=Source.=--_The Times_, December 21.
_Extract from a letter by Sir William Gregory._
... I called at Arabi Bey's house by appointment, and was very
courteously received by a tall, athletic, soldier-like man. His
countenance is peculiarly grave, and even stern, with much power
in it. It is at first sight somewhat heavy, until he is aroused,
when his eyes light up and he speaks with great energy.... He
said that he looked on the Sultan as his lord--as the head of his
religion--and that he was bound to do so; that the dominions of the
Sultan were like a great palace, in which the different nations
had each one its own chamber, suited to its wants, and arranged
according to its own manner; that to introduce other persons into
those chambers would be to upset the arrangements, to annoy and
dispossess the occupants, and to do an unjust act; and he was
therefore most decidedly opposed to any interference on the part
of the Sultan in the government of Egypt, and every opposition
would be given to the introduction of Turkish troops. Secondly, as
regards the religious question, nothing could be more untrue than
the allegations that he and those who went with him were in favour
of any intolerant movement.... The next point was the accusation
that he was aiming at establishing a military supremacy. This he
denied, saying that an army has no right to be supreme in time of
peace ... but it was obliged to take the lead in getting rid of
abuses and establishing justice. Lastly, as to his desire to remove
European officials from the country, he said he had no idea or wish
to remove the Control to which his countrymen were indebted for
the Justice which the cultivators now enjoy, at all events for the
present, until Egypt knew how to govern herself, and could stand
alone; but he spoke with the greatest bitterness of the manner in
which his countrymen were ousted from every superior position in
every department.... I next asked him if the opinion were prevalent
that England desired to occupy Egypt. He said that he himself
did not believe it. Egypt was looked upon as the centre of the
Mohammedan world, and in every country where there was a Mussulman
community there would be deep-seated indignation were she to be
annexed, and probably the loss of India would be ultimately the
consequence. Egypt, if left alone, would always protect the passage
to India, which he knew to be our great object.
CAIRO,
_December 11_.