Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-07

on receiving news Of Lord Wolsely's expedition
General Gordon had caused the town to be ulu.
minated. He also stated that there was plenty
OF food. that corn was cheap and that General
Gordon was very powerful and believed In by
every man in Khartoum." Another messenger
affirmed that he was making his own powder,
That ne had twelve steamers, and that the people
were beginning to think his rule preferable to
that of the Mahdi. On New Years day the last
message was received from hun, to the effect
- Knartoum all right, December IA" and the
bearer reported that he still had cigarettes. which
are as lnseparable companions OF General Cor
don as the Bible, Thomas & Kempis. and Stan
fords maps of some of the dark places Of the
earth. The latter message, received on the 18th
of January, seems to be only duplicate Of that
which arrived ten days before. More than one
message or rumOr of a less reliable character
got through. but some of the statements were
they rested on a truthful foundation-as for in
stance. the story that the Nahdi having sum-
moned Khartoum to surrender. General Gordon
replied. Not for twelve years." and again
that he told the Mahdi, if he had divine mission
to dry up the waters of the Nile.
Such Is the story Of the siege Of Khartoum
told briefly, and. so far as possible, In the words
of it's chief actors. For nine months the In
vestment has been complete, and the siege may
be said to date almost from the time Of General
Gordons arrival AS he himself puts 1t, his
party numbered seven, and he had the command
of 900 only. With these resources he had to
hold Khartoum which Colonel Coetlogon de-
clared indefensible, and to restore some degree
of confidence to the loyal party, then oppressed
with sense OF the magnitude of Hicks Pasha's
defeat and also OF the Mahdi's power. He sue
ceeded in q manner which can only be
called unexampled. in what seemed hopeless
task When the hour of greatest peril came he
did everything he could to save his companions
and he nearly succeeded; and when the whole
burden of the defence fell upon him, and the
Mahdis followers we're most active around him.
then his efforts redoubled. and KhartOum was
better prOvsiOned and held more defantly at the
close Of the year than 1t had been at any time
during its course. General GordOn's conduct
may well excite the admiration of his country
men, for even in the brilliant annals Of English
courage and fOrtitude there is nothing to rank
with the defence of Khartoum. The defence of
kars In large way, the holding of 1.-The
small house at Arrah'' in q small way. were
each magnificent achievements; but their garri-
sons were composed of brave men, just like
those at ROrkes DRIFT. Edred Pottingers de-
fence of Herat can alone be compared to it. but
the Afghans were brave and could fight like
tigers. General GordOn's men were cowed IL
not towards; and for nearly the last five months
be has been alOne-One brave man In the midst
of an unwarlike or unnerved garrison. Yet he
has met the enemy at every point and vanquished
him. What was written of him In the summer
has been verified to the letter ,-'While every
where else there has been retreat and recriml-
nation, he has held, and more than held his
own" Twelve months have run round since
his departure, and he Is still standing firm at the
post of duty. Not helping hand has yet
reached him, although the succour tardily sent
is now close to him; and perhaps at no other
time will his service be more heartily appreciated
or more loudly extoled than now, on the ami
versary OF his accepting perilous mission, when
the fame of his defence of Khartoum Is all his
own, and before the magnitude Of his exploit
has in any sense been dimmed by the popular
applause that will necessarily be bestowed on
the many brave soldiers who have now almost
reached the goal of their long labors.-London