Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1896-04-02
ANOTHER PYRAMID, PERHAPS.

The pyramids of Egypt were
accounted among the greatest
Wonders of the World many CEN
turtles ago: but the most remark
able of them, if not the most en-
during, dates back barely thir>
teen years. It was erected by FL
Mandi on the desert plain of
Obeid, in the autumn of 1888,
and it differs from all others IN
being constructed of human
skulls. ten thousand of them.
Those skulls belonged in life to
as many English and Egyptian
soldiers whom their brave but
foolhardy commander, General
Hicks, led into the desert, thinks
ing that he could overthrow the
rough riders of the dark CONT
nent by a mere display of British
courage, as is regularly done on
the stage AID in the pages of the
British novelist and singer.
Hicks and all his command
were wiped out; among them be-
ing a man worthy of a better
fate, the intrepid correspondent
O'Donovan. When the news Of
their destruction reached Eng
land, General Gordon-some-
time known as''Chinese Gordon,
because he happened TO be on
the spot to reap the laurels re-
ally belonging to the American
Ward, who suppressed the Taep-
ing Rebellion, but did not live to
wear them-Gordon, a really
modest and able man, was de-
spatched to govern the Soudan,
and began his ill-fated reign by
perpetrating two blunders. First
he proclaimed the restoration Of
slavery. Second. he avowed his
intention Of smashing the NAH
d." The slavery decree proved
to de a dead letter, like the SIM
liar one promulgated by General
Walker in Nicaragua, nearly 80
years previously. The smashing
of the Mahdi did not occur. The
Mahdi effectually smashed Gen
eral Gordon, and would have
smashed the force which. came,
tardily enough, for his relief,
had it not wisely decided 20 re-
treat down the Nile, after a brief
but convincing experience of the
savage enemy's prowess. Cen
eral Gordon was abandoned to
his fate, and the Soudan remain
ed, as it has since remained, in
the hands of the Mahdists.
The Mahdi himself is dead, but
he has left a successor, and his
doughty lieutenant Osman Dig
ma is not dead, although the
English Admiral Hewett offered
a bribe of FL, OO0 fo1 his assassl-
nation.
Now Joseph Chamberlain per-
kily announces his intention of
succeeding where Lord Wolseley
failed. and by conquering the
Soudan, completing a chain of
British possessions from Egypt
to the Cape of Good Hope. TAX
ing advantage of the recent dis
aster to Italian arms in Abys-
sinia, he brings England for ward
as the ally of Italy for whom
the former cherishes all the un-
selfish affection of the chesnut
seeking monkey for the cat in
the fable, aud proposes to punish
Abyssinia by absorbing as much
Abyssinian territory as may be
deemed necessary for the CONS
pletion of the British chain. The
triple alliance of Italy, Austria
and Germany is to be reinforced
by the adhesion Of Great Britain
France and Russia being left out
in the cold while the four allies
proceed to dismember and SCI
questrate the African continent.
The project of the Brnmmagen
statesmen might be more prom
Using if it had the united support
of the English people; but al
ready it is opposed by the Lib
eral leaders, Morley, Harcourt,
Labouchere, Like and others,
men, who, remembering the dis
astrous fiasco of a dozen years
ago, are 10th to waste more blooo
and treasure in the vain attemp'
to conquer the Soudan. France
also objects strenuously; ant
Russia, though her discree
statesmen say nothing, is no
likely to remain idle if the I'm,
glish once more risk defeat ant
disgrace in the field where NJ
European power has ever We
beeL able to secure a permanen
foothold.