The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-02-28
SEAT OF THE SouDAN WAR.

Description OF Khartoum, the Most Inn
portant Military Post on the Upper
Nile.
This map, says the Chicago Standard Ito
which paper we are indebted for the above
CUT, will give our readers good idea Of
the seat of war in the Soudan, region
whose geography has hitherto been but lit
tie known to the American people. The
city of KhartOum, which has so long been
the objective point Of public interest, is To-
Gated on the south bank of the Bahr-el-
Azrak, or Blue Nile, a mile above South of
the junction of that river with the Bahr-el-
Abiad, or White Nile and the city walls
reach to within less than half a mile of
the latter, so that the garrison of
Khart0um 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
eral 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
in the Equatorial Provinces. In one other
respect it is even more important to Egypt.
1t is at KhartOum that the Nilometer records
the 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 nelghborhood of the present town in
dictate it to have been an important outpost
of the Imperial Government of the Phara-
Obs The yicssitudes of centuries finally
reduced it to the position of subordinate
town of SeDaar, commercially tributary
to Shendy, which, situated more than
a hundred miles further down the
Nile, had become the business center
of the entire Eastern Soudan. In 1919,
however Mehemet Ali, the great Pacha and
first Khedive of Egypt determined to extend
his sway as far as possible. He accordingly
sent up the Nile an expedition command
ed by his sons Ibrahim afterward
Khedve for few weeks-and Ismail--not
the Khedive of that name. of course. The
result of this expedition was to conquer the
Eastern SOudan and annex it to the Egypt
ian realm, and KhartOum, at first made the
base of military operations, became in 1923
the seat of Government and Outstripped
Shendy in commercial Importance In
1S46 Pope Gregory XVI. founded a mis-
sion there which was long conducted by
DR.. lgnaz Knoblecher Several European
conSuateS were also established there, that
of England dating from 1S49 to 1864, in
which latter year it was abolished under
circumstances which gave rise to much com.
ment.
The population of Khartoum has varied
from 900 to $4,000, according TO the pol
icy of the Governor; official exactons fire.
queutly causing a sudden exodus of one
third of the inhabitants The town can
tains, however, about 1000 houses, mostly
of mud and millet stalks, and in only
few instances arranged in streets OF
squares. The Governors house is the
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 othel
buildings of Importance for in 1871 DIR
Schwenfurth says he found there a large
number of new brick buildings, spaciou.
quay on the Blue Nile, and some imposing
structures on the other bank Of the river
The land sides Of the city are surrounded
by q wall and ditch. The drainage of tn,
place is bad, much of it lying below tn,
level of high water In the river; conse
Quently, It is an mhealthful and fonl
smelling city. The Inhabitants are Egypt
fans, BerberS, Arabs, Turks, Jews, Negroe
and Europeans.
DISTANCES.
From Cairo to Old Dongola, about LOO
miles.
From Old Dongola to Korti about 90 mile.
From Korti TO Metemneh, lS5 miles
From Metemneh to Khartoum. IS miles.