" Mohammed Towfik, therefore,
would have some excuse in family tradition if he indulged occasionally
in dreams of a similar nature. His connection with Mecca is at the
present day second only to that of Constantinople; the Egyptian
Khedivieh line of steamers ply constantly between Suez and Jeddah; and
the Haj the Khedive sends to Mecca, including as it does most of the
Mogrebbin pilgrims, is more numerous than the Sultan's. He maintains
intimate relations with one at least of the great Sherifal families, and
sends a Mahmal yearly with an important surrah to Medina. Mohammed
Towfik also has the deserved reputation of being a sincere Mussulman and
an honest man, and it is certain that a large section of true liberal
opinion looks to him as the worthiest supporter of its views. With all
this I doubt if he be big enough a man to aspire as yet with success to
Abd el Hamid's succession.
The present Viceroy's financial position, though we may hope sounder in
its base, is not so immediately powerful as his father's; and much ready
money will be required by an aspirant to the Caliphate. His fighting
power, too, is small, and he would have to proclaim himself in arms.
Moreover--and this I fear will remain an insuperable difficulty--he is
hampered with the control of Europe.
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