The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-21
EGYPTIAN NEWS.

1t is bad news again that comes from
EGYPT this morning, via London; and
what is worse, it is apparent that some
thing has not been told, but is being
held back because of its ugly character.
It is clear enough, however, that the
English in the SouGan are in desperate
straits. General Butler, with his little
band, who lately found it necessary to
retreat before the Arabs who were
hedging him about, has now been
obliged to check his backward march.
He is entrenching at the Abu Klea
Wells, the scene of the late terrible
battle where General Stewart received
his death wound. Butler can neither
advance nor retreat, and while it is not
stated in so many words, the fact
seems to be that he has settled down to
sell himself and his little command at
the highest cost to therebels. Wolseley
cannot go to his rescue, and is even
thinking of flying before the
destruction which seems impending.
The British army is divided into half
dozen squads, which cannot now go to
the relief of each other, and some of
them are in imminent peril. In Eng
land there is great activity, soldiers be-
ing dispatched for Egypt daily and
immense quantities Of war materials.
All indicates that Great Britains
original idea of the Soudan undertaking
was narrow as compared with the real
magnitude of the affair If the work to
be performed had been understood,
even Gladstone, proverbially slow, eau
tious and hesitating as he is, would
never have consented to an advance six
months before they were ready to start.
nor would the expedition have departed
half-handed and aill-prepared for the
work before it. Whatever may be the
tinal outcome of the British operations
in Egypt and the Soudan-and we all be-
Heve it will be complete triumph for
the English--it cannot be denied that
up to this time the failures have been
steadily against the British. In every
fight except one the English have been
on the defensive, and while with their
hollow squares and better military
tactics they have been able to keep back
the desert hordes whom they have
slaughtered by hundreds, their victories
have been won at terrible cost of human
life. Several of the bravest and best
trained officers of the army have been
killed, among them the gallant General
Stewart, and the equally daring and
skilled General Earle, who fell the
other day in leading the charge against
the Arabs near Brit. This Is the only
battle where the English have been the
aggressors; they charged the rebels who
were entrenched behind rocks and in
deep ravines, and who showed that while
they were badly armed andwere ignorant
of military skill, they were yet brave
and furious Toes. who did not fall back
before they had inflicted great injury
upon the invaders. The English victory
was one of those of which two would
undo the victors. More of that kind of
fighting viii certainly be done before the
British can announce the subjugation of
the Mahdi; but before any more of it
can be done there must be large rein
forcements from the mother country.
Great Britain has been guilty of few
mistakes in her foreign policy. One was
committed in the attempt to subjugate
the Beers few years ago. This was an
errer because the purpose itself was
wrong and outrageous; it failed partly
because of the nature Of the undertake
ing. and partly because of the want Of
wisdom by the home government
which undertook too much with
too little. The Soudan expedition has
been blunder, not because of any
wrongfulness Of the undertaking, but
on account of the hesitating character,
ifnot the downright ineompetency of
the home government. The mistake must
now be paid for with interest, the error
of sending soesmall'an army to perform
thework that a large one only could do,
only making the opposition greater and
increasing the strength of the Mahdi.
Until General Butler has been re
Ieyed and Lord Wolseley announces
his ability to withstand the attack that
seems to be impending until succor ar.
riyes from England, the news-from
Egypt viii be eagerly read by the world.
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