New-York tribune., 1885-02-08
THE SDTD4N CRISIS.

Public indignation in England against the
Ministry is not abating. Our special cable DIS
patch shows that the Nation has been pro-
foundly moved by the fate of General Gordon.
The sem-civilized races among which he has
labored have often ascribed to hlm supernatural
powers The short walkng-stick with which
he directed the movements of his soldiers IN
China was transformed into a Magician wand.
His rapid camel-rides and intrepid bearing IN
the Western Soudan startled the Arabs and con-
yinced them that he was weird genius OF the
desert His name now seems to be one to con-
lure with, even in sober minded, steady going
England The mystery enveloping his fate i'm
parts intensity to public admiration of his
herosm and genius The sudden disappearance
of that commanding figure from the ramparts
of Khartoum is accounted National disgrace
and catastrophe. If British army had been
massacred the imagination of the people would
not have been more powerfully swayed. Tho
Nation as one man imperiousy demands a
vigorous prosecution of the war and is merciless
in it's censure Of the Government. General
Gordon is either to be rescued or his death
avenged. Thousands of lives are to be haz-
arded and millions of treasure expended in this
crusade of retributive justice against the
modern Saracen. And the English people have
practical instincts too and ordinarily dislike to
shed the blood of barbarOus race and are careful
to count the cost of a campaign in pounds
sterling!
English opinion having Enthusiastically pro-
nOunced against retreat, Lord WOlseley Is lett
free to say how many men he wants, ana
whittier they are to be sent !; and here is pre-
sented the strangcst anomaly of the military
situation. Both the commander and the Gov
erpment are compelled to rescue their own cx-
pediton which itself was sent out to rescue one
man and in order to do this they are forced to
select route which they condemned as I'M
practicable last spring and again in the autumn.
When General Earle arrives at Abu Hamed
| few battaliOns can be sent across the korosco
desert to reinforce him but for the passage of
a large body of troops the Nile route is now
clearly out of the question. Lord W0lseley will
have to concentrate his forces at some point be-
tween. Abu Hamed and Gubat, and If he does
not feel strong enough to resume the march to
Khartoum, he will be compelled to await the
arrival of another army from Suaklm-the
soldiers possibly fighting for their lives mean
while. The route which was pronounced un-
safe year ago by General Graham is the only
one that is now open to relieving column
Last March English soldiers went barely
twenty five miles inland from the sea and were
glad to turn back, many OF them dizzy from sun
stroke so fierce was the heat in that waterless
plain Next month they must go $50 miles to
Berbcr with Osman Digna hanging on their
| hanks and the wells few and far between.
| If there is CLEAN of light anywhere in the
clouded English horizon, 1t is from the Italian
quarter. The sympathy of both Parliament
and Government at Rome with their new allies
is most cordially expressed, and there are some
indications that it will take the practical form
of military assistance. The Italian Government
has already committed itself to the policy OF
territorial annexations on the Red Sea coast
east of Abyssinia. If the Roman press reflects
| the sentiment of Parliament, there may be CO.
operation between the military forces of the two
| Nations. Italy has for a long time maintained
an expensive army and navy without giving
employment to either. Like other European
countries it Graves an opportunity for demon
strating how well its soldiers can figbt-against
semi-civilized races. A joint military expedi-
ton to Suakm will undoubtedly he welcomed
by the English people in the present crisis.