The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-03-06


Description Of Khsrtoam. the Most In-
portant Military Post On the Upper
nile.
This map, says the Chicago Standard Ito
which paper we are indebted for the above
cur. will give our readers good idea Of
the seat Of war in the Soudan, . region
whose geography has hitherto been out lit
tie known to the American people The
city Of Khartoum. which has 50 long been
the objective point Of public interest, Is To-
Gated on the south bank Of the Bahr-el-
Azrak. or Blue Nile, mile above lsouth of
the junction Of that river with the Bahr-el-
Abiad, or White Nile, and the city walls
the latter, 50 that the garrison Of
Khartoum commands both streams.
On the other side OF the White Nile Is the
terminus Of the great caravan route to Dom
COLA and the fortified camp from which Cen
ersl Hicks Inflated expedition set out
Opposite Khartoum Is the Island Of Tut,
dividing the Blue Nile into two branches.
The city Is thus the most important post
strategically considered, on the Upper Nile,
and Is the natural center Of military power
respect 1t Is even more important TO Egypt.
IT Is at Khartoum that the Nilometer records
che rising OF the waters and indicates to the
farmers of the Delta the influence the melt
ing snow will exercise upon the volume Of
the stream upon which their prosperity and
very existence depend.
Its early history Is unknown. The ruins
In the nelghboThood Of the present town in
dictate II 10 have been an important outpost
Of the Imperial Government Of the Phara-
obs. The yicissitudes Of centuries finally
reduced II TO the position Of q subordinate
town Of Scnaar. commercially tributary
to Snendy, which. situated more than
. hundred miles further down the
Nile. had become the business center
Of the entire Eastern Soudan. In 1879,
however. Mehemet Ali. the great Pacha and
first Khediye Of Egyptdetermined r. extend
his sway as far as possible. lie accordingly
sent up the Nile an expedition command
ed BY his sons Ibrahim afterward
Khediyc for few weeks-and Ismail--not
the Khediye OF that name. OF course. The
result Of this expedition was to conquer the
Eastern Sondan and annex II to the Egypt
ian realm. and Khartoum, at first masic the
base of military operations. became in 1921
the seat Of Government and 0utstripped
Shendy in commercial importance. In
1886 Pope Gregory XVI. founded = mis-
SION there. which was long conducted by
DIR. ignaz Knobleclier. Several European
consulates were also established there. that
OF England dating from 1S49 to 1854. In
which latter year Il was abolished under
circumstances which gave rise to much COM
ment
The population OF Khartoum has varied
from 10000 to 10000 according to the pol
Icy OF the Governor; official exactions fire.
Quently causing a sudden exodus Of one
third of the inhabitants. The town CEN
tains. however about 1900 houses mostly
Of mud and millet stalks, and In only =
few instances arranged in streets or
squares. The Governors house Is tho
principal building IN the city. 1t stands on
the river bank, and General Gordon said Il
was as large as Marlborough House, London
There have also been constructed some other
buildings Of importance, for In 1871 DR..
Scllweinfurth says lie found there large
number OF new brick buildings, spacious
quay ON the Blue Nile. and some imposing
structures on the other bank OF the river.
Tho land sides Of the city are surrounded
BY wall and ditch. The drainage Of the
place Il bad, much Of II lying below the
Level Of high water In the river; consc-
QuentIy, II Is an unllealthfnl and foul
smelling city. The inhabitants are Egypt
Ians, BerberS Arabs, Turks, Jews, Negroes
and Europeans
DISTANCES.
From Cairo 70 Old Dongcla. about Ion
PROM Old Dcngola 10 Korti. about 30 mIlss.
FROM kOrti 10 Mctcmneh, 1e5 miles.
from Ncfemneh 70 khartoum. - miles.