New-York tribune., 1900-04-01
West Iquenty-third Street.
ENGLISH IN THE SOUDAN.
BY THE HON. JAMES BRYCE NJ P.
A lthor of ''The American Commonwealth etc

BY THE HON. JAMES BRYCE. NJ P.
Author of ''The American Commonwealth etc.
Copyright; 1900 l. 4. Maynard9
English public opinion, which was so much
cupied with the reconquest of the SOudan two
years ago, has during recents months been SO
fixed upon the other end Of Africa that the
problems connected with the Nile Valley have
almost fallen out of sight. Neither the last vic
tory over the so-caued "Khalif' Abdullah and
his death in battle. nor the more recent capture
of Osman Digna the most persistent and elusive
enemy. of many Anglo Egyptian expeditions,
have attracted in Europe the notice they de-
serve. They deserve ii because they mark a
great advance in Of the most remarkable
political and economical enterprises of our time.
the acquisition of immense tract Of North
eastern and East Central Africa by & civilized
European Power. and the tightening of that
hold upon Egypt by England which has been
growing constantly closer during the last eigh-
teen years, since an English army was landed
in Egypt to suppress the military revolt OF
Arab against The Khedive Tewfk. Twenty
years ago nothing seemed less likely than that
the English should occupy control all North
eastern Africa from Zanzibar TO the mouth of
the Nile, and the change is great that few
people have vet realized what its ultimate con-
sequences may be both TO England and 10 the
world II is not yet known what all the reasons
which induced the kngnSh Government 10
sanction in 1896 that effort TO re-establsh
Egyptian power in the valley of the Upper Nile
which the Egyptian Minister'S backed by such
public opinion as exists in Cairo, had long de-
sired. Something. perhaps due TO this pub
lie opinion. Something may be attributed to the
wish of England 70 make a diversion in favor Of
Italy which found herself at that time hard
pressed by the growing power Of Abyssinia in
her attempt to hold her Improbable settle
ments on the Red Sea Coast settlements which
the advice of England had contributed TO lead
her to establish. Something is ascribed by
many people TO the persistent urgency of Gen
eral Kitchener, who had long advocated the
step which Lord Cromer is generally believed
to have (for a considerable time) disapproved.
THE ADVANCE Up THE NILE.
The sympathy which the advance up the Nile
evoked in England chiefly owing TO the
sentiment which had gathered around the name
and fate Of General Gordon and to the wish TO
pay sort OF tribute TO his memory by recov-
ering Khartoum. where he perished In January.
1885. There was not at first any desire the
part of the English to conquer these vast and
little known regions, but when the Nile ex-
pedition, moving slowly onward during 1897 and
1898 had reached KhartOum and broken the
dominion Of the Dervishes, the pride which
nations usually take in display Of power and
an extension Of territory was reused and it
was recognized that what had been conquered
would have 10 be kept.
THE FAsHoDA INCIDENT.
This conclusion was accelerated and con-
frrned by what is known the Fashoda incl
dent. The advance OF the Anglo Egyptian force
had stimulated the French 10 seize point
the line of the Nile which might prevent the
English from connecting the territories they had
hA
with those they had occupied in their own name
on the south, viz. Uganda and the other dis
trcts round the great Nyanza Lake. When the
menacing protests Of England induced the
French 10 abandon this point the English felt
more than ever that they must hold the whole
Nile Valley, from Uganda TO Khartoum. what
ever its value might be. Some protests weI
raised against the taking OF territories OF i'm
rnense extent and very doubtful profit. the
taking of which must needs impose great re-
sponsibilities on the occupying Power. But the
so-called logic OF facts prevailed. The flag had
been hoisted The previous rulers had been
vanquisht d. and their rule, certainly an abomi-
nable one had been swept away. Thus this /.
huge addition To the burdens OF the British EN-
pire was accepted almost without debate /
though a few years before it had been dreamed I
of Just as little in 1895 the people OF the F.
United States dreamed OF acquiring the Phil [
ippine Islands.
THE ENGLISH NOW MASTERS
The very recent death OF the Khalif Abdullah /
and the dispersion OF his followers have left
the English undisputed masters Of the whole /
Nile Valley It is OF course, in the name Of /
Egypt and at present by an Egyptian force /
under British officers. that the northern part
Of the valley is held, while in Uganda native I
and some Indian troops maintain order under
the direct authority OF the British Crown. which /
has assumed a protectorate in these southerly [
regions The middle part, from Wadelai 70 /
Fashoda. stretching over about seven degrees OF
latitude Catitude 3 degrees north. 10 latitude /
: degrees north). has not been Yet brought under
any regular military occu"ation, but viii be
patrolled by gunboats soon the navigation
has been cleared The chief obstacles 10 navi- /
CATION are the immense of vegetation
called "sudd" some rooted In the bottom of the +
river some floating its surface, which choke /
the channel in many places causing the stream
10 spread out, and not only making the bed /
shaliower but involving a prodigious loss OF |
water by evaporation. We have Just had news
* tbs hs&nlinz af - systematic attempt ~