THE "CONDOMINIUM." 507 lineal descendant of Mahomet Ali was accorded the title of prince or princess. The consequence is that Egypt is overrun by a number of princes, most, if not all, of whom are supported out of the Civil List, on the ground that they have not sufficient fortunes of their own to uphold the dignity of the Khedivial family. The title of prince is unknown in Turkey, and is only employed as an act of courtesy in addressing the son and heir of the Sultan. Indeed, hereditary titles of any kind do not exist in the Ottoman Empire, where all rank is, in theory, solely conferred in recognition of military services, and therefore ceases with the life of the recipient. In Constantinople the members of the Khedivial family are not recognized as Princes, and are never officially addressed as having claim to any other designation than the one they are entitled to in virtue of their military rank, whatever that rank may be. During the period when French influence was supreme in the Vice-regal Court, it became the usage for all members of the Vice-regal family to be addressed as Votre Altesse or Monsetgneur, and naturally enough the Princes and Princesses — more especially the latter — attached great value to this recognition of their princely status. The rapid increase in the number of claimants, by right of birth, to the title of prince or princess, and the consequent creation of a large Viceregal caste, tended to depreciate the value of the distinction ; and the Khedive wisely resolved to restrict the number of the personages entitled to claim princely