New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-25
THE nJCHAD." OR HOLY WAR.

That England would speedily come 10 an ur-
dors,ond,np with France on the subjec. OF the
projected Nile campaign was 1orcsohe con
',,sion For Lord Salisbury can have had no
Great difficulty in proving to the Bonrgeois '"o-
met at Paris that the military operations no"
in progress on the Upper Nile are lndiSpehS'o'c
in order TO preserve Egypt from the danger OF
4 Dcrvish invasion. which has been thre'i'-
oning cairo ever since the beginning OF the
Mah1ist insurrccion in 1SS' To the poverty
stricken SoudancSc. the Delta OF the Me repre-
scnts land literally paved with god-a co"h-
try simply tceming with riches; and the asSur-
ancc that as as the propitious moment hau
been reached the Mahdi would lead ms follow
ers down the great river TO the sea. pl'ihuerinS
every town and city on his line OF march, mas
been the bait which he has used 10 attract toi-
lowers to his banner.
As time passed by the fierce tribcsmen unier
his rule became more and more impatient. Inc
visions of loot grew dm and M the same 'l'iie
money supplies and even food became. oW'"S
to The entire cessation of trade, 81 scare" IN tHe
Soran that the situation was rapidly Drcoih
ing intolerablc Dcserlons were Increasing III
Il rapid rate and the Mahll realized that his
pow,r was waning. and that something must
be done ai once 10 restore his prestige II was
NJ this critical moment that III" Italians suS
famed their crushing defeat M Adowa In tl'
eyes OF the Dcrvshes little or no distinction
exists between the Italians and the EnEllSn
All that they knew or cared TO know. was that
q larry. force Of white men equipped with all
,h. latest improvements of military science had
h,eu l.,noninlorr>ly routed and put 10 the sword
bv an array II African warriors. and that IN"
stronghold of Kassala Ind ceased 10 be what II
had been until then namely. point Of vantage
from which nj the request Of the English an
Italian force could be hurled at Khartoum the
moment that the DerviShcs made any move
nortllward in the direction of Cairo.
In The eye, Of the Mahd the time has now
arrived for fulfilling his ongsianding promise
Of invading Egypt. The hour appears prop.iious'
and he has just proclaimed "Jehad, or holy
war the object Of which Ii the minatl''i
Of the Giaour and Christians. II not from all
the face OF the earth. Ut any rate from North
ern Africa The first effect of this pro'lnmation
VIII doubtless be 10 bring into The Mahii camp
nil those numerous Arab tribes who infest the
desert and live mainly by plumber. ana VINO VIII
be attracted not only by religious motives bn'
also by the prospect Of The sacking OF such ri'h
cities as Cairo and Alexandria. These tribes
form the most magnificent fighting material IN
the world one Of them alone numbering over
RI ONO horscmen Nor does this constitute the
only peril: for there * III" danger that as soon
rs the natives in lower Egypt learn OF thc
advance OF the DrrvlShes. and Of the proclama-
tion Of the Holy War. they will, II not actually
rise in any case cooperate 10 such degree
with the enemy as to cause considerable ON
barrassmcnt 10 the Anglo-Egypan authorities.
To the natives the defeat Of the latter means
in their eyes IN annnment OF all their debts Il
rcpcal OF all taxation and II removal Of all those
restraints which have been imposed upon them
by European civilization.
II IS therefore Indispensable that the DerviSh
invasion should be driven back before II has
reached the present frontiers Of Egypt. And
there Is no country In Europe which possesses
NOR. extensive financial and commercial inhu-
cncc in the land Of tn, Nile than France. whose
people hold ut least fve-eighths OF the entire
Egyptian national debt They have everything
10 lose-more so than any other European Pow
cr-by any Dcrvsh success Hence II was clear
from the outset that. as soon rs matters were
satisfactorily explained TO the Paris Cabinet, no
further objections would be raised by the latter
| to the Nile expedition and to the application OF
| n norton Of the reserve funds now In the hands
| of the International Commissioners OF the
| Egyptan debt at Cairo to the expenses Of the
| campaign.