Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-26
is GENERAL GORDON ALIgES
COL LONG BELIEFS Hs IS.
Tire Personal charae,erssics Of the Natrd
Eus.,sh soldier Discussed BIS Man who
was Once on his SIAN.

Tire Ptrsonat ttaraetrfssiies 81 '"r WV
Eussvh soldier Discussed by q Man VIII
was Once on his SiaH.
New York Timcs.l
Colonel c. Chaille Long, the well
known African traveller aid explorer
msde some very interesting statement
20 4 Timss representative the other da,
while enjoying the comforts Of an easy
chair in the reading.room OF the Man
haitian Club. Colonel Longs name ha'
been prominently associated with ser
vice aud travel in Africa. lie entered
the service OF the Khedive in 1870, and
has been in more or less intimate
relations with Egypt ever since
Tho Colonel wOn much fame
during Arab Pacha's rebellion, II
The summer Of 1882. There was nc
American Consui-General in Egypt al
that time, the gentleman who had beer
appointed for the post having preferred
The peaceful and cool security OF the
State Of Ohio to his position in tn,
Observation-Disclosures and very hot city
of Alexandra. At the request of the
American residents in Alexandria and
Cairo Colonel Long assumed the con
sulsr functions, and performed the diff
cult and dangerous task intrnsted to
him courageously and efficiently.
In answer TO request for his views
concerning General Gordon's private
character and military and adm'nistra-
tive qualities. Colonel Long said II
can speak on that subject from intimate
personal acquaintance with Gordon,
and. | think. with perfect good faith.
Nobody can admire more sincerely than
| do his many excellent qualities, yet !
am no hero-worshipper and cannot blind
myself to the weaknesses and de-
fects Of his uneyenly-balanced char
acter and mind. You will find a
great deal Of what have to say
on this subject in my book, : The Three
Prophets published here in New York
last year, but as that was written be-
fore Gordon's alleged death and the fall
Of Khartoum, can nov give you my
views with more posiiiveness and free
dom, as the events which have happen
ed since have in every way confirm
cd me in my conviction. In speaking
of General Gordon entirely di-
vest myself of all bitter feeling,
which might be suspected Of having
on account Of the unfriendly action Of
Gordon and other English explorers in
regard to my discovery Of Lake bra
him, or Cole, for which discovery they
hesitsted in giving me credit. can
have no such feeling against Gordon,
who, perhaps rather tardily, endorsed
my statement as TO the position of the
lake and gave me due credit as the
discoyerer both before the Royal Geo
graphical Society in London and also in
a letter addressed to New York news
paper on December Q, 1879, rather
late recognitiOn--tive. years after my
discoyery-yet it was an acknowledge
ment Of nay services from a recognized
Authority
"Whcn did you first meet General
GOrdon:''
I'm 1874, in Cairo. Gordon was
then on his way to the Soudan TO as
sumo his post of Goyernor-General Of
the equatorial provinces. lie appointed
ne chief OF his staff on this expedition.
lie liked Americans, and preferred
them to English officers, If for 10 other
reason than that they were not so like
~ to cause him unpleasantness and
trouble at home. Gordon, with his
simple and childlike disposition,
was vain and jealous like
child. He disliked any interference
on the part Of the home Govern.
ment, and he disliked 'red-tapeism
more than anything else. He was sure
not to have any trouble with me in that
respect. The spirit which induced Cor
don TO 60 to the SOudan in 1874 moved
him again to return there in 1884.
There was, or rather there is, for do
not believe that he is dead, much of the
Moslem character in Gordon's DISPOSE
ton. His ambitious soul is consumed
by burning thirst for power-absolute,
unlimited, uncontrolled power. When
he went to the Soudan in 1874 he went
there with the idea Of making himself
eventually the king the Vdli-of
the Black Country. assure you
be suggested to me repeatedly that we
should take and divide the provinces
for ourselves, claiming that they ought
not to belong to Egypt, nor to
the Arabs, or the unspeakable
Turk believe such solution
of the Eastern question would have
been welcome to the English Gov
eminent. Gordon led me to believe
that the idea was favorably entertained
by the home authorities. And did not
Lord Duflerin himself suggest at the
time when Gordon prepared for his
second expedition that Egypt should
abandon the Soudan; that Gordon
should take with him E40, 900; that
100000 more should be sent to him
afterward wherewith to purchase the
submission Of the Mahdi, who was to
be the Mudir of Kordofan under the
Gordonian empirey Perhaps it was
Lord Duflerin's dream that the Soudan
might be made an African India, and
Gordon was to be the Warren Hast
ings and Give Of the new empire. But
he would not have been satisfied with
that his ambition went higher.
You ask me what | think Of
lis personal character? SO much o
fulsome fattery has been written abou
him that feel almost reluctant to ex
press my opinion, which, however, il
shared by some Of his best friends
Schweinfurth, Captain Burton, an,
others-and | feel sure by thousands o
sober-minded Englishmen whose vision
is not blinded by hero worship. AS t
his gallan,ry, it is needless to say on
word. IL stands above comparison
He is the very soul Of honor, as simple
minded and trustful as child. Fe,
persons can resist the personal mag
netism which he possesses to such
high degree.
"Tbe contradictions in General Coz
don's disposition render him an enigm
even TO his best friends. DR.. Schweiu
fur,h says Of him: At times he is con
descending, aiiable, and cordial again