Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-13
KfsarsOUlly.

Khartoum Is name that is known among
the widest savases of equatorial Africa who
never heard of Paris or of London: to them it is
the center of ali that is great and it is the capt.
tai OF everything. The abandonment of Khar-
toum would. in their estimation be the dis
rupt!on o. a central power. which would imply
impotence. The slave hunters have been sup
pressed by the authority from KllartOum and
the force required for that suppression has
emaHated from that center of strength and
government; If, therefore. Khartoum should be
atanbonded, the protection that was the support
of loyal tribes of the interior would have been
Withdrawn. the supporting power would have
been oyerthroWn. and the slave hunters would
again be in the ascendent. The result would be
Immediate; those tribes which have been faith
Jul to the government would become the first
victims to those who had been against the gov
ernn,ent; n general anarchy would ensue and
the loyal would be sacrificed to the slave gangs
which had been kept in subsection by tie i'm
periai forces The slave trade would be renewed
with teniold ylgor. as no power would remain
to curb the atrocities of the traders This
depiOrabe situation would render impossible
all future attempts at government. as the natives
would have lost all confidence of support: they
would have seen that the lOyal had been
sacrificed by the abanOndment of the gov
eminent upon which they had depended for
protection, while those who had openly defied
the laws had triumphed by rebellion. All the
good results of the last five-and- twenty wears
OF exploration and energetic action against the
slave trade would have been entirely dissipated
and the end of the long struggle would have
yielded victory to the wrOngdoers. The work
of "a years since the conquest of the Soudan by
Mehemet Ali Pasha would have been utterly
destroyed, and the Soudan would relapse into
the frightful barbarism described by Bruce q
hundred years ago. 1t is ridiculous to suppose
That any SOudan races are capable of self-gOV-
eminent. If we refuse this to Ireland how can
we expect better result from ignorant barba-
rians who would eXtinguish all progress by
chronic inter-tribal strife? As local autonomy
would be impossible should khartOum be eyac-
uated by the Egyptian forces. the Soudan, de-
prived of its capital, would resolve into a DO
ltical chaos until some superior force should
take advantage Of the general disruption and
restore order by military conquest. Abyssinia
is dangerously situated as hostile neghbor.
From the frontier at Gellabat the march would
be direct descent upon khartOum by the river
Rahad and the Blue Nile, through a fertile
country teeming with supplies. If Khartoun
should be abandoned by the imperative orders
OF the British government Egypt will have
dedicated her right and the country will become
an easy prey to the first adventurer. If were
FIenchman ! should not neglect the oppor-
tunity. French officers might assist the King of
Abyssnla in the organization of his army for
the conquest OF khartOum and the fertile prov
inces of Senaar kadarif, and Taxa Kha,toum
and the richest portions of Africa would be an
neXed to Abyssinia. French influence would
procure concessions of land to various officers
inreward for their military services Bydegrees
the embryo of Il French settlement would be es-
tablished and, in less time than many people
would believe, we should discover rival colony
firmly rooted at khartOum.-Sr Samuel BQht,
in tie Nilteteenh Century,