Waco evening news. (Waco, Tex.) 1888-1889, 1888-12-18
THE NEWS OF STANLEY AND
.EMIN.

Pasha have been captured by the forces
of the Mahdi and now lie in the power
Of that inaccessible potcntate, and
that the indomitablo Osman Digna has
been authorized to offer to surrender
the persons Of the two gallant advcn-
turers on condition that the British
evacuate Suakim, appears to be gener-
ally credited in Europe. Nevertheless
the truth Of the report is open to
question.
1t is, indeed, almost certain that the
rumors which from time to time have
reached the outer world concerning
the White Pasha in the Bahr-el. Ghazal,
must have referred, if they had any
foundation at all, either to Stanley or
to Emin-or pchaps at one time to
Stanley and at another to Emin. The
current number of the North Ameri-
can Review opens with a series of ar
ticles on the question SIS Stanley
Dead?" contributed by Lord Wolseley,
by Charles p. DAILY, president Of the
American Geographical Society, by
Jas. II. Hubbard, and by Dr. Franz
Boas. All these authorities, while dit
fering upon minor points, are practically
agreed in the opinion that Stanley had
turned northward from his original
course, and that he is, in fact, the
White Pasha of the Bahr-el-
Ghazal; while some of them believe
that this movement was made in collu.
sion and combination with Emin
Pasha. Now, it is practically certain
that SANKEY'S strength, both in men
and material, had been terribly re
duccd before he reached the BARREL
Ghazal; and it is known that Emin
has long been without the means of
providing the brave men who have
stood by him through so many trying
years with an adequate supply Of am.
munition. Under these cir cumstances
it shows an almost incredible audacity
on the part Of Stanley and Emin that,
either severally or conformity, they
should have assailed the forces of the
Mahdi in the Soudan. Still, the con-
census of the best opinion undoubtedly
is that Stanley, either with his own
party alone or in conjunction with
Emin, did attempt this desperate en-
terprise.
If this move was made, it is not at
all impossible that Stanley or Emin, or
both, may haye been overwhelmed by
superior forces and captured, But the
evidence at hand affords altogether in
sufficient proof of such disaster.
The letter written by Gen. Grenfell
under the Khedive's instructions to
Emin Pasha, confded to Stanley for
delivery, and finally returned to Gfen-
fell at Suakim per Osman Digns,
must be genuine. The theory that it
is forgery is simply ridiculous. The
statement that the negroid Arabs of
the Soudan are expert forgers is only
idle and ignorant talk. Moreover, it
may be taken for granted that the let
ter was not written in Arabic; it was
almost certainly written either in
English or in French. Is it credible
that Grenfell could be deceived as to
the genuineness Of letter which lie
had written himself? And again,
how could the Arabs have made a
copy Of the letter unless they had the
original in their possession; and if
they had the original in their posses
sion, what would be the object of forg-
ing copy? The letter is undoubted-
ly genuine.
But it does not follow from this that
Stanley OF Emin, much less that both
have been captured. Stanley may
have sent the letter to Emin; and if
Emin subsequently surrendered, the
letter would very likely be found on
his person. Stanley may not have
sent the letter to Emin; and if Stanley
has been captured the letter was pro-
badly captured with him. But what
is most probable is that Stanley dis
patched some of his Zanzibaris with
the letter to Emin, and that these men
were captured-which would also &C
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