Evening star., 1896-03-28

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| SIatin Pachn
| Mohammedans might seize upon to leave
| the country, the Ilhalifa has decreed that
| it is no longer the duty of the faithful to
make pilgrimages to Mecca, but to the
| tomb of the NJ ihdi. u small hexagonal
! structure, crowned with dome, which
| stands il, the heart of Omdurman itself.
| Abou- country nearly as large the
| United States east of the Mississippi river
the Dervishes have drawn a Gordon within
| which no European traveller can safely en-
| ter, and out OF which not even news can
| pass.
| The Political Situation.
! SO much for the situation in the Sudan
| itself. 1t MAY be assumed that its recon-
quest would be almost as easy now as its
| successful defense fifteen years ago would
have been difficult. The only obstacles to
| the return of the Sudanese to decent gov
| ernment and the enjoyment of at least
! standardization political, and they
arise not in Egypt itself, but in far away
| Europe
| The whole situatio in the Sudan prob
| lem was changed, and it was hopeful
| change. when the Italian ministry fell on
account Of the Abyssinan victory at Adua.
| If the Rudini cabinet is wise and patriotic
| it may. after a show of hostilties until
| the war fever is stilled in Italy ITSELF make
| peace on easy terms with King Menelek,
|
| east. Menelek would be very willing to do
| this: his people have been Christians longer
| than any European nation save the Italians,
and they cherish undying hatred toward
| the MohammeianS, who for a thousand
| years entirely surrounded their country
! lsolating it from the rest of Christendom.
| Their resentment has more recent causes.
| When the Malldist power was at it's height
| it has declined materially in the last ten
| years-Abyssinia was in fair way to ad-
vance rapidly in civilization and prosperity;
| but upon the King John of that day, pre-
! decessor of the King John who died IN
| 1887. the Mahdists fell with crushing force
| defeating his armies and Staying the king
| himself. although the fight was so hotly
contested that since that time the Der
| wishes have usually been willing to let the
| Abyssinians alone. King Menelek has more
! than one hundred thousand men under
arms in the field and in garrisons. he has
| arsenals and artificers, whereas the kha-
| lifa has neither. at least of any degree of
| efficiency, and his tribes must now be at
| least no better armed than they were fif-
| teen years ago, perhaps not so well. There
| nave been queer stories af1oat in Europe
| of Russian assistance. both of money and
| of arms. extended to King MeneIek. They
have been exaggerated. The money Meme
| lex could undoubtedly use, and the arms
| but he has both in reasonable plenty. Yet
the recent decoration of Menelek by the
cZar is significant.
| The Abyssinans present strange COM
| binaton of civilization and savagery. of
| Paris gowns and tables without forks or
napery; but they can fight, as the Italians
| are abundantly able to testify. If, on the
| ground of common belief in Christianity
| the italian cabinet could reconcile to the
| public of Italy alliance with their SO
| recent foes. both interest and inclinati ion
| might prompt descent upon the DervisheS
| from the east, and the subsequent parti-
ton of a portion of the territory between
the victors. The armies of the Congo Free
| State have been for some time surrepti-
tiously active the western borders Of
the Mahdists domain, although the fact
long escaped the attention of Europe in
| the diversion of public interest to the other
end of the dark continent by Jamesons
| raid
Factors in the Problem
An Italian arrangement with Menelek
may not yet be possible, but there is very
little doubt that the movement in the Con-
go Free State Is undertaken in concert
with Egypt. nor is there any doubt that
these two allies could without the Italians
and the Abyssinians. make conquest of the
| Sudanese. if Europe would but hold it's
hand and let tie game be played out If
there were no peace between Italy and
Abyssinia the former would at least be as
sisted. to hold Kassala against the NAH
dists by diversion of their forces to meet
attacks from other directions
The only difficulty in the way is that
Egypt, though nominaly an independent
| power. is practically the ward of Great
Britain, which is committed to tempo
rary occupation of the country for the khe-
dives good, and is striving, usual, to
find excuses for making that occupation
permanent. France, which by withdraw
iEg from the joint military occupation Of
Egypt foolishly left Great Britain in COM
mand. has never reconciled herself to the
logical consequences of her own act, and is
accustomed to look with suspicion upon
any plan with respect to Egypt which in
wolves the extension Of her power and pos
sessions.
But the friendship of Russia for the
Abyssinians might. in the event of an at
tack upon the Sudanese, reconcile France
to Anglo-Egyptian advance from the north,
if Salisbury can suggest any other corre-
spending advantage for France. Perhaps
he has aheady suggested such compensa-
tion in SIAM Far more likely, he has sug-
gested 1t in Africa itself. When the NAH
dist pie is cut there may be a slice to add
to the great Niger possessions of the Gal
! lie republic.
There can be no doubt, political consid-
erations aside. that the interests of the
Sudanese and of Egypt itself are closely
bound up with the reoccupation of the
ers. Up to date the question has been one
of religion and of government. 1t will be-
come a question Of livelihood ITSELF The
Nile has been called the father Of Egypt,
but its waters are limited in quantity.
Away in Central Africa, about the head
waters Of the Nile and along the upper
branches and tributaries of that river, the
Italian colonies from the east and French
to divert the upper waters of the river from
Egyptian use to such an extent as to cause
IN the Nile valley such disputes over the
ownership Of the water necessary to re-
deem the desert as have occurred on a
small scale in some of our own western
states,
Even If the two, three or four parties
which are contemplating the conquest of
the Sudan succeeded in winning that coun-
try and dividing it between them, thus re-
storing to Egypt its lost provinces. and
even If the jealousy of France Is placated
for the time, there may still be plenty of
occasion for fighting over the disposition
Of the waters of the Nile basin.
Il AN EX-CAIRENE,
No Time for Emancipation.
| From Puck.
Mr.. Newera-'T thought your wife was a