The Wilmingtonian., 1884-09-13
The Soudan Campaign.

The Soudan Campaign.
r. E. Colston, an American officer and late
Bey on the General staff Of the Egyptian
army, gives it as his opinion that it is almost
impossible for any European army to Iene-
trate into the Soudan. Viewed in the light
of Mr.. Colstons facts, Wolsley's coming
campaign can only prove a repetition of the
disastrous expedition into ,Afghanistan in
1S42.
For General Gordon with few followers
TO traverse the thousa nd miles from Cairo
10 Khartoom was an easy matter, but TO
march an army Of even 10000 men (the very
smallest number possblt) through water
| less deserts is but to sacrifice the entire ex-
| pedtion without the chance of firing shot
or even sighting the city of Khartoom at
all. .-.7.-
There are three available roates to Khar-
| toom Q) by way of Suakm, (2J up the
Nile through Korosko(3) through Abyssina
The last named implies a treaty with King
John and the concession TO him of the
poit of Massowah on the r I'd Sea, besides
large subsidy in money. 1t would
prove the cheapest resource in the end ard
is virtually the only solution of the problem
of rescuing General Gordon, who has pro
nouuced the surrender of Khartoom inevita-
bic unless the siege is raised before Novem-
ber. ..-5
The Suakim route would appear at first
sight an easy ono. From SualSim (the scene
of the late battles) to Berber is only 240
miles; from Berker to Khartoom is but 225
more. Estimating the march of an army at
10 miles a day (and nc mole could be expect
ed) it would require AZ days to bring the
expeditionary force before Khartoom. For,
be it noted, the water supply is paramount
question in land where there is no railroad
communication, and where the temperature
rises every day above one hundred degrees,
even in November and December. As to
constructing a railroad from Suakm to
Berber, that is out of the question, even if
time permitted its acccT,Iisshmept The
route crosses the great Arabian Mountai n
Chain at distance OF fourteen miles from
Suakims. To lay tracks under constant
attacks from the fierce Bedouis would
absorb an army of ten thousand men,
and the same number would be required to
guard the road after it was made. AS to
the water difficulty, it is one which increases
all the way along the route to Berber. The
wells lie three days journey apart and none
of the groups of wells will yield more than
sufficient for six hundred men, not to speak
of the ease with which they might be des-
troyed OF the water poisoned. Hicks Pasha's
army, which persisted at El 0beid, was
composed of native Egyptian troops lightly
equipped, thoroughly acclimatized, yet it re-
quired six thousand camels to carry one
days water supply for the men. What would
become of the thirsty British soldier with
his sixty pounds weight of kit and heavy
sitting uniform? Even the native Indian
troops would succumb to the ordeal!
The alternative route, via Korosko, has the
same disadvantage of traversing the desert,
and is much longer. From Cairo to Korosko,
by boats on the Nile is 6l0 miles. Thence
across the Nubian Desert the troops would
have to march 23O miles to Abou Hammed.
The track across this desert is map ped out
| like roadway with the bleaching skeletons
of the thousands of camels and cattle which
have perished in crossing It. But supposing
the expedition to reach Abon Hammed, it
has still to march 100 miles to Berber (the
Nile being here unnayigable) and further
226 miles to Khartoom, fighting all the way
The total journey by this route is 1925
miles.
The probability is that England will either
assent to the terms of King John of Abys-
sina or allow the Mahdi to capture Gordon
and then ransom the latter. 1t would be a
sore loss of prestige to the Government, but
time would be gained for the ultimate pac
fication OF the Soudan and the protection
Of the vast Christian colony at Khaltoom
That the Mahdi will accomplish the con
quest of Egypt proper is among the wildes
of improbabiites, but at the present time
he is complete master Of the situation ant
probably of Khartoom Itself.