Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-02-27
Ell MAHDl.
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF THE
WAR IN EGYPT.
How England Became Involved in
the Eastern War.
A Review Of the Situation up to
the Present Time.
THE PRESENT STATUS.

AS q preliminary step III present.
ing the status of the hostilities now
existing between England and
Eyypt, it is necessary to briefly cx-
plain the character of the country
where the war is being waged. Egypt
is in the northeastern part of Africa,
and is separated fro' southern Eu-
rope and Asia by the Mediterranean
sea. 1t is bounded on the east by the
Red SEA, which separates it from
Arabia; OH the west by the great
desert of Sahara and the Soudan,
and on the south by Abyssinia and
the vast unexplored region of Cen
trail Africa. 1t is traversed from
south to north by the Nile river, a
winding, rugged stream with many
cataracts which render its navigation
extremely difficult, excepting for. a
short period during the rainy season,
The country is n0minally subject TO
Turkey, but is in reality an indepen-
dent despotisin, governed by a khe,
dive. 1t is divided into several
provinces. The Soudan is an I'M
msnse territory extending almost
across Africa at its widest part Oll
the east il embraces Kordotan and
other provinces of Egypt, and the
country Is larger than Germany,
France and Spain combined. 1t is
bounded on the north by the great
desert, and on the south by the equa-
lorial countries of Central Africa.
1t is mostly barren, but the oases are
inhabited by Mohammedan Arabs
and native negroes. The eastern
part of the Soudan, is under the CON
troll of Egypt, garrisons being
maintained at all the towns, though
the various provinces are governed
by petty sultans and chiefs. This
much concerning the geography and
topography of the country Ana
now word to explain how England
rot mixed up IN the matter In 1865,
lsmail Pasha became ruler of Egypt
lie lavishcd money upon the sultan
of Turkey to gain his good will and
sauandercd millions, which he bor-
rowed from England and France al
the most exorbilant rates OF interest
The natives were robbed to pay this
interest and beaten and imprisoned
when they would or could not. The
debt grew so large that the interest
could not be paid. On behalf Of tht
bondholders, Ismail was deposed and
his son. the present ruler, maze
Khedive. To secure payment on th[
bonds, Joint control was established
over Egyptian finances by England
and France. The native Egyptians
were dismissed from public employ
meul and swarm of English officials
| put in their places. A spirit of re-
sistance soon manifested itself, and
national party was formed headed
Jy Arab Bcy, an officer of the army
| A brawl occurred in the streets o.
Alexandria and England seized tho
opportunity to suppress this part!
| in rebellion against the khedive
who was only q puppct in the hand'
of his English and French masters
France refused TO cooperate ant
| Englunu TchOlNeu W uNt "iOhN'
Wolseley was sent against the rebels
and defeated them at Tel-el-kebo
and captured Arab, who was ban
ishcd to Ceylon in 1881. Meanwhile
the Arabs of the Soudan began U
give trouble under the leadership o
III Mahdi, the False Prophet. Kor
dolan, Nubia, Darfur and other east
ern provinces of the Soudan ha'
been gradually annexed to Egyp
since 1921, but the region had neye
been reduced to entire subjection
1t was the center of the slave trad
which the Arabs carried on unit
partially broken up by Gen. Gordo
in the service of the Khedive, som
, years before. England having under
taken to restore order found herse.
compelled to deal with the Mahdi
rebels and religious fanatics. Bt
5 fore going further this new charat
ter in contemporary history must u
noticed.