The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1885-12-12
ARAB lxVlNOx OF EGTPT.
IN. o. Pieayune.I

The British have finished their
Burmese expedition, the capital
having been surrendered Just in
time. They are now called to
Egypt again, and mast, without
delay, enter on the defense of that
part of the vieeroyalty to which
they have restricted their opera
tions since the fall of Khartoum.
1t has happened precisely as was
predicted by those military men,
whe, like Sir Samuel Baker, had
had extensive experience of Egypt
and the Soudan; the retreat OF
the English and the abandonment
OF the whole Of the Soudan to the
fanatieal Arabs has encouraged
the insurrectlou, and preeipitated
an lncursion of the insurgents
upon Lower Egypt, or Egypt
proper. The advance of the Brit
ish forces, if we may so term the
armored steamer which is part Of
the defenses of the present from
tier, is engaged with The rebels
already ;.although it may be two
or three months before they ar
rive on the Lower Nile in such
numbers as to seriously threaten
Cairo The country of the Blue
Nile is very fertile, as is we'll
known; it has always been the
granary Of the Soudan and has
new been for some time in posses
sion of the rebels. The steamers
which Gordon had at Khartoum
have been repaired and are util-
ICED by the robels for communica.
tion on the upper river. They
have plenty Of guns aud ammuni.
ton, having captured everything
in the magazines at Khartoum and
other points occupied by thsm.
The only place Of strategical i'm.
portance of which we have not re.
ceived information of their sue
cess is Kasssla, and that is in the
country of the Atbara, far to the
east of the Nile regions, and can
not prevent their operations even
if its gallant garrison still holds
out.
1t is not possible TO doubt for a
moment that the British Admins
tratioa will now put forth a seri
ous effort for the suppression of
the insurrection which is required
by the imminence of the situation.
Indeed 1t has several times been
said that the government intend.
ed to take aggressive action N
Egypt. The necessity is clear,
The best military men are on re
cord a hundred times in the past
year. telling the authorities that il
they retreated to the second cata
ract they would have TO fight OF
tho Lower Nile, and pointing oui
the ease with which the battl,
could be circumscribed by being
kept higher up the stream. A
the bend of the Nile in Upper
D0ngola the British were masterl
Of the field so far that no incur
sion could be made into Love-
Egypt. At the second catarac
they are no longer able to preven
incursion. The rebels have des
ert roads open to thom and cal
strike the Nile at several place
below the first cataract. In fact
the situation is not entirely secur,
for the British forces above As
souan, which may be cut of
There is probably time for th'
needful steps Of reinforcement
and advance to be taken befor
any great masses Of Arabs arriv'
at the scene, and these steps vii
be taken at once. This is tn
only affair Of arms which the EN-
pire has now on hand, and 1t will
certainly be handled with energ,
and intelligence. We may rel.
upon the administration to d,
promptly and prudently. Th
plans nave not 0een announced
but they possibly include rapi,
march from the Red Sea on Bel
ber, as well as a quick advance i
force on Dongola. The danger |
of that character which, like net
tie. will sting least when mos
sharply grasped. England is no
going to abandon Egypt in a COW
ardly fashion. Her relations wit
the Porte are such as will enabl
her to act with freedom and wit
force.
The Unjust Judge.