The record-union., 1896-05-10
EMPIRE OF THE MAHDI.
The Region That England Is Now Trying
to "CiVilize."

Decline of the Mahdis Empire and
the Motives Behind the
Present Activities.
An inspection of those maps Of Africa
which have been published in the last
few years shows the existence of a new
power in the heart of the Dark Conti-
nent. The former charts presented the
Egyptian dominions as extending from
the mouth of the Nile along the whole
course of that river, with a great prov
ince called Equatoria in the lake region.
In the later maps Egypt terminates on
the south not far from Dongola, while
up the stream from that point lies a
vast region, with indeterminate bound
aries, marked Empire of the Mahdi."
With the disaster to Hicks Pasha's
army and the unfortunate termination
of Gordon's expedition to Khartoum,
the Anglo Egyptian control of all the
Egyptian possessions up the Nile van
ished, and from that time to the pres
ent no attempt has been made to re-
claim this region to civilization.
Now, however, it is evident that the
time is deemed propitious for forward
movement, having for it's purpose the
reconquest of the Egyptian Soudan, and
the expedition that last week left Cairo
for Dongola, is probably the forerunner
of more imposing force that will prob
ably be needed ere the conquest is COM
plete. The men engaged in this enter
prise do not anticipate so easy an un-
dertaking as that of cOnquering Ashan-
tee, when the whole opposing force OF
blacks was put TO rout with Roman can
dies and skyrockets, for the troops OF
the Mahdi are hard fighters, are well
armed, and have proved their steadl-
ness in more than one severe action, but
that the conquest will be ultimately
effected, no one can doubt who looks
over the map of Africa and sees the
spheres Of influence exercised by the
great European nations on tnat con-
tinent.
Immediately south of the vast Saba
ran desert, with it's shifting sands and
sparse population, lies Soudan, Land
OF the Blacks" a region that stretches
clear across the continent. 1t has never
been fully explored, but the accounts
brought back by travellers who have
penetrated it here and there show 1t to
be country Of marvellous possibilities
SO far as climate is concerned, 1t is one
of the hottest regions on the globe, there
being many places where the mean an
nual temperature exceeds S5 degrees,
but 1t differs from the Sahara in an
abundance of rainfall, and consequently
in fertility also. The entire region com
prises an area of !, 100000 square
miles, or about one-half that of the
United States, and Of this great do
main from a fourth to third is forest
No one yet knows how great are the re-
sources Of this country, nor how vast
the value Of the exports that will flow
from it when once it has been opened to
commerce, but as it's population is esti-
mated at from 10000, 600 to 30,OOO.O0O
it will, no doubt, prove a valuable ac-
Quisition to the civilized States that In
future will control 1t.
At present it is divided among over a
hundred native African or Arab rulers
often at war with each other-some
semi civilized, some decidedly barbar-
Gus, others entirely savage, but most OF
the States having q population of sufi-
cient intelligence to appreciate the ben
effts that would arise to them from
closer associa ton with the whites. The
expedition that has just now started
from Cairo is one move in a game fOl
supremacy between France and Eng
land. The former has long been aspiring
to large possessions in Africa, and wher
the Dark Continent was divided among
| the great powers Of Europe, France
managed to add tolAlgeria the West
ern Sahara, excluding Morocco and tn,
| land of the MOorS, so as to unite ths
| Senegambian coast with Algeria. II
| addition to this, the French secured {
| large section of country north of th'
Congo, and Immediately began the tasl
Of extending the French influence int
| the interior 1t is said that this worl
| las been attended with such success:
| that the sphere of French influence nov
extends far to the west of Lake Tehad
even into Darfoor, and therefore com
Lrises two-thirds Of the whole Soudan
| The object Of the French Government
is to acquire belt Of country stretching
entirely cross the continent, but in tn,
Nile valley the opposition of the Eng
| lish is instantly encountered. Forced
| out Of the Upper Nile Valley and the
Egyptian Soudan by the growth of tn,
Mahdi's power, the English have neve
relinquished their nominal claim to thi
| country, and the British East African
| Company actually occupies an enor
nous area Of land on the east coast
extending inward to Lake Victoria Ny
anza and northward to the boundarie.
Of the Mahdi's domain. The reconques
Of the Egyptian Soudan would unit,
Egypt with the possessions of the Brit
| lsh East African Company and Civ,
England control of the entire Nile Val
| ley, with access to the ocean on the east
| A most effectual bar would thus b,
placed to the growth of French in1u
| ence toward the east and England
would become the dominant power, no
only in Egyptian Soudan, but also in tn,
whole lake region of Central Africa
| is not, therefore, to be wondered at tha
not only the French, but other power
| interested in Africa, should look will
| impa tience on this fresh aggression OF
| the part of Great Britain, for if this plal
be carried out there will be little to pre-
vent that power from establishing
solid line Of colonies from north to soutl
through the heart of the continent, unit
|