The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1884-12-27
KhartOunl.

Khartoum Is a name that Is known
among the widest savages OF equatorial
Africa who never heard of Paris or Of
London; to them it is the center OF all
that is great, and it is the capital OF
everything. The abandonment of Khar-,
toum would, in their estimation, be the
disruption of central power, which
would imply impotence. The slave
hunters have been suppressed by the
authority from Khartoum, and the
force required for that suppression
has emanated from that center OF
strength and government; If, thereforeA
Khartoum should be abandoned, the
protection that was the support OF loyal
tribes of the interior would have been
withdrawn, the supporting power would
have been overthrown, and the slave
hunters would again be in the ascend
ant The result would be immediate;
those trfoos which had been faithful to
the Government would become the first
victims to those who had been against
the Government; ~ general Anarchy,
would ensue, and the loyal would IA
sacrificed to the slave gangs which have
been kept in subsection by the imperial
forces. The slave trade would be re-
newed with tenfold vigor, as no power
would remain to curb the atrocities Of
the traders. This deplorable situation
would render impossible all future at
tempts Mt government, rs the natives
would have lost all confidence of sup
port; they would have seen that the
loyal had been sacrificed by the aban-
donment of the Government upon which
they had depended for protection,
while those who had openly detied the
laws had triumphed BY rebellion. All
the good results Of the last iive-and-
twenty years of exploration and ener-
getic 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 sixty-four years since the
conquest of the Soudan by Mchcme
Ali Pasha would have been utterly dc
stroyed, and the Soudan would relapse
into the frightful barbarism described
by Bruce hundred years ago. 1t il
ridiculous to suppose that any Soudal
races are capable Of self-government
If we refuse this to Ireland, how can VI
expect better result from ignoran
barbarians, who would extinguish nj
progress by chronic inter-tribal strife
AS local autonomy would be impossible
should Khartoum be evacuated by tn
Egyptian forces, the Soudan, deprive
of its capital, would resolve into polit
zeal chaos, until some superior fore
should take advantage of the genera
disruption and restore order by militar
conquest. Abyssinia is dangerousl
situated as q hostile neighbor Fror
the front ESellabat the march woul
BED descent upon Khartoum b
the River Rahad and the Blue Nile
through fertile country teeming wit
supplies. If Khartoum should be abar
doned by the imperative orders of th
British Government, Egypt wi
become an easy prey to the first adver
turer. If were a Frenchman shout
not neglect the opportunity. Frenc
officers might assist the King of Ably
sinia in the organization Of his army fl
the conquest of Khartoum and the fel
tile Provinces of Senaar, Kadarif an
Taha. Khartoum and the richest pc
tons of Africa would be annexed
Abyssinia. French influence woul
procure concessions Of land TO warrior
I officers IN reward for their milital
services. BY degrees, the embryo of
French settlement would be establishe
and, IN less time than many peop
!. would believe, we should discover
rival colony firmly rooted at Khartour
Sir Samuel Baker, in The Nineteen
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