Middletown transcript., 1884-02-22
NO. 8.
How to Solve The Egyptian
Problem.

There is but one way now to solve
the problem. It can be done by fol-
lowing the counsel of Sir Samuel
Baker. No one from experience is
more competent to judge. Having
spent many years of his valuable life
in extensive explorations of the
equatorial region, and having been for
many years in command of Central
Africa, and subsequently hunting the
lion and elephant on the Blue Nile and
Atbara rivers, he has widely extended
knowledge, not only of the Soudan, but
of the country and people of Abyssinia.
The newspapers tells us that he has
advised the employment Of King John
of Abyssinia to cooperate with an
Egyptian army against Ell Mahdi.
King John can, in one month, when
ever it pleases him, rally to his standard
100000 as active and brave followers
as are to be found in Africa. And the
Egyptians have good cause to recollect,
that there is no more renowned warrior
with whom they have ever had inter-
course, or people of whom they have
such affects fear as the Abyssinian.
Having witnessed the trial of strength
and courage on several memorable
occasions, 1 can speak of their COM
parative fighting quality, with a full
knowledge of the superiority of the
Abyssinian.
Processing to be Christians and hat
ing the Mohammedan, who is their
hereditary enemy, there mo service the
Abyssinians would more heartily enter
upon than eating up,' as they call it,
Ell Mahdi and his followers. But it
must be done in conjunction with the
Christian, for the reason that they have
no confidence in the egyptians faith or
in their fighting quality. Anxious to
rectify his frontier and get the seaport
town of Massowah restored to him, the
King of Abyssinia has often sought the
interference of England in settling diff
ferences between him and the
Egyptians. There is seaport town,
Zoula, just below Massowah, which
may answer King John. Egypt, with
a band of iron entirely around and
hemming him in mountains, King
John and his people chafe under this
restraint in their anxiety to have egress
to the sea. Massowah given to him
and the frontier question settled, the
would soon be ready for
the field. To make it successful a
small nucleus of English is necessary.
With a supply of powder and old
Tower muskets and a few beads and
red cloth to please their women, they
would bethoroughly equipped. Living
upon raw beef, freshly killed and with
0ut salt, a small quantity Of the small
grain called tef, which they live on, and
10 baggage, the quartermaster and SUBJ
'istence are not much disturbed. They
Ire ready to march. King John, with
,ut hat or shoes, mounted on his war
lorse and armed with lance, sword and
hield, is spledid specimen of the
avage warrior. He rides at canter,
With his big toe, according to their
,ustom, in the stirrup. His people, as
,est they can, follow after him at a
'dog-trot," making without trouble,
heir thirty or forty miles day. In
constant war, either among themselves
II with their neighbors, they are always
eady for fight on anything like equal
erms and in their reckless onslaught
lpon the Egyptian, they showed the
Utmost contempt for him. It would
lot take long for them to get over the
lesert between them an Ell Mahdi, when
t is likely that the inspiration of the
Prophet would soon fail, and he and his
levout enthusiasts would take to their
leels. Those among them who once en-
the king would be the first
@ rum William ". Loring, Pasha,
~ The Manhattan for March.