New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-28
THE ADVANCE Up THE NILE.

Amid other more sensational occurrences the
advance of the Anglo Egyptian Nile expedition
TO Abu Hained has attracted less notice than il
ntrnsically deserves In itself il was a clever
bit OF military work In It's bearing upon the
general campaign it is of the greatest Importance.
marking master move in the game which
will presently end with the recapture of Khar-
toum. or rather Of Omdurman the smashing
of the Khafa, and the restoration of the East
ern Soudan to civilized rule. There Is posi-
bilty-some affect to regard it as certainty
that no further advance will be made This year.
Well the Sirlar may be content 10 make 10
further for he now occupies a base from which.
at the opening of next season swift AMI IRE
sis,ibe advance may easily be made straight to
the enemy's citadel
Abu Hamed Is the key OF the whole position.
Between It and Meraw are the worst cataracts
and rapids Of the whole Ever; and there was
no use in trying to get gunboatS past them I'M
i'll the entire stretch to Abu liamed AMI that
town Itself wcr, in friendly hands. Tina, eX-
plains why forced march overland was made
and the place taken by storm Now the boats
can be brought up safely and put in trim at
Abu lIamed From that point on to Bcrbcr.
and. indeed. to Khartoum. the river is prAc-
cataracls or rapids which a gunboat cannot pass
at ordinary high water without towing. The
boats which The Sirdar is using draw. when
fully loaded. only two feet of water and can
make II knots an hour. and are armed with IL
pounders and Maxim guns. Each one OF them
should be as effective as 1000 men in dealing
with the DerviShcs and the advance Of a hotilla
of them up the river. next high water, will be
practically Irresistible.
Abu Hamed. moreover. forms the southern
terminus of the road from Korosko. across the
Nubian Desert. and It's possession makes that
route available for the forwarding Of supplies
a much shorter one than that around the great
bend of the Nile by way Of Dongola. Camel
trains will be employed upon it until the Nile
railroad is completed TO Abu lIamcd The lat
ter will be accomplished within the next six
months, that the early part of next year will
see Abu Hamed connected with Cairo and Al
exandria by railroad II Is thought that then
a considerable British army will be sent up to
lead the Egyptian army in the final moves of
the campaign. 1t will probably not be needed.
The native troops are doing splendidly. and are
probably well able 10 finish up the whole job
alone. But the Sir1ar is n cautious man. ard
does not propose 10 have the campaign marred
by a disaster AT the end. Another year Is like
~. therefore. 10 see the task accomplished with
ont Il slip. and the BritiSh-or Egyptian llag
triumphant from The Delta to the Equator.
Ru, amid the exulation that will cause there
will be n strain of bittcreSt regret. How much
better il would have been 10 have held on 10
Khartoum from HE beginning. How much bet
ter not 10 have betrayed the heroic Gordon 10
his death, How much better had the Gladstone
Government kept faith with him and supported
him in the mission Oh which il sent him. His
prophetic words will come back with awful EN-
phasis: IF YOU abandon me now YOU will have
ITO come in again. some time. ana smash the
"Mahdi AT far greater cost" Never was proph-
ecy more exactly fulfilled. They have been com
PEELED TO 90 in again and 10 smash up Mahdism
at cost ten times as great as would have been
required 10 back up Gordon. save Khartoum and
hold the provinces secure-to say nothing of
keeping the faith of the Government. 1t was
colossal bunder that Of thirteen years ago. and
il will be Impossible ever 10 make entire atone
men, for il. But such a can De made is now
being made with Il strong hand. and for that
there is reason To give thanks.