The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-22
THE SOUDAN.
It's Name, Inhabitants, and Rullers-The
Suakim- Berber Railroad


"rhe term Soudan," said Col.
Thomas Knox, in his lecture Tuesday
to the American Yacht club, at their
rooms, No. 574 Fifth avenue. on THE
Egyptian Soudan," sis derived from
lhe Arabic, which is in turn, contract
ed from Billed es Sudan, meaning the
country of the blacks This, as will
be seen, is capable of wide application,
and would, in its strctest sense, in
clude a large portion of Thompson
street. The Egyptian Soudan is also
rather indefinite in its boundaries, but
may be regarded as including Kordo-
Ian, SenDaar, Darfur, together with
Nubia. Taxa, Berber, and Dongola
A few years ago the Egyptian Soudan
extended southwark to the central
African lakes. All of the latter part,
together with much of the Nile region,
has been returned to the control of
native chiefs by the course of recent
events. Mohammed Ali Pasha, an
Albanian captain who went to Egypt
in the service of Turkey in 1899, be-
came the first RULER of the Soudan,
and by force and treachery founded
the present dynasty. Khartoum was
founded in 1922 on the site of the city
of Shendy, destroyed by Mohammed
Ali in revenge for the destruction of
one of his armies. Khartoum is
city varying from 10000 to $4,000 in
population, according to the condi-
ton of the slave trade, which has been
its main support. The Soudanese
make good soldiers, and were employ
ed for that purpose by the conqueror
Mohammed. They did not object to
this, but the recent rebellion has been
caused by the tremendous taxes and
the general oppression which has half
depopulated whole sections of country
in less than ten years. At present the
Egyptian Soudan has an area of 2, 2,500,-
900 square miles and a population of
l0,000,000 or 100000 of which 81
100000 are Arabs and the remainde
negroes. Many of these negroes are
still pagans, but have united with the
Arabs in driving out the Egyptian
oppressor.
Between the Nile and the Red sea
are the tribes whence come the men of
Osman Digma's army now in front of
Suakim, while along the valley and to
the west are the people who flock to
the mehdi's standard. The theory is
certainly plausible that the mehdi
could have taken Khartoum long ago,
but waited until the English army had
walked into his trap. The prophet
has displayed great ability. In four
years he has driven the Egyptians out
OF territory which it had taken them
sixty years to conquer. 1t is impossi-
BILE to estimate his forces. He is un-
doubtedly aided by Frenchmen and
Fenians. Osman Digma Is French
man by birth, his name being inher-
tied from his stepfather. He has
military education, and was two years
in France on official business of the
late khedive. Without discussing the
question of whether or not Wolseley
made a mistake in his route, he cer-
tainly did SO in undertaking the
strength of his enemy and starting too
late in the season. This latter was,
however, the fault of the home govern
ment The famous cataracts are only
rapids, the greatest falls being twelve
feet in one hundred. The railroad
now building from Suakim was sur
veyed ten years ago by American Off
GERS. The line is about 250 miles long,
and would be easy of construction. If
unforeseen happens it will be
by the end of the summer.
British cannon planted before Khar-
toum and central Africa opened up
the influences of civilization. ."-New
York Tribune.