5o8 THE STORY OF THE KHEDIVATE.

rank. In Oriental countries the younger members of a reigning dynasty are practically debarred from public life, and have every temptation to lead lives of self-indulgence, useless to themselves, and detrimental to the interests of the State. Amongst the Egyptian princes there are several men of high character and ability, such as the uncles of the Khedive, Prince Hussein and Prince Ibrahim, and his cousin Prince Djemil, men who have rendered good service to the country as landowners and officials.

Every credit is due to them for leading lives devoted to higher objects than personal gratification ; but all residents in Egypt, native as well as foreign, will agree that in the majority of instances the country derives little benefit from the existence of a swarm of princes. In order to abate their number, the Khedive caused a decree to be passed, ordaining that the children of living princes, who might be born after the issue of the decree, or who had not attained the age of fourteen at the time of its enactment, should have no claim to the princely title. Great dissatisfaction was caused by this ukase amidst the members of the Vice-regal family whose offspring were to be deprived of princely rank; and considerable concessions were made in the case of children already born, who had attained a sufficient age to resent the deprivation.

But the general principle of disfranchisement, if I may employ the word, was upheld by the Khedive ; and in the course of a few years, as the present generation dies away, the only personages in Egypt