The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-10
woLsELEY AND THE GARNET.

The General Declines to Assume RESPONSE
bility-War Feeling in England.
NEW YORK. Feb. 9--The Timess London cor
respondent telegraps as follows:
Il have obtained the following inside state
ment of facts, which are unknown to the press
here. and they can be implicitly relied on.
Lord Wellesley telegraphed to London, on Thurs
day, to this effect if not in these very words:
" My orders were to relieve the loyal COM
mander and to garrison Khartoum Events
have put that out of the question. My instruc-
tions are at an end and the responsi bility is
wholly yours. I am at your disposal
I'm reply to question asking what he ad-
vised, he said in substance that his own theory
was that to hold Gubat would be dangerous,
that to hold Abu-Klea was a thing impossible,
and that it seemed best to withdraw the
vanguard to Gakdul which is on a hill,
is watered, and can be made impregnable. He
said he could keep an open line between Gakdul
and Korti. There is a belief that this will
done. General Earle, meantime, would continue
going around to the vicinity of Berber, arriving
about In time to cooperate with the new and
capture of Berber. Then would follow SIM
ultaneous advance down the river and across the
desert to Metemneh and Khartoum.
The difficulty OF this plan is that in all
probability the Mahdi has now invested Gubat
AS withdrawal would be impossible, it looks as
if the little force now there must hold out un-
relieved for nearly two months, cut off from the
rest, until General Earle gets around, and the
relnforcements get across from the llttoral,
General Wolseley meantime massing his strength
at Gakdul. Here, again. painful doubts arise
about General Earle's safety. 1t will be seen
that the whole situation is distressing in the
treme. The act of the government in giving to
Lord Wolseley absolute freedom of action is the
hast h,.A~
mission to work miracles does not confer the
power Also
II hear on excellent authority that at Thurs
days council of war Lord Harrington, Sir
Charles Dixie and MIR. Chamberlain made such
solemn and stern denunciations of the past blum
ders Of the government and such an impressive
protest against further dawdling, that they com
pletey cowed all the molly coddes of the Cabi
net, and the vigorous war party is now in control
Even Mr.. Gladstone is said to have come around
to the view that the Mahdi must be smashed.
The division of opinion is now chiefly on the
part that Italy ought to be asked to take in the
work which she is anxious to share.
AT the Reform Club last night, where, by the
way. heard more than one voice lifted up in
longing for 'one month of Dsraeli,' remark
able conversation with Sir Robert Morier. who
was for long time the English minister to Mad
rld, and Is now appointed to Russia, was re-
ported to me. A fortnight ago. on hearing the
news from Abu-Klea and Gubat, he said:
You don't feel, as do, the vast Importance of
these victories. Having lived for long time in
Spain, know Morocco pretty we'll. Two years
ago the controlling party there was all ready to
join the Mahdi's movement. The victory of Tel
ell Kebir alone stopped them. and prevented a
general uprising of Islam all over the north of
Africa. A week ago we were again in the same
position as before TelelKebir and the whole
Moslem world was fire with determination to
leap on US if we stumbled. These victories and
the consequent relief of General Gordon, come
none too soon but they will suffice again to stop
the movement
'The other day the gentleman who related to
me this conversation met Sir Robert Morier af-
ter the KhartoVm news had been received, and
all he said was, fear tbs the beginning of the
end"