The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-26

patched to the Turkish ambassador at
London to- make representations 10
Marquis Salisbury, but their tenor Is
not known.
1t is declared the action of the porte
is due to the counsels of France and
Russia. the governments OF Wnlcn
countries, it is claimed, have submtted
that the present is an opportune mo-
ment for Turkey to raise the ques-
ton of her suzerainty over Egypt, pc
ing practically usurped by Great Brit
aim
The government syndicate. it is al
legged, promised Turkey their support
In diplomatic circles here, 1t is De
lieved the steps taken by the porte will
not have more than a moral effect
Though it is admitted that France and
Russia will refuse their consent to use
the Egyptian reserve fund, it IS gener-
ally understood that nothing short OF
the armed interference of those two
nations will prevent Great Britain
from pushing the Soudan campaign
There is no doubt that
CONSIDERABLE ANNOYANCE
is felt by the porte at the fact that Tur-
key was not consulted in regard to the
adviSa blity of deSpatching a British
Egyptian expedition up the Nile. and the
feeling of irritation has been increased by
the khedive also ignoring the porte en-
tirely. ReproacheS have in consequence,
been addressed to the Ottoman commits
sioners in Egypt for not taking steps to
prevent the organization of the eXpedl-
ton, as it is feared that the effect of
the advance up the Nile will be felt else
where than on the frontiers of Egypt and
that the Arabs of Yemen, 0he principal
division of Arabia, adjacent to the strait
of Babel Mandeb) may be encouraged to
fresh hostility to the Turkish authorities.
IN DIPLOMATIC CIRCLES HERE,
1t is believed that the steps taken by the
porte to protest against the expedition
| to Dongola will not have more than
moral effect and though it is admitted
that France and Russia will refuse their
consent to the use of the Egyptian re-
serve fund. it is generally understood
that nothing short of the armed inter-
! ference of those two nations will pre-
vent Great Britain from pushing the Sou
dan campaign. Indeed, there are people
who beliVe that the appeal of the porte
to France, Russia and Germany to in
tervene will have an effect in. Great Brit
ain contrary to the one hoped for. While
1t is known that no great enthusiasm eX-
lists in England over the prospects of an
other bloody and expensive campaign in
the Soudan, the appeal of Turkey to the
recognized enemies of Great Britain for
Intervention may arouse the war spirit
of the British lies, and the sultan
may play into the hands of British states
more this view of the case is considered
the more plausible, it is asserted, it be
comes for Englishmen of both parties,
having already declared themselves
against the proposed Soudan campaign,
and the expedition might have been all
lowed to flicker out after the occupation
of Akasheh. Now. however, the
BRITISH MAY BE SPURRED
to push onward to Khartoum, as there
( is d great difference, it is pointed out
between graceful backdown in the face
OF popular opinion in Great Britain and
a Illuminating retreat in the face of the
ADVERSE representations of France and
Russia.
| 1t is true, it is argued, that there are
| only about 1000 purely British troops in
/ increased by drafts from India and
Great Britain, and the task of driving"
! the British out of Egypt, as suggested
by the more fiery of the French news
! culated ul'on by them. If the ostensible
object of The Anglo-Egyptian Nile expe-
i dirton Is to be accomplished, namely Gre
ating a diversion which will relieve Kas-
sala. it must be done speedily. The dis
! tance from Wady-Halfa, the southern
boundary of Egypt, to Dongola is about
! 300 miles. But the route is most ardu-
/ Gus one, even for the black troops of
! Egypt, and especially so at this period
on account of the low water of the Nile
necessitating the employment of immense
numbers of camels for transportation
! and the possible building of light rail-
| road. Then, admitting that Dongola is
/ reached without serious reverses, which
is by no means certain, that place is
NOT LIKELY TO CAPITULATE
/ upon simple summons. A long siege may
/ be necessary, and the 10000 to 10000 men
/ the Mahdi may muster there, possibly
| under Osman Digna may prove more
! than a match for the 10000 British-Egyp-
! tan troops which will reach Dongola af-
ter a most wearisome march from Wady-
| Halfa Then, even with Dongola fallen,
| Kassala is not necessarily relieved and
! the capture of the latter place by the
! dervishes would threaten Suakim and
| Tokar.
/ The possession of Dongola, it is ex-
| planned, is necessary in order to defend
| Egypt against dervish raids. 1t consists
of d fortified town in a district of the
same name. Locally, the place is known
as FL Ordeh and it was the headquar-
| tiers of Sir Herbert Stewards troops in
! 1884. An advance from there in the di-
rection of Berber could hardly be made
until August or September.
Therefore, the Soudan campaign, it is
held, would in all probability have died
| out had it been allowed to take its
own course, but Intervention will be
! likely to make what was originally a
| party measure a national question, unit
| ing all parties for the defense of Great
| Britain against France and Russia.
France May Refuse.
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