New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-10
4 RIT OF HISTORY.

Twelve years ago this very month Sir Evelyn
Barring, at Cairo, received a tclcgrap1lc dispdtch
from Charles Gordon. AZ Khartoum. II was one
of the last dispatches sent before the wires were
cut by the rebel Dervishc>. Ii was brief mes
sage direct and characteristic. Il shall hold
out here as long as | can il said and II | can
suppress the rebellion shall do so. II can
mot. ! shall retire 10 the Equator. and leave
YOU the indclible disgrace Of abandoning the
"garrsons Of Scnaar kassala, Berber and Don
'sola. with the certainty that you will eventually
''bc forced to smash up the Mahdi under greater
''dlfrcul,cs" Though address to Sir Evelyn
Barring. the message was really meant for the
British Government. whose agent Sir Evelyn
was 70 It's everlasting shame. the British
Government disrcgarlcd il. Gordon did his VI
most. probably more than any other man of the
age could have done. to fulfil his promise 10 sup
press the rebellion if he could In tia; he failed.
He failed. also. 10 make good his retreat 10 the
Equator Il stay at Khartoum." he wrote to The
British Government, because the Arabs have
shut us NJ and will not let lis out" \ week or
So after receiving this latter message the Brit
ssh Government came Ia the conclusion that
the time had arrived for taking some further
measures for obtaining accurate Information
as 10 General Gordon's position. AMI. II neces-
"sary. for sending him assistance" In n leisure
ly manner it was presently dcovcrcd that there
were TWO ways Of getting to Khlrtoum for Cor
dons relief. With great Immunity and some
considerable display Of enthusiasm the Govern
mcnt decided upon the longer ana slower II the
two. Accordingly lis expedition reached Khar-
toum Just little after thr city had been captured
and Gordon Killed. when. of course. there was
nothing 10 do but 10 turn around and 90 home
again.
Tha, was twelve years ago. A single British
regiment might then have saved Khlrtoum.
Scnaar. KaSSlla Bcrbcr and Dongoa. aud rolled
back the dark wave of Arab harbarism t. Nor
dofan. II was not sent. and those places fell.
and tho Mahd was triumphant And now are
fulfilled the prophetic closing words Of Gorlon's
dispatch ~ April. 1881 "ihc certainty that you
will eventually be- forced 10 smash up the
'Mahdi under greater difficulties" regiment
might have done II then: dozen will hc sorcly
taxed 10 do II now. The honor ~ England
would have been saved then Nothing now can
possibly wipe out IA" disgrace ~ having DELHI
craicly broken It's word ana ~ having DELHI
rrItcly abandoned Gordon 10 mlriyrlom. Most
Of IA" men responsible for the crime ~ 1881
are now out 81 Office. and the party To which
they then b"lor .cd ana which was then In power
Is now In humlllating retirement. But some II
that Ministry ARE now In office. ~ the head OF
another party. With what crushing force must
now come home 10 them the memory II GOrdon's
words: You will eventually he forced To- smash
up the Mahdi under greater difficulties Gen
cral Kitchener would do we'll 10 cmblazon those
word, upon his banners. Us he laboriously
marches ND the Nile But the Government at
Westminster will not he tainted with them by
the Opposition, for II was to this Opposition.
then The Government. that they were addressed.