The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-07-24
The Souoanese Invasion.

Two years ago last aprll Tue hnallla
Abdullah wrote thus to the Khsdiss:S,
3Pify alone induces me to write to
you before the occupation of your coun-
Try by the Mabdi's forces. Admit the
Mahdi's authority, and you shall live in
peace. Otherwise I hope to capture you
and kill you like others. y
Last spring the Khalifa again sent let
ters to the Khedive and Queen Victoria,
threatening them with death unless they
declared their belief in the Mahdi,
and asserting that it was his
purpose ''to restore the true
faith of Islam throughout Islam" Not
many weeks after his insolent messages
were returned to him unanswered, the
Khalifa's forces in Dongola, supposed to
T amber about 5000 men, started North
to begin the formidable task of propa-
eating the Mahdist faith by the sword
in Lower Egypt. The necessity now de-
wolves upon Egypt, with the assistance
of England, of convincing these mis-
guided fanatics that they have under
taken TOO big contract.
1t was long ago apparent that the
British blundered when, after the futile
operations of General Wolseley in the
Soudan, they abandoned to the enemy
the fertile territory of their firm friend,
the Emir of Dongola, and mapped out
for Egypt the purely defensive policy of
holding Wady Halfa on the Southern
frontier, and leaving the Khalifa's little
army iu Dongola practically free
to do as it pleased so long
as it did not cross the bor-
der into Egypt. The result is that Egypt
has been repeatedly menaced with inva-
sion, her soldiers have been several times
attacked, and the half-disaffected tribes
on the border, encouraged by the prox-
unity of their Mahdist friends, have
committed depredations upon the
Egyptians whenever opportunity Of
fered.
The situation on the Southern frontier
of Egypt may be summed up in a few
words. For over two years the Egyp-
tians have felt safe behind the fortified
tions at Wady Halfa, but have mani
tanned strictly defensive attitude, their
efforts being confined to preventing any
concentration of rebels within range of
that stronghold. The Soudanese, whose
headquarters are on the Nile, about 100
miles South Of Wady Halfa, have
been afraid to attack that place, but
have imp. owed several opportunities to
offer battle of Egyptian detachments
outside, and have repeatedly sought to
tempt the Egytians into the open. 1t
has been believed since the fall of 1887
that when the Soudanese got ready to
advance in force, they would not at
tempt to take Wady Halfa, but would
endeayor to turn that strongly fortified
place and establish themselves further
down the river. This is exactly what
they have done, and the Egyptians have
repeatedly declared that in this event
the invaders could easily be dealt with,
since they would be between the two
garrisons of Assouan and Wady Halfa.
Of course, no other result of this re-
newal of trouble can be expected than
the complete overthrow of the Sou
danese; and it does not seem likely that
the khalifa will be permitted to retain
his foothold in Dongola, where the
presence of his forces is a standing me-
mace to Egypt His threats to revolu-
tionize Islam are chiefly bombast, bnt
for the peace of Egypt it will doubtless
be found expedient to keep the sandy
waste OF the Bajuda Steppe between
this troublesome person aud the from
tier.-N. Y. Sun.