The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-05

LONDON, Sept. 5.-Suakim advces report that
the rebel attacks lately were feeble in character.
Kassala is closely invested. The troops on the
lief when ordered All is quiet on the Abys-
sinian frontier.
General Loring ON the Proposed Campaign.
Interview in New York Herald.
General asked the reporter, what are your
views with regard to the success of the British
expedition about to start in Egypt under Lord
Wolseley2
Il do not think there is any doubt about its
eventual success"
DO you think the force with him sufficient to
do more than relieve GordonT
Certainly not to hold the country to which
he is going for any long time; but by joining his
forces with those of Gordon in Khartoum he
may possibly be able to relieve the other militia
ry posts scattered along the White Nile ard its
tributaries, in case they are not captured before
his arrival It is not impossible, too, that he
may see his way to opening the road from Berber
to Suakim by way of Kokreb, which would be
an immense advantage to him in any ulterior
operations"
rs it your opinion that the expedition will
reach Khartoum in timer
1t is. The force is, to my mind, likely to reach
Assouan by October /. The Nile is now rising,
and by that date the river will be in fine boating
condition. With his three thousand boatmen
Lord Wolseley will be able to pass three catar-
acts between Assouan and Ell Debbe, and also
overcome the adverse current of the Nile. From
Ell Debbe he will have to push across 175 miles
of desert to Shendy, where he will again strike
the Nile 100 miles from Khartoum, and where
he will be within easy reach of Gordon's boats
My opinion is that General Wolseley will be able
to open communication with Gordon by about
the middle of November"
Still presume you believe he will encounter
great difficulties, do you not2"
Undoubtedly. Under the best of circum-
stances the task before him is herculean one
70 move even small force from Wady- -Halfa to
khartoum is an arduous business; but to move
such body of men as Wolseley has under him
is tremendous task. He has not only to over
come the difficulties presented BY the cataracts
and the Nile current but he has to fight the eli
mate. Presumably, however he will do great
deal OF his marching at night. As to the tribes
along his route, it is not likely they will give
him much trouble His qualities are known,
and the force with him is too formidable to war
rant the supposition that the tribes on his road
will venture to attack him.
do you believe the eventual abandonment of
the Soudan by England probableT
II do not. It looks to me as though the sending
of Wolseley with so large force foreshadowed
determination on the part of the British to
hold Khartoum at least They will hardly CON
tent to turn over that vast country, the Soudan
to the slave hunters as preserve. Then. 1T
must be remembered the trade of the Soudan is
| very great and under England might be in
| definitely expanded. To control it she would
need only railway between Berber and Suakim,
which should not be surprised to see projected
| and eventually built. Her possession of Masso-
wah points also to the ultimate absorption of
! Abyssinia.'
1T is hardly necessary, then, General, to sug-
gest that you do not look forward to the evacua
| tion of Egypt by the Englishp
Certainly not My fixed opinion has been
| that, once established in Egypt. England would
not relinquish her hold on it. / have never at
| tached any seriousness to her talk about with
drawing her army from that country The con-
troll of the Suez canal is as important to her
almost as the control of the mouth of the
Thames. If she withdrew from Egypt the
Khedive's government would go down before the
hatred of the Arab population, and the safety of
the canal be jeopardized Neither she nor the
rest of the commercial world could afford to run
this risk. Even if the Mahdi had not appeared,
other cogent reasons would have been found for
her occupation of the country in which, / think.
she has the tacit appreciation of the majority of
the European powers"