The San Francisco call., 1896-03-22
Dongola and perhaps further in an attempt

The sensational rumors with which the
British press is unusually rife deal with
the expedition as sudden decision of the
Government, the fact that it was to be dis
patched being unknown to the Khedive.
The facts are that the expedition was pro-
jected last autumn, when General Kitch-
ener of the Egyptian army was in England.
Though the date of the campaign was not
then tlxed, General Kitchener made no
secret OF the fact that some big scheme
was being hatched.
According to the plan originally decided
upon, Kitchener's first objective point was
to be Dongola and then Berber, with
simultaneous advance from Suakin on the
Red Sea. A railway was to be built to
link Dongola and Berber before march
was made upon Khartoum.
According to the Times Dongola may be
reached in three or four weeks. The mil
itary authorities at Cairo, however, cal
culate that that place will not be reached
before June.
The position of the British Government
is easier under official news from Paris
that France will either not oppose the first
credit of f500, 600 from the Egyptian funds
for the expenses of the Soudan expedition
or will confine her opposition to formal
protest against the use of the money Tor
this purpose. Russia will remain strictly
neutral and will give no support to France
as against the expedition. Russia is even
credited with viewing the British projects
with some measure of good will as being
likely to divert the whole energies of Great
Britain IN direction where Russian in
L.
cerned. NJ. Berthelot, the French Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs, clearly recognizes,
though the French. people do not, that
France is powerless to take an effective
position.
Russia has no vote in the commission of
the Egyptian public debt. while Great
Britain holds two votes, France two and
Austria, Italy and Germany one each. A
difference of opinion exists as to whether
the statutes relating to the commission re-
quire unanimous or majority vote. In
several instances decisions have been
based on a majority vote, notably the
grant Of ESQ, 900 for the abolition of the
corvee, at which time France protested
against the grant. AT any rate, NJ.
Berthelot, feeling himself powerless to
prevent the expedition, has beaten a re-
treat.
The War Office officials here declare
that the expedition will be only recon-
noissance in force, and will not admit that
the present phase is anything but an mi
tial step in the autumn campaign. The
Army Intelligence Department possesses
only the most vague information regard
ing the strength of the Mahdists. Military
experts distrust the estimates made by
Slatin Pasha, though as a mutter of fact
his long captivity among the Mahdists
should, on the face of things, make him an
authority on the subject.
The experts consider that a re port made
by the Russian traveller Elisefef, who was
recently elected a member of the Russian
Geographical Society, is more reliable than
that of Slatin Pasha. He says that the
Khalifa's force numbers 10000 men, in
Guiding 10000 cavalry and camelry. They
possess 100000 rifles, of which 10000 are
Remlngtons, really Mt for service. The
artillery is poor. There are twenty guns
at Dongola, and FIVE Krupp and ten siege
guns at Omdurman.
A correspondent of the Army and Navy
Gazette says that the dervishes are now
able to deliver a deadly rifle fire. They
will combine European tactics with the
formidable onsets of cavalry and spearmen
in the old style. The correspondent de-
clares that the British tactics of forming
squares and awaiting the shock of battle
will not do now in fighting the dervishes,
and if they are followed will result in rout
and ruin.
The consensus of military opinion is
that if reconquest of the Soudan is in
tended picked force OF British and Indian
troops, 10000 strong, will be necessary. It
is no wonder that the British Government
is reticent regarding the details and ulti-
mate aim of the expedition. Even with a
solid Parliamentary majority the Cabinet
does not dare, in the meantime, to arouse
the opinion of the country on the great en-
terprise, which is certain to ultimately in
volve large expenditures by the British
treasury. Until Parliament rises in Au-
gust, Lord Salisbury will not disclose the
game that the Government is playing.
The Belgian-Congo Free State expedi-
ton, under the command of Baron Dhanis,
which will attack. the dervishes on the
Upper Nile simultaneously with the
Anglo-Egyp yptian attack upon those on the
Lower Nile, is an assured fact.
The French press denied that it was the
intention to dispatch such an expedition,
but the semi-official Etoile Beige confirms
the statement made by The United Press
last Saturday that such an expedition had
been formed, and that with the consent of
the British Colonial Office number of
Houssas had been recruited for it at Lagos.
King Leopold will shortly come to Lon
don to conclude the arrangements for the
advance of this expedition to the Nile.
Baron Dbanis, with strong force, is
now nearing Bahr-el- -Bazel. He has with
him a number of Maxim and Krupp guns.
The coming conference of the National
Liberal Federation will discuss a special
resolution against the Soudan expedition,
preliminary to the Liberal leaders opening
an agitation against it throughout the
country.
AFRICAN CREDITS APPROVED.
During the Triangle of Deputies a Chal-
lenge for Duel Is accepted.
ROME, ITALY, March 21.-The Chamber
of Deputies to-day approved the African