The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-11 00:00:00

NARRATIVE OF THE SOITDAN WAR.

There is considerable interest at present attaching
to the true story and reliable history of the Soudan
War, with its possible and probable consequences, and
its likely influence on the new Government in its
policy in the East. Mr. Burleigh, the accomplished
correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, has been lec-
turing upon the subject; but probably the most con-
cise history of the campaign is given in a cheap work
just issued, "Gordon and the Mandi : an illustrated
narrative of the Soudan War" (Vizetelly and Co.)
It is amply illustrated by reduced cuts of the pictures
that have from time to time appeared in the Illus-
trated London. News, but under present circumstances
it is the conclusion at which the writer arrives which
has the most point, and is of greatest purport. ‘t In
the face of this strongly emphatic recommendation,"
the author says, "on the part of the late General
Gordon, it may well be gravely considered whether the
Khedive Ismail is not the one man capable by long
experience and personal influence of restoring both
prosperity to Egypt and order to the Soudan, the
subjugation of which a British army has been vainly
endeavouring to effect, at an immense expenditure of
blood and treasure, by the sword. Always a cordial
friend to England during the many years he-occupied
with dignity and power the Khedivial throne,
Ismail Pasha might assuredly be relied upon
to respect British interests in Egypt should
General Gordon's wish be realised, and a "ruler
or regent capable of maintaining a really strong
and efficient government" be re-appointed in the
person of his Highness. There is every reason to
believe that tho nomination of Ismail--still in the
prime of life, for he is only 54—would be readily
acquiesced in by the Sultan, who, it must not be for-
gotten, is at any rate the titular Sovereign of the
country, while it is quite certain that the ex-Khedive's
restoration would be acclaimed by the Egyptian
people. A further proof of the high estimation in
which General Gordon held the Khedive Ismail has
recently been furnished. It seems that at the end
of April of the present year, the ex-Khedive received
at Naples a small packet which a Soudanese mes-
senger had contrived to bring to the Italian Consul-
General at Cairo. It contained an Arabic letter,
shined and sealed by General Gordon seven weeks
before his death, and a well-executed decoration.
The following is a translation of the letter, which now
possesses a striking and touching interest:
"To his Highness the august Ismail Pasha, ex-
Khedive of Egypt.
[May God protect him.)
"Amongst the many honours which your Highness
was pleased to shower upon me during your glorious
reign, you have bestowed on me many decorations of
which I am proud and for which I am grateful.
Having been appointed Governor of the Soudan, I
repaired at once to my post, and arrived safe and
sound at Khartoum. Two months later communica-
tion with the North was cut off and the city was
besieged. During the siege it has been my lot to
witness many cases in which soldiers, civil employ's,
and leading men of the country have displayed
courage :a self-sacrifice in valiantly uniergoing
difficulties and privations. To reward their com-
mendable conduct and fidelity I have caused decora-
tions to be made for distribution amongst them. I
had previously sent a specimen of this decoration to
your Highness by the steamer Abbas; but as I fear
it may never have reached you, I send to-day another
for your acceptance.
"Receive it, Highness, in remembrance of my
affectionate devotion, with the respectul homage o'
your grateful and faithful servant,

(Signed) "C. G. GORDON.
"Khartoum, Dec. 3, 1884."

Has not this remarkable communication almost 016
force and eloquence of a voice from the grave? We
have proclaimed over and over again our intention to
quit the Valley of the Nile; we are at the present
moment engaged in the actual evacuation of the
Soudan after a costly and fruitless attempt to break
the power of the Mandi at Khartoum. It is morally
sure that our precipitate departure will, in the eyes
of the wild tribesmen of the desert, be regarded as
nothing more or less than a divine interposition in
favour of the mission of Mahomed Ahmed, and that
it will unite them once more in a bond of union
founded on our untoward discomfiture. The differ-
ences and dissensions which perplex him now will
disappear as if by magic, and his power will once
again be the source of a great, permanent, and ever-
increasing danger to Egypt itself. Unless, therefore,
we are prepared to incur a responsibility the like of
which history has never known, our rulers must
assuredly give ear to the counsel cf the one man they
trusted in the early days of our troubles. It is only
by so doing that we can save Egypt from the worst
consequences of anarchy, secure for her the "fair
start" we have so often promised her in vain, and
steer our political ship without fear of shipwreck
amidst the shoals and quicksands of grave, inter-
national complications.