The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-04-02
The SOudan.

Around the western shores of the Red
Sea fierce activities are now at work which
will probably end the domination of Mo-
hammedanism as military force on the
earth. From its first great defeat by
Charles Martel (the Hammer) at Tours, it
has been weakening as military power,
and losing the force of its fatalistic cour-
age. There is now more of revival of
the old spirit in the Soudan than has
been seen in centuries, under the impulse
of the false prophet and his intrepid gen.
eral, Osman Digna. The next few weeks
will probably tell us whether it will COL
lapse before the English arms or die a
slow death, threshing the nations by its
tail. Intense interest is felt in the terri
tory known as the Soudan, which is two.
thirds as large as the United States, only
fragment of which, on the shores of the
Red Sea, is now in conflict This is now
the fierce center of Mohammedsn fanat
icism and the key to the heart of the
slave-trade in the world. We give below
an outline as to how the Soudan became
the possession of Egypt. Mohsmmed
Ali, who was the head of the dynasty of
Egyptian rulers now passing away, was a
Turk in instinct, ferocity and religion, as
Napoleon was Frenchman. Both these
men had good in them, and accomplished
good even in the midst of the wreck and
ruin they brought on earth. Mohammed
found Alexandria in ruins, and all Egypt
chaos, and out of these ruins he re-
organized order. strength, progress and
beauty. While he was Turk he was
also the plague of the Turk. He wrung
from the sultan at the swords point inde-
pendence in all but name, and if he had
been left to himself he would have con-
quered Turkey itself. He seized the
Egyptian provinces, and invaded by his
son Ibrahim, Arabia and Syria, and men,
aced Constantinople. But when victory
appeared to be within his grasp, England,
born to shatter eastern hopes, interfered,
with the consent of Europe, sent navy
to Alex aadria, and compelled him to sign
treaty at the lannon's mouth and to give
up his conquests. He tore hsndfuls out
of his white beard in impotent rage at
the power he could not resist but he did
not, for all that, give himself up to hope
less despair, and in his solitary grandeur
he insisted on keeping the vice-royalty
in his line forever, which has lasted to
further made manifest in that most per.
ilous national interchangeable is, Great
ing an empire and consolidating it for
ages out of a dozen nationalities. But
his thoughts were not all warlike. He
had, for his time, grand conceptions of the
glory of q nation, striving by internal i'm
provements to facilitate its motion, its
energies, and the increase Of its resources
To this end he constructed the Mahmoudi
canal, connecting the Nile and the Medi
terranean, which figured 80 largely in con
nection with the operations of the English
year ago in their contest against Arab
Pacha. Almost his first military achieve
ment was the conquest of the Mamelukes
and Of Dongola, in the Soudan, and this
gave Egypt its first foothold in this now
blood.stained heritage of darkness. Aftel
this he conquered province after province
in the name of the sultan, but soon be
came weary of bootless vassalage and be
gan his plans and plottings for independ
ence. He was statesman of large
conceptions, encouraged immigration
from Europe, and showed great favors t.
scholars, and tradesmen, and artisan
from every quarter. He established com
mercial relations and Egypt became the
jewel of the Orient. He died by the SLOW
effects of poison, always grand snt
gloomy, fl ghting death itself step by step
and fell at last like conqueror, will
courage, but without strength. He t. oil
the cup from his daughter, who though
she was giving her father cup of toni
to strengthen him for his duties.-Pre,
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