Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-23
on1co 1875 Middle Street Portland MnIne

900 or 6.000, 900 souls; they are by ma
ture warlike.and they furnish the most
soidierlike material OF the whole region
of the Soudau The geographical and
strategic position of the province with
reference to the rest of the Soudau
makes the possession Of the Bahr.eI-
Ghazal district an absolute necessity
\ foreign power 10 whom Egyptian
interests were of no concern. ana who
were to utilize the advantages Of this
large territory for their own PURPOSES
ana they are much more valuable than
any other portion of the Nile valley
could obtain such a commanding I.0-
sltion that the possessions of Egypt
would he imperiled
With England in control IF Khar-
toum, the prospect of making the Up
per Nile Valley French or German
territory becomes very poor indeed. Nd
vancing at once from khartoum on the
north and Uganda on the south tn
English would with ease occupy tho
valuable provinces of Bahr- -Ghazal
and Equatorial. The Soudan was aban-
doned by Egypt in 1854 with reluctance
under pressure of Mr.. Gladstone's gov
eminent. 1t was understood that any
civilized power holding Khartoum had
Egypt at its mercy. The Athara river
could readily. in the opinion of experts
be diverted from the Nile and the large
development of irrigation on the Upper
| Nile. at the instance of a hostile power
| in control there, would have the like
effect of depriving lower Egypt of =
large part of the Nile floods which are
| its life. Slatin Pacha has shown, also
| that a European power in control at
khartoum could in four years recruit
with ease in the Bahr-el- Ghazal q
Soundanese army of blacks that would
| give it the mastery in all that quarter
of Africa. But in 1884 Egypt's finances
were in poor condition - ahdi $
power was at it's hegNSSsSV ,Yas,
however, no likelihood that MAar-
barians would effect anything except
in military way and their fanaticism
and power would soon decay. Ii was
intended for awhile in 1855. when
Wolseleys army was at Metemmeh, t.
smash the Mahdi." but the immediate
prospect of war with Russia caused
| the British army to be Withdrawn
hurriedly. 1t was decided to defer the
reconquest, especially as no civilized
power then seemed to have designs on
Khartoum. At present the situation is
| changed. France is approaching khar
toum from the southwest and Russia l.
scheming with the Abyssinians on the
east. At the same time Egypt is now
extremely prosperous and has a large
surplus in her treasury. while the
Mahdi's successor. the Khalifa Alb
dullahi, at khartoum, is SO much weak
ened that his overthrow seems practi
cable.
The route of advance. if Dongola is
successfully held. will probably be from
korosko. on the Nile. two hundred
miles across the desert (via the Murad
Wells), to Abu Hamed, on the Nile, and
thence via Berber to Khartoom. The
Murad Wells. halfway between Korosko
and Abu Hamed. are now held by
Egyptian troops. This post is con-
nected with korosko by a telegraph
line. which the dervishes frequently
cut. When the Egyptian troops adj
vance to Abu Hamed they will need to
Keep open communications by river
with Wady Ealfa and obtain supplies
thence. To do so they must hold
Dongola securely as it commands the
river between Wady Halfa and Abu
Hamed. 1t is the more necessary to
hold Dongola for the reason that the
Wady Malik caravan route from Darfur
reaches the Nile at Dongola. 1t must,
therefore. be held by a considera BILE
force to prevent attacks on flank and
rear. But, with Dongola occupied it
will be safe and easy to occupy Abu
Hamed, from which place it is but little
over one hundred miles to Berber.
From Berber to Khartoum it is picnic
| There are other routes by which
khartoum may be reached, namely.
from Suakin via Berber, from Massowa
via kassala and from the Bahr-el-
Ghazal province in the southwest,
where the French and Belgians are
trying to gain a foothold 1t is, how
ever. unlikely that any of these other
routes will soon be utilized.
The force under General Sir Herbert
Kitchener was sent from Wady Halfa
early this year. under the above pre-
tence that it was merely to make an
advance to Dongola. Kerma. the der
wish town occupied by the Egyptian
troops Saturday iS near Tho th;r1 ~,