The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1884-05-22
THE SOUDAN.
A Preacher Who Has Travelled in
That Country.

The Rev. H. al. Field, editor of the
New York EranGclsst, in speaking oi
General Gordon's mission to the Sou
dan to representative of the New Or
leans Times Democrat, said:
l have Travelled in Egypt and been
up the Nile TO Assuan, the first cata-
ract, and afterwards went to Suez and
DOWN the Red Sea to India, and SO /
arr familiar with that coast. Two years
apo was in Egypt ;.Di went across
tn, desert 10 Sinai. From being SO
much in Egypt l have become familiar
with the Eastern question, and know
ir-- General Stone, Nubar Pasha, and
otler leaders well, it has been some
thing of study to me.
The Soudan is term hard to define
geographically. 1t is vast territory
upon the Nile, and the provinces Claim
ed by Egypt extend almost to the equa-
tor. They have annexed ali that part
OF Asia Egypt has appeared before
the world as Intending; civiliz lion has
pushed it up TO khartOum and to Con
dOkOre, and think quite to the Victo-
ria Nyanza, if not quite TO the equator.
The annexation OF Egypt included
not only the Soudan in its proper sense
but Karfodan and Darfour. l know
very well Colonel in New York, a
Colonel Prout, who was an American
officer in our war, who went out and
took service with the Khedive, and was
sent up the Milo and was under Cor
don. He said he was himself put in
command, by Gordon, of the equato-
rial provinces, which shows how far
they have extended their claims.-
Egypt's claim of breaking up the slave
trade and extending civilization is not
founded in truth. What she did do was
to put over the country annexed a set
OF Egyptian governors who were the
curse of the country.
These governors were mostly bad
characters; but there was one interval
of good government and that was
when they sent Chin ,se Gordon up the
Nile to take charge and break up the
slave trade. Our knowledge of this
great soldier was derived from this
Colonel Prou.. who was up there Tor
feeI years.
soon saw the terrible state
of the country, and how the people
were oppressed, and lie Immediately
set to work TO use his power to relieve
the burdens of the people, release them
from oppression and to govern them
wisely and kindly. The Egyptian gov
ernment gave him salary of $50. 900
per year, but he gave it all away, do
ing everything for the poor. In one
sense he ruled with a rod of iron. and
enforced obedience, but he ruled with
such justice that he acquired an almost
supernatural reputation. He is man
utterly ignorant of fear, and exposes
himself constantly, and the natives
have an idea that bullets can't hit him.
de has great executive ability and pow
ers of administration with his courage.
With all this he is an extremely relig-
ious man, and a man of prayer, and all
his acts are rs if he was a man of God.
He is perfectly capable of praying all
night and then mounting his camel
and gcing alone into the desert.
His mission is 10 restore order and
make peace. and this he expedites by
displacing the Egyptian governors who
are inimicai to the people. As under
stand the matter he intends to re-
store tho old Soudan governors instead
of the Egyptian governors. but he don't
propose 10 give up khartoum, but to
mold on to that.
have theory that to reach that
country permanently is from the Red
Sea, and l think ultimately that there
will be rai.ruai constructed f..vm SG- |
AKIN to B.r.c.. think The distance |
across to the Nile is about 24l Or $50
miles Then 81 the crotch Cf The D!.:a |
aud White Nile is SIENNA, a fertile coun-
fry. II they E:.d railroad 10 Saak.nl,
there is no reason why England should
not get her grain supply from the Red
Sea, as now fiom the Black. In ten,
twenty or thirty years | think there will
he 4 railroad across. and that viii set |
tie this Eastern question.
For the moment the whole future of |
the Soudan depends upon the courage,
frmness and judgment of one man
General Gordon. look on Gordon as |
the hero of our century.
The Doctor has seen not few |
changes in foreign government, and I,
was in Paris when the revolution of |
I84S overthrow Louis Philippe, so he |