Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-12
S0UDAN'S ABANDONMENT.
WADY HALFA TO BE THE MOST
DISTANT OUTPOST.

The March to khaFtoum to be Entirely
Given Up--An Administration to be
Established in the Province of DonGO-
lathe Conservatives Warm Up the
Government for Its BIunders.
LONDON, May n.-Lord Harrington,
Secretary for War, stated in the House of
Commons this evening that the decision
reached by the government in regard to
Soudan practically involved the abandon
ment Of the advance to Khartoum.
Earl Granville, Foreign Secretary, in
the House of Lords this evening, replying
to an interroga tory put by the Marquis of
Salisbury, the Conservative leader, said
that the government were unable to make
any statement at present about their in-
tentiOns respecting Soudan.
The press correspondents at Suakin are
telegraphing complaints to London con-
cerning the arbitrary way in which the
military censorship over dispatches to
newspapers is at present exercised. The
correspondents aver that they are not
permitted to send important news at all.
wADY HALFA TO BE THE OUTPOST.
Lord Harrington said that the govern
ment had resolved to make Wady Halfa
the most advanced position as perma-
nent defense of Egypt. The British troops
would be withdrawn as soon as the Nile
rises. 1t is expected that the rising will
begin about the end of May. The with
drawal of the troops involved the aban-
dOnment OF the engagement to advance
to KhartOum. This statement was re-
ceived with cheers from the government
benches. Efforts would be made, said the
War Secretary, to establish an admins
tration in the province of Dongola and to
complete the Nile railway as a CONNER
cial enterprise.
ADvICED GEN. woLsELEY.
In the course of .le debate in the House
of Commons Lord Harrington said that
Gen. Wolseley had advised the govern
ment to retire to AssOuan from SOudan.
Gen. Wolseley attached great Importance
to sending armed boats to Egypt to be
used in patrOllng the Nile. The govern
ment have no intention, the speaker said,
Of eVacuating Suakin until some arrange
ment can be effected for holding it against
hostile Arabs, either by England or some
other civilized power. Atpresent Suakin,
he said, could not be held without fighting.
Osman Digna, Ell Mahdl's chief lieu
tenant, for many months past has been
besiegng the place and has
frequently declared himself determined
upon driving the garrison into the Red
sea- IU6ItiDTe, tub 0OlQluR OI Oudkln
was a military and not political ques-
tion.
THE RAILWAY.
In regard to the objected railway from
Suakin to Berber, Lord Harrington said
that he was unable 60 state what was the
definite intention of the government now,
but he thought he would soon be able to
make a statement of their intention.
Henry Chaplin, Conservative member
for Mid-LincOlnshire, asked how much
money the government had spent on the
KhartOum expedition, and il the sum was
greater or less than the $4,000, 900 men,
toned in the $55,000,000 as the sum re-
quested for the SOudan account.
Premier Gladstone replied to this inter-
rOgatory and stated that the government
had already spent a great deal of money
in SOudan, but we're unable at present to
say whether any portion of the So, 800, 900
would be saved.
The committee Of the French Chamber
or Deputies which mas been considering
the Egyptian financial convention has
unanimously approved it.
The Suez Canal Commission had two
animated sessions at Paris to-day, but
failed to arrive at any decision. An ad-
iOurnment was taken until Wednesday.
1t is stated that all the other DO wers now
object to the English scheme for the man.
agement of the canal.