A great change is reported in the administration of Egypt.
The centralised Police is to be abolished, and each Mudir or Prefect intrusted with the police management of his own province. It is conceived that a great evil—the weakness of the local executives in repressing crime—will thus be remedied. In order, however, to prevent the revival of old abuses, an Englishman, a son of Sir John Gorst, will be placed in the Ministry of the Interior, to whom all the Mudirs are directly responsible. It is stated that the Khedive warmly approves this plan, and has defended it strongly against French remonstrances. As it appears to increase European control in the interior, this was unexpected ; and we should suspect that the Khedive thinks the Mudirs can form a semi-military police, and that when he can get rid of the "Adviser," he will be in control of a force which will act as a counterpoise to the Army. The change may none the less be an improve- ment, as the police in the interior is undoubtedly too weak.
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