The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-10-08
Our Usual Weekly illustrated Budget from
Washington.

Our Usual Weekly illustrated Budg ct from
Washington.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-'The one man in
this country who knows most about this
Egyptian situation" said gentleman of ex.
perience on the dark continent to your
correspondent-"th one man of all this
country who knows most about the Soudan
is right here in Washington. He has
travelled all over it, thousands OF miles, on
camel back, in command of Egyptian troops
has, in fact. spent years in that country,
and very few, if any, Europeans have DONE
Some inquiries and investigations proved
the statement, which appeared rather en-.
thusiastic one, to be probably correct Gen.
eral r. L. Colston, formerly of the Confeder
ate Army, was for six years a Bey in the
Egyptian army, and during that time COM
manded two military expeditions IN the
very country now the scene of operations,
being a considerable period at Khartoum,
where General Gordon now is and having
for long time his headquarters at Ell 0oeid,
now the headquarters OF IL Mahdi. He was
one of several American officers who ac-
cepted positions in the Egyptian service
some years ago, remaining 10 that service,
as did most of them, until England laid her
band on Egyptian affairs, ordering reduc-
ton in the force and expenses. which was
considered a signal for resignation, not alone
by the American officers there but by the
Europeans as well. 1T was easy to see,"
said General Golston, who was found at the
library of the Surgeon Generals, where he
is now in charge; lit was easy to see that
with England taking the part in Egyptian
affairs that she proposed to take, there
mi RVS MI caf wnnld
make it unpleasant aud perhaps improper
that representatives of other nations should
continue in the service there aud the result
was the resignation of nearly or quite all
the foreign officers in the employ of the
khedive."
What do you think of the situation there
now. Generalf"
THAT is a pretty large question:" he
answered with smile. "The situation is so
complicated and the issues so grave. 1t is
easy to tell what ought not to be done and
what is impracticable, but not so easy to say
what ought to be done or what is the most
practicable thing"
"You are quite familiar with the country,
Generalr'
"Well," he replied, with little touch OF
satisfaction, "having spent some years in it,
travelled several thousand miles over it by
camels, encountered some of the difficulties
which the proposed rescuing party must en-
counter in still greater force, seen the people
with whom they have to deal and their
peculiarities, | suppose l might be said to be
tolerably familiar with the situation"
And do you think it possible for the
British Government to rescue Gordon, sur
rounded as he is at Khartoum with the hos
tile tribes OF that desert country to which
the troops that will be sent are quite un
accustomed?'
ITO British pluck and British gold almost
anything is possible; though whether it will
be possible for any human agency to reach
him before the Mahdi gains sufficient
strength to capture him nobody can tell. A
force large enough to rescue him. or even to
protect itself, can not make the trip from
London to Khartoum in twenty days as
Gordon did. He is q man of wonderful en-
ergy, and made that trip in less time
than ever it was made before. No
body but Chinese Gordon would have
accomplished it as he did. He was il Lon
don, preparing to go to the Congo country
for the Belgian Government when he was
asked one morning by the British Govern
ment if he would go to Khartoum. He re-
piled that he would If he could get leave
from the Belgian Government. He tele-
graphed tor permission. received a favors BILE
response, accepted the British commission to
Khartoum, and before night was on the way.
Nobody but Chinese Gordon would have
done that"
"Do you know him personality
Every well. A short, fiorid Scotchman.
with hair and beard pretty strongly mixed
with gray, peculiar in his manner almost to
'crsnkiness, with an iron Scotch determine
ton and pluck, and thoroughly familiar
with the people and country where he is.
| 1t was his former long service there that led
| the British government to select him for this
service when the rebellion OF FL Mahdi made
| it necessary 10 send their best man there
Gordon was, you know, Governor General OF