Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-02-13
ENeLAND IN THE soUDAM
why Gen. Gordon wen, to xhar,oul

why Gen. Gordon Went 60 IkhartOum.
Why is Gen. Gordon at Khartoum, and
why is an English army fighting with Arabs
in the Soudan2 These are questions which
are often asked, and although they have been
often answered, brief recital OF the lead
ing facts in the case may serve to refresh
the readers memory. In the first place, the
English are not fighting for conquest or ma
tional aggrandizement The Gladstone gov
ernment would not have gone into the Sou
dan had it not been led thither as a result Of
the peculiar relations which IL sustains to
Egypt II It is granted that those relations
are necessary, all the rest follows as chap
ter Of inevitable disasters. The Soudan il a
vast tract, peopled by wild tribes, held to
Egypt by feeble allegiance. These tribes
were iu revolt at the time when Arab Bey
melted the revolution against the Khedive,
which resulted in English intervention in the
Khedive's behalf aud occasioned the cam
paigu which ended in the battle of Tel.e
Kebir. The Arab leader known as the Nah.
d. who claims to be the long Xpected Mes
siah Of Islam, had begun his movement as
early as 1881. lie repulsed an Egyptian de.
tachment which was sent out to bring him to
terms, and later, i'm the same year, defeated
a strong force which WAS sent against him
under Rashid Boy. In June, 1882 he ami
hiated the main Egyptian army of the Sou
dan, Staying AZ NE commanders and nearly
all the men. s;.-a he assumed the offensive
and overran the open country unchecked.
Attempting to take II Obeid by assault, how
ever. be was repulsed with loss of 5000
men. A few months after the town surren-
derrd and most Of the garrison took service
under the Mahdi. After affairs in lower
Egypt had become somewhat tranquil, the
Egyptian government bethought itself Of
this venturous rebel, and prepared for opera
tions against him. Col Hicks was appointed
to the command Of an Egyptian force which,
10 the early summer Of 1888 conducted n
short and successful campaign in the Sen
naar district against section of the Mahdi's
force In September, at the head OF an ar
my of about 10, 900 men, Col Bicks started for
Ell Obeid He was led into ambush through
treachery, and his entire force was aunhilat
ed. No European connected with it sur
vived.
The British government had declined to be
accessory to the movements undertaken by
Egypt for the subjugation of the Soudan In
May, 1888, Lord Granville had explained
that "Her Msjesty's government were in no
way responsible for the operations which bad
been undertaken on the authority of the
Egyptian government, or for the appoint
ment or actions Of Gen. Hicks" The prob
lem which presented itself after the massacre
of Gen. Hcks's army was whether the Sou
dan should be conquered, or abandoned, and,
in the latter case, whether the garrisons in
the Soudan should be left to their fate. Lord
Granville FIRST recommended" to the Khe-
dives ministers, and then "insisted" that the
Soudan should be abandoned. But the Eng
lish government was unwilling to leave the
garrisons numbering 80, 600 soldiers, mostly
Egyptians, to be butchersd by the Mabd's
fanatics. The purpose for which Gen. Cor
don went to Kbartoum was ITO provide in
the best manner for the safety Of the Euro.
| peAn population OF Khartoum, and Of the
| Egyptian garrisons throughout the country,
az well az for the evacuation Of the Soudan,
dan, with the exception of the seaboard. "
In other words, it was humanity, not con-
quest, which prompted his mission. Once
in Khartoum, and unable to get out, the orig.
inal necessity was intensified, and the pur-
pose OF the Wolseley expedition was TO eI-
tricste him, and to open an avenue of escape
for the Europeans and Egyptians in Khar-
toum. The Gladstone administration has
been bitterly assailed in Eugland for its de
sire 10 get out OF the Soudan, but wise or 9th
erwise, that has been it's desire, repeatedly
| ayowed and consistently pursued