The Portland daily press., 1885-04-07
England,s Retreat.

The Gladstone government has apparent
ly about come to the conclusion that con-
tinuation Of the war in the Soudan is des-
tined TO be altogether too costly both in men
and money, and is preparing to draw out of
1t before the torrid heat and pestilenfial
winds along the Nile shall have reduced the
British force to mere corporaps guard
Public sentiment is being gradually prepared
for this radical change of programme. The
medical staff connected with the Khartoum
expedition has made out report which is
supposed to have been inspired largely by
Lord Wolseley himself, in which it is assert
ed that stay in the Soudan during the
summer means the extinction of fully one
half of the present British force. Gen. Ora
ham has been ordered to treat for peace with
Osman Digna, and his retreat from Tamai to
Suskim is supposed to be preliminary to such
negotiations. Unless present signs are mis-
leading, in few weeks the English forces
will all be back in Egypt proper, and the ex-
pedition for avenging Gen. Gordon aban-
doned finally.
Thus apparently is nearing its end cam
paign which has been series of blunders
from its beginning. In fact the history of
the last few years of English control in
Egypt is record of crime and laundering
such as few nations in modern times have
been guilty of. To collect the interest on
Egyptian bonds held by Its subjects the Brit
ish government stripped the natives of their
property and reduced the population to a
state of beggary. When the oppressed peo-
pie revoIted under the lead of Arab, the re-
bellion was crushed out with an iron heel
that showed no mercy, the city of Alexan-
dria being bombarded by British ships
while it lay helpless and unresisting.
When the revolt in the Soudan began Eng
land ordered the Egyptian government to
abandon that country, simply because the
expense of reducing it TO subsection would
jeopardize the financial interests of her sub
jects. Egyptian garrisons in the Soudan
were abandoned to their fate, and many of
them were subsequently massacred. The
only means ever taken to rescue any
of them was the sending of Gen. Gordon
without troops to Khartoum, hoping that
his influence might be sufficient to induce
the Mahdi to permit the withdrawal of the
garrison. For many months after it had be-
come we'll known that his mission had
failed and that he himself was in danger of
being murdered or made prisoner, the Eng
lish government neglected to take any meas
ures for bis rescue. 1t was only when pub,
lie sentiment became so strong that it could
not be resisted that Lord Welseley's expedi-
ton was despatched. The history of this
expedition is too fresh to need recapitula-
ton here. 1t fingered and blundered until
Gordon was murdered and the object Of its
mission became impossible of accomplish
nent. Then the cry of war of revenge was
raised, and the Mahdi was to be smashed
before the British withdrew from the Sou
3 dan. The record of Lord Wolseley's move
ments since that time has been one of con-
slant and UNMARRIED disaster. Retreat has
followed retreat, and the English regi-
ments have melted away beneath the tropic
sun. Gen. Graham in his operations around
Suakim has been scarcely more successful.
Osmsn Digna has eluded him, and the cap
ture of an unimportant town is all that he
has to show for campaign which has cost
the lives of many brave men.
1t is not surprising that under the cir
cumstances Lord Wolseley is thoroughly
sick of the SoudaD. 1t has been the grave
yard of many of England's brayest and best
generals, and if has been the burial place of
the most of WoIseIey's military fame. To
retreat now, with Gordon unaVenged and
the long series of defeats un iped out, will