New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
MORBESS LIFE OF GORDON.

RORRTSS LIFE Ot GohDON'
CHINESE GORDON AsuccScr REcosp OF HIS LI nnS
Sew-York George Routledge " sons Aiso a."
abridgment of the same.
This is the fourth biographical study OF unique
,,aractsr in whose fate the civilized world is now
deeplv interested. General GordOn's Chinese cam
nnacn was described by DIR. Andrew Wilson, anc MS
letters from the Soudan were collected in Mr.. Birk
heck Hills interesting volume Mr. Egmont Hake,
taking these two original works and making a
digest of them recently produced complete
account of General GordoD's eventful Ire
Mr.. Archibald Forbes the accomplished war
correspondent and military critic now con-
tributes a fourth volume which makes no pretence
to be anything more than a compilation ana al
abridement "My sole aim," he says IN the ire
face has been brevity aud ucidity ms niue
volume aspires TO be simply hahdy-oooh-i noPo
for the many-to the life of a great man IN whom
at present we have all burning interest"
Modest as are his claims, Mr.. Forbes has in real-
;tv done his work exceedingly well and
has rendered the public useful service IN
falling a thrilling story with simplicity and
drectness. Geueral Gordon, modest, straight
forward and austere would himself approve
of the general spirit of this recital 1t is IN keeping
with his own character. The stern Puritan soldier
would have cut out the indiscrminate eulogy with
which Mr.. Hakes pages are filed, and he would
authors profuse reflections upon his religious life.
Mr Forbes has prepared a matter-of-fact record
that is at once simple, quiet strong and appreci-
ative without being elusive in sentiment ana
making an ostentatous display of his heros charac-
teristics and virtues
The closing chapter in this volume is the only
one which contains any matter Lot covered oy tne
works preceding il. Ii deals with General Uoruoh
n,osept employment as British Penipotentiary to
n.atafn
his arrival at Khartoum on February Is. III con-
tains n sketch of the Mahdi, recountS the military
onerations ending in the massacre OF General
Bickss army outlines the successive stages OF
British policy in the Soudan, reproduces General
Gordons instructions and official programme ana
describes his Journey to KhartOum. The following
nassaae is a lucid account of Mr. Gladstone's re-
cent dealings with the Soudan:
The British Government had specifically refused TO
he accessory in any to the military dongs IN the
Soudan undertaken for the subugaon OF the Manu-
On the contrary so early May, 1888 Lord Granville
had carefully explained that " her M0estys Govern
mont we're in no way responsible for the operations in
the Soudan which had been undertaken on Inc author
iy of the Egyptian Government or Tor rne @ppoIh o
said that since British influence was paramount at
Cairo, a hint from Downing Street would nave Oceh
eucen TO the progress Of operations OF su1h
manifest hazard and untOwaTd issue to which could
NOT fail to bring about momentons complications,
The mind of government Is ike snow-oail-ac-
o,;r;t wires enndo: but the resemblance is only TO a
VERY slowroliing SNOWFALL The news of the eatastro
rbe TO Hicks column reached England about 20th No
Iember Nearly a month later, Lord Granville had
hardened his heart to recommend The hhedVes
Ministers to resolve the abandonment OF the SOuda
and had ntmaed his Governments intention not 10
employ British Indian troops III that province Inc
EGYPTIAN Ministers not unnaturaly reluctant to
fall in with this recommendation. Three weeks later
Lord Granville hardened his heart somewhat fnrther
lie was not peremptOry, but he directed Sir Evelyn
Barring to urge with all earneStness upon the hhedVe
and Ministers that all military operations. excepting
those for the of outlying garrsOns should cease
IN the Soudan" Later in the same day. he braced HIM
.olf IA he exDlcit No longer did he recommend or
:" rrge the Jelly had stifened and he used the
alarming word - insist - Ii must be made clear he
telegraphed to the Egyptian authorities that the re-
sponsibity which for the time rests on England oDgeS
her Maiestvs Government TO insist on the adoption OF
the policy which they recommend. and that Will be
necessary that the Ministers and Governors VINO 40 not
fo,oW tbs course should cease to hold Office" Where
upon the Cherif Ministry resigned the khediVe " ac-
ceped cordially the abandonment Oh me Whoie o. te
SOudan": Nubar Paeha succeeded Cherh ana en-
tireIv concurred in the wilson OF abandoning the
6oudan.D .,... ,no Kho
dive and his new Ministers might consent but OF them
selves these mental phenomena did not 90 great way
toward effecng the evacuation OF the S0udah; IL was
studded ali over from the Abyssnan frontier to Fascher
Inv Ecypan gairisons all Of which were lock-fast IN
their stations, and what with troops 9inGals' mGr
Eovntian populat0n in the SOudan numbered about
10000 The delay Of her Majestys Government III
screwing itself up to utter the word insist haa ma
teraliv added to the difficulties of the extrcaon OF
these Since her Ministers had ut last uttered tha'
strong word, not even government with genius loi
evadinq responsibility could well deny that England
had ncurred some responsibility in regard to those
Unfortunate derelicts Of the Egyptian regime. We
were all agreed" indeed, said Mr.. Gladstone, " that
measures should be taken for the relei o1 the gar
risons" Baker had gone to Suakim with several ship
loads of poltroons but that was not much OF " meas
wise of a Government who had definitely disavowed
their intention of employing their troops in the Soudan
Mr. Forbes leaves General Gordon where he now
stands on the threshold of his most arduous en-
terprise.
What has occurred since General Gordon arrived IL
Kbartoum is vet clouded and misty. Shadows have
fallen across the brightness of the early landscape ana
his bouyant antcipatiOns not finding realization
II NAV bc that tnls task which he has underaken sa
,roye' imnosslble for him to accomplish. But down il
The country whence he sprang there IS homely prov
erb A stout heart 10 stey brae" NO dlnicuIue,
will abate his loyal courage stress OF adversely VIII
daunt mis- gallant heart For him life has AMBITION
death no terror. He will do his duty