To say nothing of its
traditional connection with the Caliphate, Egypt has the more modern
recollection of Mehemet Ali to urge upon the Hejazi in its favour as the
protecting State of Islam.
Mehemet Ali's name and that of his successor Ibrahim Pasha, if not
precisely popular, are at least respected at Mecca; and the latter
possesses a great title to Sunite gratitude in having destroyed the
Wahhabite empire in 1818. I have mentioned Mehemet Ali's ambition; and a
similar ambition would seem to have occurred to Ismail, the late
Khedive. He, in the plenitude of his financial power, is stated to have
expended large sums of money in subsidising the Sherifs with a view to
possible contingencies at Constantinople. But unfortunately for him the
opening of the Suez Canal, on which he had counted for securing him the
support of Europe, proved the precise instrument of ruin for his scheme.
The Porte in 1871, scenting danger to its own Caliphal pretensions from
this quarter, occupied the Red Sea in force, reinforced its garrisons in
Jeddah and Yembo, advanced to Taif, and threw a large army into Yemen.
This was alone made possible by the Canal, and Ismail to his chagrin
found himself "hoist with his own petard.
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