recently applied for such a decree, and it was granted. The Khedive, however, refused to obey it, pleading his sovereign right to reduce dividends by order, in the general interest of his people, in other words, pleaded that his order was a legislative act. M. Haakman, the President of the Tribunal, alleged, however, that the Khedive under the Treaties could not pass this particular law, and declared the Court closed, refusing to hear any more suits. The matter must be settled by diplomacy, but it can hardly have been the intention of the Treaty-makers to deprive the Khedive of his legislative power. Suppose Parliament refused redress to claimants against the Queen, as even now it refuses to allow them costs.
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