The Government has evidently taken its final decision in re-
ference to Egypt. It will do nothing. Sir Stafford Northcote on Thursday night intimated, in reply to Sir J. Goldsmid, that Mr. Rivers Wilson was about to return to his post as Secretary to the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt, and it is announced that the Consul-General, Mr. Vivian, who is known to be opposed to all recent steps, and to believe that repudiation is inevitable, is to return to his post. As the Go- vernment had not the nerve for a bold course, or the adroitness to conciliate France, this is the best, though a rather humiliat- ing policy. At all events, it saves England from the charge of subjecting her national action to the hopes and fears of usurers. We are out of that dirty cesspool, Egyptian finance. It is under- stood that France, though she may say more, will equally stand aloof from action, M. Gambetta resisting it, and that the Khedive must settle matters with his people, his Suzerain, and his Bond- holders, as he can; perhaps by taxing the first, bribing the second,
and apologising for non-payment to the third. The Bondholders deserve little pity, but we will give them one hint. In the address of the Egyptian notables to the Khedive, proposed by his servants for their acceptance, one of the charges against the European Ministers is that they " took away estates belonging to his Highness" (Effendina). Is there anywhere any physical force to prevent a resumption of the Daira ? A pretext for it is given in that address,—namely, that the Fellahs, full of lofty feeling, will not labour on property unjustly taken away from their lord !
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