Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-03-27
ing blessing. the prosecuted pre-
;lates were lodged insthe Earl of Lei
5cester's Tower, where Hsriot first
observed the satellites of Jupiter
Mem York World. RI IT. tta#

Elates were lodged 1.-THE Earl of Lei
Testers Tower, where HeriOt first
observed the satellites of Jupiter
I Nev York World. .e m
The Egyptian War. hi
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.' y 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 be told in
few words. Some years ago the
Khedive, for the purpose, as he de.
clared, of ciyilizing 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-
titAbIe. They gave it their sole atten-
! ton and in the course of few years
had become SO pow erful that they
were able with their large force of
armed kidnapersto defy the govern
| ment. Baker endeavored to deal With
them, but could do nothing, and in
1873 Chinese Gordon was requested by
| the Khediee to undertake the work.
To this Gordon consented. and after a
| few years had so effectively cowed the
slave trader that, had the Khcdive
| been as eager to suppress the trade as
be was to still the indig nant voice OF
civilization, the negroes would have
been permitted to abide at their homes
in peace.
Gordon remained IL Southern Egypt,
with 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-
rcction had taken place in the Soudan,
and had assumed formidable proper
tons. At the head Of this Instruction
was one Mohammed Ahmed, also
known as FL Mahui and the False
Prophet Ell Mahdi was a religious
| teacher Of the province of Dongola,
| who, by striking eccentricities Of man.
ner in life, impressed the natives as
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 for
whom Islam had long been looking,
and whose coming Moilammed had
foretold, thousands beloved him and
tlocked to his standard. lie claimed
to have been commissioned of Allah
to reform Islam, to establish univer-
sal religion, and q community of goods
These appeals stirred the hearts of the
fanatica natives and the Mahdi soon
of thousands, backed by whose power,
and also that of the slave dealers
whom Gordon had been fighting, he
felt safe in jevying taxcs and perform
ing other acts which strictly belong
to organized government.
1t soon became necessary for the
Egyptian government to take steps to
suppress the Mahdi rebellion, every
armed force sent against him was de-
feated. Finally, what was supposed
to be an invincble army, under COM
mand of Hicks Plsha, q distinguished
English General, was sent into the re-
bellion region in tho spring and sum-
mer Of 1888, but in the following No
vember that, too, was completely de-
t,oyed at El Obeid.
The disaster at Ell Obeid put the en-.
tire Soudan at the mercy of Ell Mahdi.
In order to provide fox the safety of
the European inhabitants OF the threat
ened city of Khartoum, which was the
commercial city of the country,
"Chinese' Gordon, by order of the
English Government, started for that
city in February OF last year. He had
scarcely reached the city when it was
surrounded by the forces OF the False
Prophet. Finding that escape both
for himself and the inhabitants Of the
city was Impossible he appealed to the
English Government. With character
istic procrastination Gladstone de-
layed sending force until the people
became so aroused that further delay
would be dangerous. when Lord VOL:
seley was sent with g small army to
rescue Gordon. the conquest of the
Mahdi and his army being a secondary
object. How soon the purpose of the
expedition will be accomplished it is
impossible to say, though under the
most favorable conditions it must be
several weeks.-C Cincinnati Times-Sta1