New-York tribune., 1897-08-04
A STRONG HAND IN EGYPT.

The Egyptian Soudan Is to be reconquered
and the Khalifa is to be smashed. That is fully
decided upon and formally announced. The
Anglo Egyptian expedition, which last year ad-
vanced as far az Dongola. will proceed as rapid
ly as possible to Abu Hamed, Berber, Khar-
toum and Omdurman. Thence, II necessary,
it will go into Kordofan, even to FL Obeid, and
up the Nile to LadO and Wadelai until 1t joins
hands with the advance-guard of the British
in Uganda. The Cross Of st. George will then
noat trIumphantly over an unbroken stretch OF
territory from the Mediterranean Sea to the
Indian Ocean. The only serious resistance Will
be met at Omdurman. That 10 the Khalifa's
capital, and there he Is gathering all his avail
able forces. drawing them In from every quar-
ter They will not number many, perhaps 10000
at most, and they will be chiefly demOralized
and Ineffective The old warke spirit Of the
Deryishes died long ago, leaving them mere
rabble OF savages Once they are smItten and
scattered at Omdurman they will make no fur
ther stand in tho whole Soudan.
II is of interest to observe that just at this
time Sir Francis Grenfell has been appointed
Commander Chief Of the British Army In
Egypt, in succession to General Knowles, who
retlres OH account Of age. That does not mean
that General Kitchener Is to be superseded In
command Of the Nile expedition, which he has
thus far managed with consummate ability.
Sir Francis will be superior to General Kitch-
ener-indeed, second in command only to Lord
Cromer himself. But he will have his head
quarters at Cairo, where he will supervise and
direct the operations OF the entire British army
Of occupation, and Of the native Egyptian Army
as we'll. For that important task he Is excep-
tionally fitted. There Is scarcely an officer In
the whole British service who Is or who de-
serves to be more highly esteemed by his com.
rades than he. He began service In Egypt un-
der Lord Wolseley In the Tel-el-Kebir campaign,
and was one Of the most effective officers In
the Nile expedition which followed. 1t was he
who first taught the native troops that they
could fight in the brilliant victory Of Tosk!, and
he has ever since had much faith In and has
commanded the enthusiastic confidence OF the
Egyptian Army Above all, he is wise in cOun-
Gil, conservative, farseeing. with n positive
genius for organization and extended command;
the ideal man to be mt the head Of the military
department of State whose present reliance
is upon the army.
The usual amount Of Continental criticism
Will be provoked by this development of British
policy in Egypt. and 1t will have It's usual lack
Of effect The one thing noticeable is the lessen
Ing Of French animOsty France still feels
sore at the way Prince Bismarck trcked her
out Of her copartnershIp with Great Britain in
Egypt, but she is beginning to realize that Great
Britain has followed the only possible course,
and In doing so has scrved the ends Of human
ity and civilization. She would like to See
Great Britain eyacuGte Egypt, but she sees that
for the present 1t Is impractcable for her to do
so. NJ. Emile Olivier Is not the spokesman Of
France that he once was. but there Is no doubt
that he expresses the sentiment Of many Of his
fellow -countrymen when he gays that in Egypt
Great Britain has acquired rights, chiefly
through the non-ntervcntion OF France. which
cannot be overlooked" and that the final dis
posal Of Egypt, while delicate problem. "ls
one not nsoluble on peaceful lines" His theory
Is that Great Britain will presently retire from
Egypt, leaving the latter a neutral State under
British prOtection-something like Belgium
"Shc will then" he says. 'become the guardian.
recognized by Europe, OF the neutrality Of
Egypt" And he adds that, instead of raising
difficulties In the way Of Great Britain in Egypt.
France ought to assist her; France ought TO have
furthered the expedition toward Khartourn.
Those are not the utterances Of the French
Government, yet 1t Is conceivable that they cx-
press It's sentiments much more nearly than Ia
commonly supposed. The making of them by
a prominent French statesman IL not devoid OF
significance. II shows that In France there Is
disposition, which we may well believe to be
widespread, to confess the mistake that coun.
try made In 1882, and to give Great Britain
fair chance to fulfil the mission which she TN.
dertook alone when France, unhapplly, declined