The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-12

what he thought of the chances of General
Gorlon's safety, Sir Henry said Il have
not the slightest fear for my brothers safety
He knew well as any man living the character
Of the task he undertook, and the temper, the
manners and the morals of the people among
whom he was going. Those conditions have not
changed. and he has not swerved from the line
of policy agreed upon in the conferences between
him, General Wolseley, Lord Harrington and
Mr.. Gladstone Just before his departure
Then you do not believe that General Gordon
is in dangerW
"Only the danger of a stray bullet or of assas-
sinatiOn. neither of which possibilities will re-
ceive much attention from him. He is in abso-
lutely no danger of any such attack from the
False Prophet as would imperil his personal
safety"
What do you think of reports that the gov
eminent, after sending him to Khartoum, had
betrayed him and left him to his fate!
'Such talk as that is simply bosh;' it is ridic-
ulous and worse than that 1t is disgraceful to
use this pretext, which its orignators know to
be simply preteXt to embarrass the govern
ment and provoke unseemly debates in the
House
''But is it not true that the government has re-
fused to accede to his demand for an expedition
to be sent TO his reGef!7
mo; for the reason that he has made no such
demand. have it upon the authority both OF
my brother and the Office that he has never
requested. nor even suggested, the sending of a
British expedition across the desert to Khar-
toum He did make some suggestions in regard
to keeping open the caravan route between Su-
AKIN and Berber which agreed in all main
points with the Judgment of General Graham
and General Wolseley, which the government
has promptly acted upon"
when did you last hear directly from Gen
eral Gordonl"
My last letter was dated March 6 He then
expressed the belief that his work at Khartoum
was about completed, and the hope that the En-
glish and Egyptian governments would agree to
send as his successor Zobehr Pasha, who is. he
says. thoroughly competent to bring all the diff
fcnlties in the Soudan to a satisfactory solution.
He also speaks most highly Of the services of
Lieutenant colonel Stewart, and says that he
would make an efficient and satisfactory col
league of Zobehr Pasha in pacifying and govern
ing the Soudan"
''Has he made these suggestions to the govern
mentl
He requested that l should show his letter to
the proper officials and have already done so.
You can say also, that there is every probability
of his suggestions being carried out"
what are your brothers plans for the fu-
tureln
''He says that he hopes to be in Brussels next
August and resume his engagement with the
King of the Belgians to take command of the
military portion of the operations of the Inter
national African Association. From Brussels
he will go directly to the Congo country, and
he says that he will try never to return to Eng
land
How do you interpret that expressionF
He means that he hopes to devote the rest OF
his life to the civilization of Africa and the ex
termination of the slave trade This is the kind
of mission which appeals most strongly to a man
Of his temperament and in comparison with it
he looks with disgust upon garrison life in Eng
land and especially upon lionizing in society.