The San Francisco call., 1896-03-21
Chamberlain Says the Defeat of
Italians Created a New
Situation.
TRIBES IN THE s0UDAN UNITE
Holy War Proclaimed and All Der.
wishes Asked to Fight Under the
Green Flag.

LONDON, Eng, March 20.-In the
House of Commons to-day Mr.. Curzon.
Under Foreign Secretary, stated that the
Italian Government mad communicated to
the British Government that there was a
prospect that the dervishes would make
an attack upon Kassala and pointed out
the effect which such an attack would
have upon Egypt.
Mr.. Morley asked if a majority of the
Egyptian Debt Commissioners were COM
petent to sanction the proposed expendi-
ture for the Dongola expedition.
Mr.. Curzon said that the commission
controlled two funds. The largest of
these, which was derived from the CONVEX
sion of the Egyptian debt, required the
unanimous consent OF the powers to
authorize expenditure of the whole or any
part thereof; but the smaller one, a re-
serve fund amounting to f2, 500, 600, he
said might be disposed of by majority of
the commission.
During the debate on the estimates John
Morley, amid cheers from the Liberal
benches, moved to reduce the vote for the
Foreign Office in order to call attention TO
recent events in Egypt.
Mr. Morley said in reply to question
that unquestionably his motion sought
vote of censure upon the Government, and
recalled the circumstances that he himself
had moved a similar vote in 1885 upon the
then Liberal Government in condemnation
of its policy in Egypt.
In the course of his argument Mr..
Morley admitted that the occupation of
Egypt by Great Britain had been pro-
ductive of much benefit and many bless
inc tn tho roOnia nf that i(,nO-
servative cheersl, but he said the long con-
tinuance of that occupation had been
fraught with great disadvantages to Great
Britain. 1t was an unfortunate step the
Government was taking to delay the
evacuation of Egypt and divert Egyptian
funds from the purposes of Egyptian
development and the application of the
money to England's own purpose. Pro-
testing cries of "Oh, Oil" from the Con-
servative benches.
The new policy, he declared would i'm
pose upon Egypt the duty of governing
one of the most difficult territories on the
face of the earth. The Government, Mr..
Morley said, had not explained their
policy, and the Ministers had declined to
treat the House with that confidence that
the House had reason to expect on the eve
OF SO great Ill uuQSIbdhluS. Do ndZdEQOuS
q proposal, he held, could never be justi-
fed by reason so meager, fimsy, ir-
relevant and hollow as the one advanced.
Mr.. Morley's remarks were received with
prolonged Liberal cheers.
Mr.. Chamberlain. Secretary of State for
the Colonies, said it would be impossible
for the opposition to pass judgment upon
the policy of the Government unless the
Government first made up their minds
definitely in regard to the immediate
evacuation of Egypt. Nothing in recent
history, he said, could be looked back to
with more pride and satisfaction than the |
peaceful revolving of Egyptian affairs,
which had been accomplished with hand |
full OF men and a British civil administra-
ton. If Egypt should be abandoned all |
this would be undone.
Egypt must be defended if her prosper |
ity was to continue. The consent of a |
majority of the powers had already been |
given to England's plan of meeting the |
expenses, and the Government had no |
knowledge leading them to assume that |
the consent of the remaining powers would |
be finally refused. If the result of the |
British expedition should in measure re-
Iieve Egypt from the constant menace OF |
attacks by the deryishes, the expenditures |
incurred would be more than compensated |
for. 1t would be impossible to fulfill |
England's duty to the people as long as
the dervishes were permitted to threaten |
peaceful industry by their constant raids. |
The defeat of the Italians in Abyssinla |
had created new situation. If Kassala |
should fall the evil effect upon Egypt |
would be incalculable. The various tribes |
OF the Soudan were putting aside their |
internecine disputes and combining in /
great effort against Egypt. The wisest |
policy was to anticipate their attack and |
prevent the dervishes from concentrating |
against one object.
Whatever the Egyptian advance might |
ultimately be, he said, it would only be /
limited bv the nature and extent of the /
resistance encountered and the mainten-
ance of the security of the communities.
Henry Labouchere said the Government
should wait before taking action until
Egypt is attacked by the dervishes. The
reluctance OF the part OF the Ministers to
disclose their plans be declared, concealed
a large scheme. Mr.. Labouchere predicted
that the expedition, unless checked by dis
aster, would go to Dongola and Khartoum
and Darfur.
Henry NJ. Stanley the explorer, who
represents the north division of Lambeth
in the interest of the Liberal Unionists,
asserted that Egypt had right to reclaim
her former frontiers ald that the oppor-
tunity for doing SO had como. The total
defeat OF the Mahdists, Mr.. Stanley de-
clared, must precede the independence OF
Egypt.
Mr. Curzon said that the expedition
would take strongly defensive position