The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-11

schooling than appreciation of their instructors s
kindness. Gordon's purse suffered much from
his liberality, and it is said the meting-pot was
the fate of some of his medals in the cause of
charity. He was appointed to Galatz, a Rou-
manian river port on the lower Danube, where
he superintendent the Improvement of the great
rivers mouth In 1874 Gordon went to Cairo
for the purpose of breaking up the slave trade
which had gained great hold in the Soudan.
He had been sent to Egypt at the request of the
Khedive. His letters from Africa have been
collected and published under the title
of Colonel Gordon in Central Africa" His
work was of the hardest. but no word of COM
plant was ever heard from him. He suffered
at Gondokoro great hardships, and, writing from
there, said all the servants were sick, but the
sick We're being attended by one OF the best
doctors tme) know Of" He broke up the slave
trade, reduced to submission the rebeliouS chief
tains, and restored the Khedives authority in
Egypt, and in 1876 he returned to Great Britain
where he was received by the people with every
distinction He was spoken of as Governor of Bull
garia, but Gordon could not taccept the position
without consulting with the Khedive. He left
for Cairo early in 1877, and was Immediately ap-
pointed Governor General OF the Soudan, with
powers to enter into negotiations with King
John, of Abyssinia. He was installed, May s.
as Governor. and it was on this occasion that he
gave expression to the words, with the help of
God | will hold the balance level" He held
''the balance level" for three years. almost un-
aided and alone, Drawing death in fifty different
ways. A dispute with the Khedive's ministers
led to his resignation, and ia 1879 he re-
turned to Great Britain The press of that coun-
try could not say enough in his praise
and it was customary for a tim9 to
call him ''the uncrowned king" Shortly after
his arrival Gordon accepted the unimportant
Office OF private secretary to Lord Ripon on his
appointment Viceroy of India. Upon his
rival in India, however. he surprised everyone by
sending In his resignation, and shortly after
ward sailed for China. AS a reason for going to
China, he said his desire was to attempt to per
suade that country from going to war with
Russia In this he was successful, and, indeed,
proved the mediator between the war and peace
parties in China, whose vehemence seemed
likely to lead to civil strife. In 1881 Cor
don again visited Great Britain, and
having visited Ireland, gave his mind for a time
to her troubles His counsels in the matter of
Irelands woes were not followed out to any great
extent, and shortly after he paid visit to the
King of the Belgans to discuss an international
expedition to the Congo, which that king wished
Gordon to lead. In May he was ordered to
MaurItius commandant of Royal Engineers,
where ne remained for ten months. May 6, 1882
he was made a major general. In the same
of the colonial forces. His treatment by the
colonial government has been described as
extremely shabby, and four months after his ar
rival at the Cape he proposed sending in his res
ignation, which accepted. and thus that
government was the only one that could not ap-
placed at its SERVICE After having visited Lon
don for time he set out for Jerusalem. where
for short time he rested But it was brief
breathing space Africa again demanded
his services. and this time it was to put
into execution the ideas advanced on the
occasion of his visit to the King of the
Belgians. He started out for the Congo
country, but that mission was for the time
stopped, and Gordon was dispatched to Egypt
Jan. Is, 1884. His presence did much TO restore
temporary quiet among the natives March 10
he was sattacked by a force of rebels and through
the treachery and cowardice of some Of his com
manders suffered defeat. His advance to Khar-
toum was attended by unusual danger, and on
his arrival there he found the condition of things
deporabe. He was greeted with demonstrations
of wild delight and the speedy pacfcation of
the Soudan was expected; but the influence of
the Mahdi and the intrigues of the slave e-traders
worked reversion of feeling, and Gordon was
compelled to shut himself up in Khartoum,
where for a year he defended himself against
foes without and traitors within, only to be
overcome at last.