The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-14

IS. indeed, Ike a chapter from the Ara
bian Nights. The wonders Of ancient
magic are eclipsed by the wonders OF
modern science. In the history Of the
world there has probably never been a
more curiously picturesque campaign.
When the little British army gathered
At Cairo two years ago and turned its
face toward the desert hordes OF the
KhaIifa, the Sunday Journal pointed out
that the sole hope Of the army was in its
equipment Of machine guns. And so 1t
was.
When the Khalifa's myriads hurled
themselves on the British lines they were
moved down by the Maxim guns until
their bodies carpeted the desert for miles.
The Khalifa with his harem and the lit
tie handful of camel cavalry-all the re-
mains OF his army-is now flying across
the desert.
General Kitchener marched MS army OF
Englishmen, Egyptians, and Soudahese
thousands OF miles over the desert. They
bull. a railroad as they went along to
keep open their base of supplies. A thous-
and soldiers mounted on camels served
the army as scouts Gunboats that could
be taken to pieces and carried on land,
accompanied the army up the Nile. Every
device of modern science was supplied To
the expedition.
The overthrow of the Khalifa opens up
to civilization the vast resources OF the
Soudan and brings ten million people With
IN reach Of the tradesmen Of Europe 1t
clears the path oe commerce TO the head
waters of the Nile and opens a water
route Of nearly 1900 miles-the second
}argst river in the world.
With General Kitchener went Slatin
Pasha, who was held slave twelve years
by the Mahdi and the Khalifa and escap-
ed to drive the British back.
With the conquest of the Soudan falls
a great fanatical African empire founded
and beQueathed to his successor, the Kha-
by the Mahdi or Mohammedan Messiah,
and bequeathed to his successor the kha-
lifa Abdullahi, now a fugitive.
General Kitchener's men won every bat
tie they fought. They met men who
fought to the death every time. The An
glo-Egyptian army numbered 10000. They
overcame armies numbering from 10000
TO $4,000 men. The one defeated near
Khartoum on September is estimated at
10000 men.
Right into the heart Of the world s
greatest desert ne took his men. Millions
of ferocious blacks surrounded them.
The army. advancing rapidly, built its
own railroad through the desert az it
went. This road mad a gauge of four
feet.
\ thousand trained camel riders accom-
panied the army, securing the desert like
swift cruisers at sea.
Large gunboats went up the Nile with
the army. These could be taken to places
and carried on the railroad when rapids
were encountered or the river ran dry.
The health of the army was splendid.
British troops under the scorching sun
were in better condition than they would
have been in England. They were not
allowed TO touch drop of strong drink.
They fought against greater numbers
than the British army has encountered
since Waterloo. They never met a reverse.
The slaughter Of the Khalifa's followers
has been awful. In the battle of the
Atbara. in April, they lost between 5000
and 4. 600 men. In the last great fight out
side khar,oum they lost between 10000
ami l5 900 men. They are the only men
in the world who VIII charge over an
open country against a battery of ma
chine guns all in good working order.
Now General Kitchener's great object IS
attained. Gordon is avenged. England
is freed from a great shame. Slatin
Pasha to whom the dead Gordon's head
was shown in derision, viii witness the
ss.p-,
A fanatical religious power that threat
ened 10 overrun Africa is crushed for
ever. Mahdism is dead.
England has found great new general
Sir Herbert Kitchener. sirdar of the
Egyptian army. An enormous step toward
British domination in Africa has been
made.
Thirteen years ago the Mahdi murdered
Gordon and chased a British expedition
back to Egypt. For thirteen years the
power he founded ruled the Soudan des-
politically and cruelty. Today his success
Scr. the Khalifa. is a fugitive.
Al one time the MahdTs followers men
aced Egypt. Had the British government
remained as weak as when Il abandoned
Gordon. the bowling Dervshes would
doubtless have overruH the most ancient
and prosperous land in Africa.
The Mahdi pretended to be a reincarna-
ti1n OF Mahomet His power started in
the same way as that Of The prophet.
and az one time was as great II mod
era Europe Was devoted exclusively 20
the arts q peace, the Mahdi might have
conquered the whole OF il and made its
people Islsmites.
The present British administration IN
Egypt Is vigorous. The army in the Sou
dan is the finest thar has ever fought
under British officers. Il is superior 10
the army at nome
one great result OF the capture Of Khar-
;oum is to brig the Cecil Rhodes All
British Cape Town 70 Cairo railroad
within measurable distance Of accomplish
ment.
The way for the Au-Bri.ish railroad IS
now clear but for a trifing obstacle.
Starting at the north the British have
Egypt. the Soudan and British East Al
T-ca- THIS brings them within two hun
dred miles OF the northern end Of Lake
Tanganytka- The intervening territory
: German. The new Anglo-German agree
ment viii enable me British to ACQUIRE
g strip OF land for their railroad. Lake
TanEauylka IS open 20 international nav.-
cation South Of the lake there is s.
clear stretch Of British territory down 70
the Cape OF Good Hope.
General Hitchener's army has built A
railroad as st advanced 20 Khartoum. I,
Ia the most scientifically equipped army