The Dickinson press., 1885-03-28

observed the satellites of Jupiter
New York World.
The Egyptian War.
A good many people in this country
don't know what the war in Egypt is
about, and why an English army has
been sent against Arab ''rebels." The
Egyptian Arabs have probably often
themselves asked the question: ''What
has England to do with us that she
should declare us rebels?"
The story of the war can DO told in
few words. Some years ago the
Khedive, for the purpose, as he de-
clared, of civilizing the natives and
establishing a trade with Equatorial
Africa, annexed that portion of Africa
between Gondokora and the lake
sources south of the Nile river, and
appointed Sir Samuel Baker Cover
nor. In the meantime traders who
had gone to that region in search of
ivory and other articles of commerce
found slave dealing much more pro-
titable. They gave it their sole atten-
ton and in the course of a few years
had become sc powerful that they
were able with their large force of
armed kidnapers to defy the govern
ment. Baker endeavored to deal with
them, but could do nothing, and in
1873 Chinese Gordon vas requested by
the Khedive to undertake the work.
To this Gordon consented. and after
few years had so effectively cowed the
slave trader that, had the Khedive
been as eager to suppress the trade as
he was to still the indignant voice of
civilization, the negroes would have
been permitted to abide at their homes
in peace.
Gordon remained IN Southern Egypt,
with a brief interval, until 1881, a
large part of the time engaged in an
effort to suppress a rebellion against
the Egyptian Government, led by
Suleiman Zebehr, son of the leading
slave dealer of the country.
Soon after Gordon's return to Eng
land it was announced that an insur-
rection had taken place in the Soudan,
and had assumed formidable proper
tions. At the head of this i%nsurrection
was one Mohammed Ahmed, also
known as Ell Mahdi and the False
Prophet. Ell Mahdi was q religious
teacher of the province of Dongola.
who. by striking cccentricities of man
ner in life, impressed the natives a
being more than ordinary being. As
his Importance and influence increased
he married into the surrounding
tribes, and when about 1880 he de.
clared himself to be the redeemer fol
whom Islam had long been looking
and whose coming Mohammed hat
foretold, thousands beloved him anc
tlocked to his standard. He claimed
to have been commissioned of ALLAH
to reform Islam, to establish univcr
sal religion, and a community of goods
These appeals stirred the hearts of the
fanatica natives and the Mahdi soo1
found himself at the head of an army
of thousands, backed by whose power
and also that of the slave dealers
whom Gordon had been fighting, III
felt safe in levying taxes and perform
ing other acts which strictly belong
to organized government.
1t soon became necessary for tn
Egyptian government to take steps t.
suppress the Mahdi rebellion, ever,
armed force sent against him was de
feated. Finally, what was suppose,
to be an invincible army, under com
mand of Hicks Pasha, a distinguished
English General, was sent into the re
bellion region in the spring and sum
mer of 1883, but in the following No
vember that, too, was completely de
tloyed at Ell Obeid.
The disaster at Ell Obeid put the en-
tire Soudan at the mercy of Ell Mahdi
In order to provide for the safety Q
the European inhabitants Of the threat
ened city of Khartoum, which vas til
commercial city Of the country
"Chinese" Gordon, by order of tn
English Government, started for tina
city in February of last year. He ha'
scarcely reached the city when it wa
surrounded by the forces of the Falls
Prophet. Finding that escape bot
for himself and the inhabitants of tn
city was impossible he appealed to tn
English Government. With %characte,
istic procrastination Gladstone dc
layed sending a force until the peopl
became so aroused that further della
would be dangerous, when Lord We
seley was sent with a small army t
: rescue Gordon, the conquest of til
Mahdi and his army being "a secondar
object. How soon the purpose of tn
expedition will be accomplished it
impossible to say, though under til
most favorable conditions it must /
j. several weeks.-CIncnnnati Times, Sta,