Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-12-26
ENGLAND AND her CONCERN IN THE
EAST

The question is under discussion in Eng
land as to the policy of declaring an Eng
lish protectorate over the Suakim and the
Soudan region along the Red Sea- The
objection to it is that it will be violation
of the Berlin Treaty, which denies to any
power such privilege except by consent of
the Treaty Governments To this it is
replied that France and Italy have both
violated the compact without objection
being raised. But the forcibleness of the
suggested policy is found in the fact that
there never will be peace in the Soudan
or cessation of the slave trade under
Egyptian rule. The Khedive and his
Government are hated by the Soudan
tribes. 1t is not unlikely that under Eng
fish rule, absolutely these tribes could be
paciied. The Arab slave-dealers will, of
course, not be content with any system
that erects a barrier between their traffic
and the slave marts of Turkey. But Eng
land, by protectorate, would be able to
efiectually close the avenue to the slave
market. The infamous business of shaving
has vastly increased in the last decade, and
civilization cannot afford to stand idly by
and permit it to continue because of the
Jealousy of the powers. The Romish Car
dinal, whose heroic expedition into Africa
for the suppression of the slave trade, is
about to move, will be a powerful agency
in breaking up the traffic, but it pro
ceeds upon the theory that the interior
tribes can be won over to aid the scheme
That viii be a long process; and, moreover,
while il is a commmendable effort and the
Cardinal should have the aid and SYM
pathy Of all people, it means a continued
struggle as the idea is to arm the tribes
against the kidnapers and teaching the
Africans how to resist them But English
establishment upon the Red Sea borders of
the Soudan means the closing of the doors
to the slave market, and hence it will be
useless to steal human beings that cannot
be disposed of for coin.
England's policy of cooperation with
Egypt in the affairs of the Soudan has
been one of continual blunder and disaster
and there is no indication that there will
any better results follow its continuation.
1t Is now two and half years since the
Tory Administration resumed control in
English government, and as far as the
Egyptian policy is concerned, it has not
developed that any better results have
been attained under it than formerly,
though great deal was promised and ex-
pected. England must do one thing or
the other-conquer the Soudan completely
or permanently retire from it, and upon
this the leading English journals appear
to be agreed But if the English Gov
ernment is to achieve the abolition of the
slave trade, the reduction of the rebel
tribes and the restoration of the valley of
the Nile to peace it is not, as we have
said, ikly to be done SO long as the Khe-
dive IS to be, even nominally, the ruler of
the region. England will scarcely be for
given for her Egyptian blunders of the past
and the loss of life and treasure her vac
illating course has caused, but she NAV
do much to break up the slave traffic by
protectorate as is suggested, and it is not
improbable that the powers could be now
brought to consent to it.