The Portland daily press., 1896-07-11

On the English side the expedition IS eX-
tremely popular and is looked upon by
the majority of the soldiers as an unex-
pected Clark There is among them
much foolish talk of winning the Soudan
with a BATTLE ana kindred nonsense.
Among sober thinkers and men expert
enced in African affairs, however, it is
gravely regarded as but tine initiatory
movement for long, fierce struggle with
a great and firmly seated barbaric power.
and while in the end it is Epositiye that
England, having again entered the Sou
dan, will never leave 1t until she has
crushed her old enemy and in some
measure wiped out the disgrace of her
former feeble, faltering policy which lost
the Soudan and shamefully sacrificed the
noble Gordon, the terrible price If blood
and hardship that must win this final
verdict makes wise men shudder.
The conquering of the Soudan by Sui
tan Mohammed Ali three-quarters OF
century ago and the gradual development
and civilization of the country under
Egyptian and European influence are
matters of ancient history but the
rise OF the clover young priest Mohammed
AIMED, who taking advantage of sud-
den popularity caused by his religious
defiance OF one of the niost powerful
priests in the Soudan, ably grasped the
spirit of unrest among the tribes that
made the moment ripe and proclaimed
himself the Mahdi (the promised prophet
OF God) and then pronounced Jaohad "a
religious wary, kindled and fed by every
manner of cunning and oupidIty the
spirit of fanatioism until it became
consuming blaze that swept the ontlre
Soudsn and only extinguished itself in
the blood of that terrible St. Bartholo-
kaartoum-all this is painfully fresh in
the memory of men. The Mahdi lived
bnt few moments to enjoy the fruits of
victory. and his mantle fell on Abdullah,
also man of humble birth, whom he
had early associated with him and made
dant.
Daring the twelve years that the
Khalifa has reigred he has shown him
self tyrannical but able ruler, and by
judiciously putting out of the way all
men of openly contrary views, has made
himself absolute master of the Soudan.
But while firm in internal strength, it is
believed that there is sufficient discomfort
with his autooratio government to rem
der foreign invasion not unwelcome to a
considerable number Of his people. The
Nubian Arabs-the Bisherins and
Ababdas-are allies of the Egyptians
under treaty signed by their chief
Bushur, at Assuan. April 1, so that tho
transport of $4,000 troops a thousand
miles to Wadi Halfa has been consum-
mated with only such inconven ienoes as
were. caused by heat and close quarters on
the boats.
They were brought to Assuan by
Messrs. Cook and sons boats, and from
there by fresh boats OF the same company
to Wadi Halfa, which until the heat of
summer is over will be the headquarters.
1t is thought among veterans thut there
will not be much more than skirmIshing
before September. AT least, if there Is
the offensive must come from the Khalifa.
In the meantime the railroad is being
rapidly pushed forward from Wadi Halfa
to Sarras (Which Is already reaohed).
Akasheh and Dongola, which latter place
will most likely be reached in time for
the active campaign.
Some solioitude hiss been felt on account
of the Egyptian troops. When they left
Cairo many Of them broke down and
cried like children, but SO far thty have
borne the march well, and in such
skirmishing as has been Iuade have CON
Quoted themselves satisfactorily. The
black troops-the Nubians and Soudanese
ARE born fighters. About them no mis-
giyings are felt. The expedition has
called to Egypt a host of interesting and
interested people, eager adventures of
war. At least twenty of the worlds
great newspapers have correspondents In
the field, while such men as Conan
Doyle have seized the occasion to add to
that fund of unique knowledge which
they in turn pay cut to the public with
the stamp of their own genius.
IfUpatply tHe IuOSb picturesque CiIhfao-
ter now at Wadi Halfa is Rudolph g..
Slatin, or Slatin Pasha, as be is more
famililaIly known. Governor-General
of the province of Darfur he fell into the
Mahdi's hands some months before the
fall OF Khartoum and remained toI
twelve years prisoner in the Mahdi's
camp as personal body-guard of khalife
Abdullahi. His escape last year through
the clever and indefatiga BILE efforts of the
brilliant young English officer Major
Wingate; his publication a. few months
subsequent of Fire aud Sword in the
Soudan," which was reviewed at length
in the Sunday World sonnet time ago-all
thessithings render him decidedly the
man Of the hour. His. close personal
knowledge of the Khalifa,sof his weak
meas or strength over the different tribes,
make his services invaluable.
Another interesting figure is his resouer
Major Wingate, who, although but thirty
four years of age, is the possessor OF an
ON l0la mil ituru nd