The sun., 1897-09-13
AMERICANS NOT WANTED.
New History or the Gordon su....er.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUS-Sir: THE Suy's
review Of the life OF Lord Cromer gave keen in
tellectual pleasure to several American engi-
neers who were in the land OF Egypt in the days
when brave Gen. Gordon was beleaguered at
khartoum. One Of these engineers. a gentle
man OF prominence in civil engineering, whose
name is inclosed in confidence, states that there
is an unwritten chapter in the story OF the cam
paign OF 1ss4 s5 against the Mahdi which may
be OF general interest 1t appears from cable
grams and letters in tho possession Of this engi.
neer that so certain were the British Army off,
GERS OF their ability to build a line Of railway
from Assouan TO Berber. to gether with line OF
artesian wells and pipe lines for carrying water
over the Libyan desert, that several prominent
British officers and publicists entered into ar
rangements with a syndicate Of British engi.
neers to build two miles per day Of double track
railway. The chief engineer OF the enterprise
cabled to New York to eminent engineer who
had just finished trunk line in the West, ask.
ing him to engage q competent staff OF enRi-
neers. foremen Of construction. and bridge
builders. and to mako provisional contracts for
steam pumps, railroad material. and water pipe
and tools. The pumps and pipe were bought
and forwarded to Egypt; engineers and work.
men were engaged and held under orders for
transportation TO England. but a hitch occurred
In official circles in London.
No one in authority would sign official ordera
for the engagement Of the Americans. nor war
rants for the bills for supplies. For seven mont
road culverts. cement. locomotives. and rolling
stock were Kept moored in the peptford dock
possible to start the clogged wheels in the de.
nartments, but nothing came Of their efforts
Meantime the syndicate OF British engineers
and publicists notified the American chief en-
gineer IN New York that they must ask him to
cancel outstanding orders for American sup
plies aud inform the engineers and foremen
whom he had engaged that the contract had
been abandoned. owing to the apathy of the
Government. This notification of the abandon.
mcnt OF the proposed railway was cabled ii g
days before the fall OF Khartoum. II the project
had been carr led out as originally planned the
built railroad, over which 10000 men could
have been carried toKhartoum in less time tina n
men 900 mies Ss 'HH g TGnd have carried 500
for building the railroad and carrying water BY
the American systems OF artesisn wells and pipe
gineers and thousands OF plucky men vol.
untes.ed 10, for service in CARRYING out the
dxn on the prSefy ssd .se
old soldier Gordon was left TO die like a a
re ~. In hGis MhE was At ia fault Not the stan
other officer or mGn of the army. The Grand
Old Man has been blamed by those who do not
Britain is n legal fiction. but Gladstone was
powcrless to act. His hands were tied. He could
GSI r6Nn R an order to go ahead and save
that could have spoken tho word which would
have sent forward tho American engineers and
British Army 10 swcep away the forces OF the
Mahdi from The Soudan. That voice was the
voice OF the Queen, the strongest minded and
beet informed woman In all Europe. She. Tho
calm and cool diplomat, who knows every cur.
rent and eddy Of the politics Of an empire which
extends over ono-sixth of the surface of the
British guns would nelch around the world. kent
silence ,G y hen al Britain was waiting for Inc
that word of comma nd issued "
NEW YORK. Sept. 10. G. WILrRED PEARcE.