The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-22
THE CAMPAIGN UP THE NIL.
a Moderate Project Compared with wo,se.
Iey's OF Twelve Years Ago.

"
a Moderate Project Compared with wo,se-
ley's OF Twelve Years Ago.
WASHINGTON. March 21.-The fierce light
that beats upon q throne hardly provokes more
wariness and circumspection than tho light
that falls upon a modern military expedition.
Whether 1t Is one OF Italy in Tigre. of France
In Cochin-Ch China or In Madagascar. of m
in Zanzibar. or of England in Ashantee. the
Transvaal, or the Soudan, the reporters and the
critics swarm. and have means Of turning on
cathode rays to get the true inwardness as we'll
as the outer seeming of things. And this fact
is suggested by the cautious and deprecatory
policy adopted by the British Government in
leaving 1t uncertain just whore 1t proposes to go
or what II agrees to do In the Anglo yptian
campaign. The phrase. cooperation with
Italy" covers not exactly o multitude of sins.
but Of possible failures to accomplish what Is
really desired; for at any point an expedition
proceeding up the Nile can be withdrawn. on
the ground that the diversion In favor of the
Italians at Kassala has been accomplished.
Thus Mr.. Curzon's statement In the House OF
Commons that ian advance Of British troops has
been ordered to q town one-third of the distance
between wady Halfa and Dongola." meaning
Akasheh. "and may ultimately be made to
Dongola." simply takes the minimum OF British
operations, and probably also discounts a sue
cess to that point, since IL would be strange in
deed II British arms could not advance thus far.
In 1884 Wolseley, with his main force, adj
vanced to Korti. which is beyond Dongola, on
the great n~orthward bend or loop OF the Nile,
and thence sent Earle by river to attack Berber.
and Stewart across country to attack Metem-
neh, both of which points are much further up.
In Stewards advance. too, which cost the life
Of its gallant leader. two victories were won
over the Mahdists, at Abu Klea and Gubat,
which showed that their fierce charges were
unavailinR against the terrible moving Of ma
chine guns. Thus England has had the entire
experience of a campaign up the Nile In force
including the preparation of the boats. managed
by Canadian vOyageurs, the question Of supplies.
aud actual conflicts with the Arabs when at their
best. She has also had experience OF various
OF the river while Wolseley was at Korti. In a
word. 1t would be strange il she could not make
It may lie with the subsequent advance to Dom
cola, which Is LETT hy bPohhs cal and with tnu az
one then be- determined upon.
The opposition took the ground that q move
msnS 70 pa Ak ss /: Or perhaps sId Fps e ftsIia to D Ss Kas.
sala, perhaps expecting the Government to push
on furtnerin order to carry out It's nominal OBJ
Italians is only an excuse for d campaign OF con-
guest, with Il view to Selling and permanently
holding khartoum. Be this as 1t may. the only
advance to which the Government pledges
itself is one of apparently about 100 miles up
several small cataracts between Wady Halfa
and Dongola, II has already been shown that in
the right season troops can go up there without
difficulty. Al an Offset. IL has been said by thOse
who have campaigned there that the climate 10
bad for Europeans until the end of October. the
air being hot and damp and causing fever, This
Is especially true OF, the early part OF the route,
or from Wady Halfa to DonROla, although be-
yond that the march Is still toward the equator.
banks OF the river, and when Gen. Stephenson
was in command some years ago, and had an
advance garrison, consisting, OF about 600
HighlRnders. Hussnrs. and Royal Engineers,
and an Egg ptian battalion, at Akasheh, tho
little steamer Lotus was herself hit while she'll
ing the enemy on the banks.
However. 1t seems clear that the advance
which tho British Government thus far proposes
for itself can be made. 1t IL true that when
Wolseley went up the river the. Mudir or
Gondola was favorable to England. and up to
the present attitude of the people does not APP
pear t6 be reported upon. But as to the physt-
cal obstacles. while the. second cataract IL at
Wady Halfa the third Ia at Hannek, which is
much further beyond Akasheh than the latter
is from wady HalfR. and, indeed. only about
forty miles below New DOnEOla. The fourth
cataract is far above DongOla, on the great
bend, and hence out Of the question now.
There ara smaller cathracts. seven In mum Der,
between Wady HalfR and DOngOln, hut in gem
erRl II can he said that England has had ex-
she now proposes. Her advance is said to have
already reached Akasheh.
The immediate reflection which suggests itself
In that the Mahdists operating around kassala
may not consult England's convenience In
their movements.