The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-08
COLLAPSE OF MAHDISM,
What the Capture of Omdurman by
Kitchener Means.
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore Sun.
The capture of Omdurman, the holy
city of Mahdism, marks the close of a
historical drama of engrossing interest
In its first act we have the appearance
of prophet who POUNDS new religion
and creates an empire of vast extent after
wars in which the dervishes exhibit a
fanatical courage not inferior to that OF
Mohammeds first followers. Striking
scenes in the drama were the futile ex-
petition of Gen. WoIseley up the Nile TO
Metemmeh in 1SS4-S5, for the rescue of
Gen. Gordon, besieged in Khartoum, and
the even more futile and fatal expedition
of Wad ell N'Jumi down the Nile to Toski
for the invasion of Egypt in 1889 A new
series of events opened with the escape
in March, 1896, OF Slatin Pasha, an Aus
trian officer, formerly in the Khedive's SER
vice, who had been held in captivity at
Omdurman for twelve years. Living at
headquarters, in the Khalifa's household.
Slatin there acquired useful information
of the declining strength of the Khalifa's
empire. On his return to Cairo he was
able to show Lord Cromer-and through
him Lord Salisbury-that the fanatical
spirit of the dervishes had decayed; that
the tyranny, cruelty and favoritism Of
the KhaIifa had Gated dissensions among
the Arab tribes that his own tribe the
Baggara, was almost the only one stil
faithful to him; that there had been sew
eral incipient rebellions, followed by num-
berless massacres; finally, that the popu-
lation of the Soudan had been decreased
two-thirds and its resources almost OK
hausted. The time had evidently arrived
when an effort to reconquer the Soudan
and avenge the death of Gordon could be
made with a fair prospect of success. In
fluenced by Slatin's revelations and by the
fact that the disastrous defeat of the Ital-
ians at AdoWa by King Meuelek of Abys-
slnla, brought Kassala-heid by Italy for
Egypt-into danger the British govern
ment early in 1886 announced its purpose
of recovering Khartoum, the first cam
paign to be limited to the reconquest of
Dongola. Dongola was regained in the
campaign of 1896; Abu Hamed and Ber-
Der in the campaign of 1897. and the cam
paign of 1893 closes the drama with the
destruction of the Mahdist empire. The
whole series of events, in the course of
which war was made upon the Egyptians
English, Abyssinians, Italians, DarfuHans
and Belgians, over a million lives were
destroyed, and entire provinces were de-
populated, had its origin in the brain Of
one Mohammed Ahmed an obscure relig-
ious enthusiast, who fancied himself
prophet, the successor and equal of Moses
Christ and Mohammed.
Mohammed Ahmed. the reformer and
J.,
poor and obscure family. His father was
a religious teacher and the son devoted
himself to religious meditations. BY an
ascetic life at Khartoum and in the region
south of that city he gained the reputa-
ton of a saint. Seeing the misrule of the
Khedives officers and the discomfort r
the people in 1881 he conceived the plr-
pose Of effecting needed reforms in the
religious and moral life of the Arab tribes
under the impulse of a movement for the
expulsion of the Egyptian officials TIE
idea caught like wi!dhre, During 1852
he Travelled throughout Kordofan, assert
ing his divine mission and making secret
converts In many local combats in 1888
his followers worsted the widely scattered
Egyptian garrisons. and in November ac-
uuired control of kordofan by the absolute
destruction of Hicks Pasha army of over
10000 men sent from Khartoum to sup
press the rebellion After capturing IGl
Obeid and massacring its people, toward
the end Of 1854 he led a huge host of en-
thusiastic devotees (dervishes) to the siege
of Omdurman and Khartoum. The fort en-
Omdurman was taken on Jan. 49, 1885.
Eleven days later Khartoum fell, owing
largely to the treachery of the garrison
who despaired of the promised help. Cor
don, who had been sent by Gladstone to
bring away the Egyptian garrisons, was
murdered under circumstances of barbar-
ous cruelty. Several days after Gordon's
death steamers sent by Gen. Wolseley
relief force at Metemmeh, appeared at
Khartoum, but returned on learning that
rescue was no longer possible.
Public Indignation In England at Glad
stones abandonment of the Soudan led
to the sending of Gordon to Khartoum
early in 1884, but the premier was intent
on radical legislation at home and failed
to give Gordon the means of effecting any
useful purpose When the MahdPs army
encompassed Khartoum and Gordon him
self was In danger public opinion dictated
the sending of an expedition of some 1900
men under Wolseley up the Nile to rescue
Gordon 1t was an undertaking of vast
difficulty. Cambyses, the Persian King,
lost a large army In a like enterprise.
With the aid of Canadian boatmen Wolse-
ley's force reached Dongolla toward the
end of 1884, and column several thousand
strong early in January, 1885, was sent
across the Bayuda desert to meet at
Nehemiah steamers that Gordon has sent
to that point. Three bitter combats were