Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-11
sirdar Kitchener, the victor o'
khartOum.
philadelphia Record)


General Sir Herbert Kitchener, the
sirdar of the Egyptian army, and COM
mander-in-chief OF the Anglo-Egyptlan
Nile expedition, is model dlspa1ch
Writer His reports are as brief ana
nrecise as Caesars stories Of battles, and
witbaI they are as full OF imagery IS
RusIxin's prose. A reconnaissance In force
conducted against the Deryish outp0sts
near Kerreri Is thus described: me
enemy showed a disposition 10 hsnt'
heating war drums, and displaying bat
tie flags. The Montmorency 1rUop
emptied a few Dervish saddles anu
three gunboats shelled the town. lhS
enemy being In a hollow ms losses couiu
NOT he ascertained, but fleeing troops
could he seen distinctly" How perfectly
those few lines picture the action! Inc
bo rhar,c show OF the Khalifa's host, ad-
vancing with waving banners and re-
sounding drums; the forward rush OF
troo, Of mounted Englishmen; the crack
of few carbines, followed by the rearing
~ Dervish horses suddenly left ridetless'
ana the boom Of the l3-pounders OF the
o1,nboats Thus rudey assaulted the
army of barbarlans melts away, VANISH
ir, into the hollow from which Al hau
ngYtlv emerged. while detachments nee
inc over the open country beyond her-
reri chow that the Deryshes had peeh
routed. -. .,,,ar O.
, The Sirdar however, is even greater "a
n military precisian and organizer nan
as a word painter. Every move III t w.,
two years campaign now trluii piiii''y
ended has been carried out without a
bitcb THE marches from Wadi Haiia
| IN DonooIa from DongOla TO Beroer' ana
Athara and from the latter place 10
Itbortour, have been slow; but the eXpe-
dition has arrived at each successive hiiS
| inc Mace precisely at the time lnulca'eu'
ana with a punctuality worthy or Wen
conducted railway. The Dervishes were
! met with infallible regularity at the points
where II was anticipated they "oulu
make a stand, and were oeleateu' J s,1
as Il was predicted they woulu DC.
adyanca was leisurely only in appearance
a., foct the expedition was marked by per
sistercv Of activity truly remarkable
-, Tho climate Of the Libyan DESERT
throu1h which its route lay, is taken into
oa,,eiderotion. In order TO avoid the CIR
c,,itous route along the great benz maue
~, ~ Nile between Dongola and Berber,
"a aIso 10 insure rapid connection with
the base OF supplies, a railway
had 10 be built over the track
less sand waste Suhpoa's hau
ho hauled through the SuS~N0S''ii "a 1900
! rscts which obstTuct the navigation OF
| tbs Nile and TO accomplish this frequent
waits extending through months OF time
,,are necessary until the river had reach
/ al eood height. The Sirdar was made the
/ target OF ribald wits for spending an I'M
conscionably long time at Atbara IN
r,aSing collection of timed meats and
ntber provisions. But he knew his busi-
nsss and he realized that the feeding oil
! a. Goa men In a country which the Man
J d,sts mad desolatsd with fire and sword
IVES no childs play. His nearest base oil
s,,nnlIes was q thousand miles away. and
While confident of success, he could not
he certain how long he would be employ
! "a An the achievement thereof.
Tha erfect Of the downfall OF the Der
wish stronghold. and with IL OF the Man
aist mower in Africa, need not be dwell
mon extensively. A vast region. once In
hshited by tribes capable Of a high de-
gree OF development, but now abandoned
10 prowling beasts 10 prey, has been re-
gained for civilization; and the tide o.
savasery. which at one time threatened &c
engulf the northeastern part OF Africa
has been driven~back. nevsr 20 rise again