New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-09
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
80 nrp,rvcrs IN THE NILE VALLEY.

4 CONFEDhtnSa,aaETo M I5O New-York: Dodd, Mead
aSoi ''''' ~
II ia fortunate that stirring events IN the Mic
valley create pressing demand for popular "orks
on modern Egypt, for otherwise the market wouiu
no heavily oycrstocked. No other country has re-
ccived such continuous attention from amateur ana
professional book makers during the last ten years
The English publishers alone have contributed dur
ING that period large library of instructive n1or.
nation on the geographical features. the poitcai
vicssitudes and the diplomatic and financial COM
plicatious of that ancient land; and FRENCH "ei-
man and Italian travellers and diplomatists nave
been actively at work in the same field. group ol
American soldiers have been in the service OF the
Khedlyes and have witnessed the development Vi
events and tendencies in the Nile valley. Naturally
they are Joining in the literary campaign. one Oh
the most distinguished of these officers Geperai w.
w. Loring has found leisure since his retirement
sron, military station In Cairo to record his i'm
nressions of the anomalous conflict OF races ana
civilizations which has engrossed the attention OF
Eurone since the close of the Russian campaigns
His American publishers have appreciated the I'M
portance of this contribution to the literature OF
this absorbing subject and have given to his worE
the advantages of exceptionally handsome press
work and an attractive binding. This is beautl-
fully printed volume. with forty-seven fuli-page'
well-executed illustrations 1t deserves high praise
AS an excellent product of the American DOCK
makers art
General Lorings experience places him at once at
nm advantage and at disadvantage as the author
of work relating TO Egypt He has had an ac-
souaintance of more than quarter of a century
with the East and during ten years OF that period
has occupied position of military command III the
Khedrya service lie has had unrlvalled oppor-
tnnites for watching the course of events and
studying the habits and tendencies OF the native
nopulation This experience enables him to write
with animation, confidence and vlgor OF a country
which he thoroughly understands and OF races with
which he is heartily in sympathy. As an offset to
This striking advantage in dealing with subject
with which he is so conversant. must be placed the
nreiudces which in common with all his companion
officers of American birth he has contracted against
everything that is English Like.General Stone he
is an outspoken and vehement partisan OF lsmall
the former Khedive and approaches the discussion
of British policy with feelings of unreasonmg aver
SION and passionate resentment There are, OF
course valid grounds of criticism which he can oc-
cupy in common with all the best informed writer's
IN this field The ablest and most vigorous book
which has left the English presses since the bonn
bardment of Alexandria is Mr.. Wallace's, and his
orroipnment of MIR. Gladstones policy is, to our
mind unanswerable. The recent occurrences IN the
Soudan and the present deplorable condition OF
affairs have doubled the counts of the original IN
dictment. The facts of the case bear heavily
against the English people, and we do not quarrel
with General Lorng for adding his own testimony
to the array Of evidence on the side OF the despoed
and impoverished Egyptians The point that we
make is that his preudIces have clouded his Judg-
nent and incapacitated him from forming cool
and impartial estimate of the nature and extent OF
Englands responsibility for the present condition
of affairs at Cairo and khartOum. He has the eX-
perience of a shrewd and practical American who
WAS on the ground for ten years and had the most
favorable opportunities for forming an accurate
Judgment of Egyptian affairs; but he weakens his
own argument by petty displays OF narrow
craftsmanship. Instead of writing with the
authoritative manner of fair and unprecedented
American soldier, he dscloses his sympathies
with the circle of Pachas who surrounded
IsmaI and we're always intriguing against England
in the interest either OF the Sultan or of France
As an evidence of this unreasonable prejudice,
which detraots from the value of this work, we may
cite his account of General GOrdOn's first appear
ance in the SOudan:
Then another distinguished Engllshman, Chi
nese Gordon" came, recommended, II was sand, by
the Prince of Wales. An American by the name OF
Ward organized an army in CHINA against the
rebels there and fought with great success and dis
finctiOn After his death Gordon commanded his
force and is represented as having been very much
distinguished IN suppIessing the lae-fng re3eII3h,
was able to ascend the Nile beyond Khartoum and
establish new forts and stations there, the Sudd
"a dense matted marsh and great obstruction IN
The rjver-haying been removed by Ey0ub Pacha,
a native Egyptian. before his arrival Gordon had
with him several able and accomplished English
men together with numbers of scientific and able
Americans of the Egyptian staff who were assigned
10 his department Chiefly through the ZEAL energy
and courage of the Englishmen and Americans,
under his command there was opened wide heid
of exploration and survey in the first years OF Cor
don's control extending to the great lakes on both
sides of the Equator and far to the east and west Of
the Nile and its tributaries
Now if is well known that General Gordon while
supported by the Khedive, Ismail, was dsliked and
distrusted by the Ministers and Pachas at Cairo.
There was war between him and them They were
always plotting and intriguing against him and
constantly charging him with running the Soudan.
The Pacha's prejudice comes ont in this passage I'M
,nistakablv There is o deliberate attempt to be-
httleand dsparagc GenerarGOrdOns achievements
even in China. The credit of organizing the Ever
Victorious Army" is accorded entirely to General
Ward. whose successor is family represented as
shaving been very much distinguished in suppress
ing the Tae-Png rebellion" Readers who are
familiar with the history of General Gordon's Chi
nese campaign will smile at this disingenuous at
tempt TO underestimate his arduous services and
marvellous achievements. By implication the
credit of General Gordon's earliest service in Equa
torial Africa belongs in reality to Engshmen and
Americans under his commando The same spirit
characterizes a subsequent passage:
Gordon Pacha entered the Soudan with great
hopes. Holding a power greater than any Official
who had ever preceded him, with ample means at
his command the whole resources of the equatorial
region to draw upon, and with no one to question
him, much was anticipated from his government
Upon taking command he found the country not
only disappearing. but paying into the Egyptian
treasury over half a million dollars per annum, be-
sides carrying on large commerce with Lower
Egypt amounting to several millions more. After
three years experience Egypt surprised to hear
that Gordon Pacha had determined to abandon lis
vast possessions. And when his chief reason was
announced. the Khediye was startled TO learn that
II was because he had not money enough to carry
ON his ooyeInment. The question asked. Whit