The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-06-15

man was paraded at the orderly-room,
and taught that even "bloomin' mig
ger" possessed rights.
Kitchener dearly loves his work. To
him the Egyptian army owes him
everything. Ten years ago the falla-
heen soldiers of the ancient lands of the
Pharaohs were a byword and re-
proach wherever their name was known.
Five thousand of them, under Baker
Pasha, broke and fled before the Der
wishes at Ell Teb, after the fashion of
a flock of frightened sheep. Hundreds
allowed themselves to be speared to
death without ever attempting resist
ance. Military men were in despair.
''The Egyptian is a coward to the
backbone, and he will never be any
thing else. Centuries Of oppression
and injustice have broken his spirit"
SO said one famous authority.
ssNot so," urged Kitchener. "Give
him q chance. The same blood courses
in his veins as runs in those of the wild
Arabs of the desert. Discipline, dis
cipline, discipline-that is the one thing
needful."
So, with the Khedive's firman in his
pocket, and strong belief amounting
almost to a conviction, in the excel
lence of his new materials, he set to
work. In twelve months he had COM
pletely reorganized the Egyptian army.
The indiscriminate use of the whip
was strictly forbidden; peculation,
bribing and corruption were put down
with a stern hand; and every individ-
ual officer and man was made to feel
that the eye of master was upon him.
Swift to recognize merit, and possess
+; ing vast and arbitrary powers, he allow
ed no one or anything to stand in the
way of the task he had set himself to
accomplish. One of the first officers to
be superseded was personal friend
and relative of the Khedive's. AS
far as possible he avoided having re-
course to extreme measures, but when
the time came to act he did not shirk
his duty. In one day no fewer than
three general officers, who refused to
resign their commissions, were tried
by court martial and cashiered.
Slowly and surely the result of his
measures was seen in the increased eff
ency of the force he commanded. Priv
ates no longer covered and shrank away
when passing one of their officers. The
officers began to take anintelligent
interest in the welfare of their men
The first real test of his work took place
at Joski when, on August 3. 1899, the
Egyptian cavalry, supported by the 10th
Hussars, successfully withstood the re
lpeated desperate charges of Wad-el
INjumi's fanatical spearmen. Wher
it is reflected that is was these spear
men who, on two separate occasions
lactually succeeded in breaking Brit
lish square, this feat appears in its tru'
Hight.
The cavalry on this occasion was LEI
by Kitchener in person, and more thai
, one Emir recognized the "spy OF tn
Soudan." Afterwards when prisoner
were brought in for interrogation, tn
scene was most laughable. Thi
, one had known him as merchant a
Dongola; to another he was slav
dealer in Korosko; while yet, thir
remembered him as having hawkes.
dhurra (millet) cakes about the street
of Omdurman. Needless to say they
one and all evinced boundless astonish
ment at recognizing in their quondar
acquaintance the most dreaded an
most renowned warrior in the Egyptia
, service.
. 1t was the proudest day of the Sirdar'
life when he entered Khartoum, cor
queror, at the head of the army he ha
to all intentssand purposes, created.