• - • •
The Times' correspondent at Alexandria says Egypt is-very ranch divided -in-sympathy about this war. The common people know nothing about it, and the middle-classes are hostile to 'Constantinople, but the higher officials and the Khedive himself are thoroughly Turkish, and ready to go all lengths for Ottoman ascendancy. Troops to the number of 30,000 have already been despatched from Egypt, very few of whom will ever return. A .cOraiderable proportion of them—indeed, the whole' of the last draft—are coal-black negroes from the Soudan, very fine men, who fight well, but die in the cold with singular rapidity. 'Prince Thuisan, in command of the army, complains bitterly, it is said, of Turkish neglect ; but the Turks say his troops, however brave, 41b not fight heartily. The difficulty is to imagine where the Khedive obtains his resources, as his army, even if fed by Thrkey, must be paid by himself. It is quite impossible fcir such remittances of men to go on without the bond- holders discovering the fact, and their fears may account for some of the energy displayed in England, and especially in Paris, on the Turkish side.
Previous page
