Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-07
4 TERRIBLE SHOCK.
Tie English Press on the Situation vigo-
rous Policy Demanded.

lie LnelIh PTcss on thr Situaii0n-' igo-
rous Policy Demanded.
LONDON. February 6.-The morning
papers contain no further information
relative to the fall of Khartoum. No
thing seems to be known at Cairo
except the news tclegraphcd there from
London. The Times, in a leading edi-
torial on the subject, says; - The shock
of the news of the fall of Khartoum has
10 parallel in the experience of the pres
cnt generation"
The Duly NeTs says: Seldom in
the memory of living man has news
been received of such a disaster to
England. The cry of Too late against
the Government is unjustifed."
The NerS thinks that Colonel vii
sons steamers might have arrived at
Khartoum earlier than they did. 1t
feels convinced that the national ca
lamity will not be utilized in further
ance Of party feeling.
The Daily Telegraph says: THE
situation is one of grave and compl-
Gated difficulty. 1t is right that all
should wait for the decision of the
Ministry, upon whose shoulders the re-
sponsibility rests, and who must pos
Sess the most complete military in
formation. Nothing can be gained by
wild reproaches for by-gone delays
The Mahdi must be crushed. The
Government has a misfortune to repair.
but it has no disgrace to lament. All
now needed is that statesmen rise to
the heroic level Of our soldiers"
The Daily NeVs says ; I'VE hope
the voice of faction will be unhecdcd.
The danger must be met by national
resolve. We must act instantly and
Vigorously
The singular coincidence attending
the fall of Khartoum lies in the fact
that General Gordon's defence Of the
city ended on his filty-second birth
day.
The Times, in its editorial discussion
of the last news from Egypt. says:
No words of ours are adequate to
express the mingled feelings Of dSmay,
CONSERVATION, and indignant disgust
which have been universally evoked by
the news. The present situation is the
result of long course of disregard of
the elementary maxims of statesman
ship. The country is obliged to con
fess that everything has been done that
could be done to add to the risks of
defeat. Advice has been spurned.
time wasted, and opportunity lost.
The splendid yalor of our sol
diers, which offered the last chance
for retrieving the mistakes of a
bad policy was handicapped by the
choice of line of march which was at
the same time long and difficult. and
without the means of communication
and without base Of supply. BY the
loss of Khartoum, which was his OBJ
jectiye point. General Wolseley's whole
expedition is in the air. The concen-
tration of his forces is first necessity
which confronts Wolseley. But where
shall he concentrate? His only eff
fectiye base is Suakim, and to make |
this available 0sman Digna must be
yanquished and the road 20 Berber |
opened. General Gordon must be
saved or avenged. The honor of the I
country must be indicated at whatever
cost"
In another place the Times says
4" The fall of that solitary figure (Gor- |
dom, holding aloft the flag Of England
in the face Of hordes Of sons of Islam,
will reyerberate through every bazaar
OF Cairo and Calcutta. The result will /
be long and deliberate abandonment
of respect for the British Government
and its officials by the followers of
Islam. But England will save Gordon
if alive. and if slain will aycnge him.
Woe to his murderers il he has been
killed.
The Morning Standard says in its
leading article 81 Let none forget Cor