New-York tribune., 1884-03-23
4 RAILROAD TO KH4RTOUH.

GENERAL NJ. c. MEIGs's PLAN FOR CHECKING III
MAYDI AND OPENING THE soUDAN TO CIVIL
IZATroS.
To the Edftor Of the Trtbune
SIR: If the English Government intends to pre-
vent the rei gous enthusiasm lately aroused by the
preaching of the new Prophet of Islam leading to
its logical consequences, new invasion OF Europe
and new taking of Constantinople by the armies
of Mahomet they should at once set about build
ing railroad from Suakim or Massowah 10 BerDer
and TO Khartoum. This few years ago would
have seemed An enormous or too costly undertake
ing. Our experience and the experience of Canada
ia building railroads penetrating an almost unin-
habted wilderness, at the rate of mile day. may
serve 70 show that it will probably be the cheapest
and the quickest method of taking and
holding possession of this country t
is cheaper TO lay the track with IRON
than with bones. No money cost OF the conquest Oh
this immense region which Islam now seeks to free
from European influence and control VIII appear
great in view of the value of commerce to be deye-
oped by few years OF quiet occupation by Brit
ish force The country is now almost the sole re-
gion which provides many articles OF commerce, ana
if free from the rayages of slave razzlas and the
witherng influence of Turkish satraps and TAX
gatherers. its production and its commerce would
| immensely increase.
| cient British force can advaIse and occupy at a
| RATE of progress greater than mile day through
| an arid wilderness destitute of water fuel and
food2 AT this rate we passed the Humboldt Desert
and the Deserts of the Colorado and the ella, and
at this rate American contractors will agreet to build
railroad if protected by British troops, from the
ittOral of the Red Sea to the Victoria and Albert
NyanZas, carrying along water provisions ana mi-
nitions, and taking back the wounded ana Tue usa-
The upper valley of the Nile is Torth the cost Of
occupation by railroads, which a.. the lhtstest Oh
commerce and civilization and ia defence OF Chfis-
| tian nations must some day scoe he incurred; INC
| sooner the better The proclanwsions of III Mahdi
| have the same tone and the same rlng as those oi
| the Caiphs and Sultans who asSalled, ana OK MA
| hOmet H. who took COnstantnople only 43l years
| ago. Then Islam oyerran GTeefe ana Haceuonla,
| and was checked finally by SObieski and the com
| bined forces of Christend0m only under the walls
| of Vienna new anti-crusade has been lnaugu'
rated by FL Iahd Let i be met by WCdern 4H1 ff tho
| source of that ancient river whose hlduen
springs it was reserved for BritOn 10
unvel Islam now deserves nrom nn zen dI
ciples first advanced 10 the banks OF me Dahupe,
their whitening passage to when IS sun IN arhod o oy
ruined and burned castles and villages not repaired
How long have the British been at Suakim, and
what progress have they made Ihey are rsorieJ sum al
| Suakim. At mile a day II would nave lequi!fso !f
| twelve days to build railroad to Tamaneb, the
last battlefield, and with this railroad they Sonio s
ward 70 Rerber As IL is. a few hundred brave
| British soldiers and officers are dead, and lew
| thousand Moslems have gone to the arms OF inc
| Houris they expect to meet in Paradise ana WIN 10
more trou6le the Christians or the Nubian slaves.
But their places will be filled by Others as brave, as
devout and as bloodthirsty those who fought at
COnstantinOple and under the walls OF vienna, at
| Snkat and at Tamanieb. ,..,.,
Our Pacific railroads have been built through hos
tile tribes and on every line the Indian question Is
settled 1t was by building twenty thirty miles
of railroad that we maintained Grants army Tor
many months before Petersburg; by building
| rising and She can do so probably by no quicker
| and cheaper plan of operations NJ. L. MEiGs'
| Waskingon March 81, 1854.