Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-20
THE PBRPLBxED CONDITION OF AP
FAIRS IN EGYPT.

The success of the False Prophet has been
much greater shus far than the most fear
full anticipated, 1t appears now, as was
feared that Hicks Pasha's black troops. as
Well as those defeated in the more recent
engagement, did not fight well Indeed
they threw up their hands by whole COM
panies, and cried out to the enemy that
they were brethren and hailed them as
such. What else could be expected in the
face of the fact that the major portion of
the black troops of Egypt were kidnapped
frcm the Soudan. As matters now stand,
Ell Mahdi has at his mercy greater extent
Of populated country than the Khedive,
though not in such numbers, of course, and
has at command some of the chief routes
of travel of commerce. Egypt con-
fesses her inability to cope with the
pretender, and has appealed so strongly to
England that the latter dare not
suffer any delay in checking the boat
builder. Great Britain cannot afford to
permit France to share the task and the
reward, nor yet will she permit the Porte
to aid though uuquestionably Turkey is
beet able to cope with the fanatical horde.
1t would appear that there is no intent at
present to attempt to drive ri Mahdi back
to biz native Dongola II is a task for
which England is not prepared. She has
not the men who can safely be put into
Soudsn territory. for those the pretender
did not kill the inho5pita5le climate would
carry off But it becomes q serious ques-
ton as TO whether Egypt will be content
Wit merely barring the advance of Eel
Mahdi. At heart the Khedive desires the
aid Of Turkey, and France would approve
IA expression Of this desire. The reports
Of rebellion on the cast Of the Red Sea, in
Arabia, affects Turkish authority directly,
and will make her more DESTROYS than ever
that the influence of the False Prophet
shall be broken at the earliest moment.
The belief says one Egyptian correspond
ems, is that FL Mahdi cannot hold his
forces together; that they will fall apart
so soon as his advance is checked, and
evidently The English Cabinet hopes for
this probable good luck. The Prophet,
say the traditions, must come to make
MosleEism universal and exterminate the
inddsl dog Bnt he must fly from Medina
20 Mecca, where his final recognition viii
take place. Some time ago the Khedive
commanded the doctors OF the law to con-
suit the records and say if, indeed, FL
Mahdiis the prophet to come, They did so,
and piled that the fanatic, who is Just
row the ally Of the slave dealers Of the
NiEri.ia belt, is not he who is to come, be
cause he Is historically ahead of time and
beause he is f citing to Obtain the caliphate
which the traditions say should be offered
MIN freely and by him be refused This
grave and authoritative announcement,
which has JUS. been promulgated, will
strengthen the hearts OF the Egyptians
somewhat, but will no. reach the tribes
whom his preaching now disafectg At
present the situation in Egyp. ia ruch that
any attempted analysis must be merely
speculative, for any days event may
work a complete revolution of view. For
instance, a single mishap to the "long.
armed imposter would plunge his fortunes
TO as low depths as they are now raised to
exalted hights.