The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-15
THE NEWS FROM ABROAD.
Stone Pacha's Work in Remodeling
the Egyptian Army.
STONE PACHA.

His Work in Egypt Relnsdelins the Army
Eecollections of Alexandria.
Interview with General Stone in Paris.
II found on my arrival in Egypt several
American officers already there, in different
grades, from brigadier-general to captain.
These officers were all placed in staff posi-
tons where they could give instruction
which should be largely felt. General Lor-
ing was placed in command of the troops on
the coast, General Sibley was made Grief of
the artillery of the coast, General Mott was
first inspector-general of cavalry and after
ward general aide-de-camp to the Khedive,
and the Others were distributed in the stats
of the two generals named, and somein the
stats of generals in the country, while others
were placed in the staff bureau to direct op-
~erations in the War Department. They all
rendered large services. AS early as 1871
expeditions of exploration and reconnois-
Rnce commanded by American officers began
to be sent into the interior of Africa in the
immense possessions of the Khedive,
in Nubia and the Soudan, and as
fast as the young officers came from the
staff school some were attached to these xpe-
ditions, thus giving them practical instruc-
ton in that part of their duties, while others
were attached to the staff bureau in the War
Department and others to the stats of the
general officers. TIL value of the expedi-
tons in the Soudan conducted by the. staff
officers is in great part well known to the
world. The work of such men as Purdy,
Cohesion, Long, Prout, Mason, Mocktar,
Handy, Fausy and many others, has been
well appreciated by the various geographical
societies of the world. In fact, in 1876. the
khedive Ismail had a well appointed army
OF $4,000 men with a large capacity of reserve
and excellent military schools to provide
good officers for the future. The khedive
1snail understood fully the value of sound
instruction and education in his army andin
his country, and understood fully the enor-
NOUS value of his great possessions in the
Soudan, and the necessity existing for Egyptto
maintain these possessions and to control the
entire country between the great lakes and
the sea. 1t is most unfortunate for Egypt
that his efforts to instruct his army and his
people were stayed by circumstances, and
that his appreciation of the importance of
the Soudan possessions has not been con-
tnued by the European administration
The Soudan possessions of Egypt, in my
opinion, bear much the same relation to
Lower Egypt that the great back country of
the United States bears to New York and
New Orleans. The delta Of the Nile is about
the same size as the delta of the Mississippi,
and the upper regions of the Nile can easily
be made to pour into that delta as much of
value as the upper regions of the Missouri
into the delta of the Mississippi. This
the Khedive Ismail fully understood, and his
movements in the Soudan we're so vigorous
and so we'll directed that to-day, when the
prestige of his successor has been so sadly re-
duced in his own capital by what l regard as
unfortunate n0licV near tba aouator . O00 /
miles away, one of his minor officials is re-
spected asa prince by vast populations"
MEMORIES OF ALEXANDRIA.
General Stone spoke at length on many
other subjects of interest. He. was present
with the Khedive during the bonn
bardment of Alexandria, in the palace of
Ramleh, where he took refuge during the
bombardment, and remained with him until
his return to Cairo, on the 25th of September.
The Generals position was a very peculiar
one. On the one hand he was a sworn Off
Ger of the Khedive, on the other he was a
military officer and subject to the orders of
the Minister of War, who was then Arab,
who, though nominally the Khedive's
Minister of War, was really endeavoring to
destroy his master and replace him. You
visited the batteries early in the morning of
the 10Th of July after the first days bonn
bardment, did you not, General? In what
did you find them?' The General
answered: The Lighthouse battery, which
was a mere battery for s~alutes, and would
never have been occupied for defensive pur-
poses by a man who knew his profession,
was almost entirely destroyed and
many OF its defenders We're killed.
In the other batteries I found no
damage done which in an American battery
would not have been repaired before mid
night after the bombardment. But there
were large numbers of effective guns and
mortars in a perfect state for longer resist
ance. Excepting in the Lighthouse battery,
I found the men still at their posts, quietly
lying beside their guns. Returning to Ram
leh about noon of the 18th, | overlook and
passed a battalion of very rough-looking sol
a battalion sent by order of Arab to sur
round the Ramleh palace of the Khedive, 10
destroy the Khedive and his family and all
those who remained with him. Nominally
it was sent as. an addition to the Khedive's
guard. On the following day they formed
line around the palace and loaded their mus
kets, while outside Of this line squads Of cav
airy took up positions to support them. For
tunately for the Khedive and for all who
were with him these troops, sent to destroy
him and having orders to set fire to the pal
Rce and to shoot down any who attempted
tie leave ir, were prevailed upon TO become
rattle the guards of the Khedive, and as
soon as they consented he, escorted by them,
returned to Ras-al-Tin Palace, where we
found that some 600 British marines had
landed and were guarding the palace. AS
we entered Alexandria we were obliged to
make a wide detour from the usual route, as
The European part of the city was every
where III flames"
GENERAL FOREIGN NEWS.