Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-06-12
NEW SUDAN
Good Work Done by Eng
land in Restoring Prospe r
ity to Devastated
Country.

Ten years ago the Sudan was the
prey OF famine and war. To-day 1t
may be. described. in the words of
traveller of the wide experience of
Douglas Sladen. as tropical Utopia.
Khartum is growing into a noble city,
which as you approach IL by the SUI
dan Government railway, the desert
railway which Kitchener built. is seen
in a beautiful setting of palm trees.
among which rises the splendid white
palace of the governor general. II has
public gardens. r church. hotel and
on the river a fine steamer Is at the
service of tourists who wish to make
excursions. The territory of which II
is the capital is under a system of
government which has produced won
derful results. The revenue OF the
Sudan in 1898, when the English took
It over. was estimated at $4,000.
though II proved to he fS5.000. Eight
years later II was estimated at over
GS00, 900. This year II exceeds a
million. There was in 1907 an In
crease of more than 40 per cent. over
the preceding year in the area under
cultivation.
Ten years ago the khalifs. the head
Of the Mahdist movement. was still
alive, for it was not until November
"a, 1899. that Colonel inow Lieut.
Gen. Sir Francis) Wingate struck the
last blow at the remnant of the Maid
ist forces at Omedebrekat. When the
~ he 0rrIon
up his high post the country was in
deplorabie condition. Before the rise
of the mahdi IL supported eight and
half million people. OF these three and
a half million had died Of famine and
disease. and nearly as many more In
fighting against the mahdi. the British
and one another. Fewer than two mill
ions survived this period Of war and
want. Nearly every town and village
was in ruins. Flocks and herds had
disappeared. Even the precious date
trees had been hewn down In large
numbers by the mahdi's followers.
With the exception OF that portion
of the route between Shellal and Wady
Halfa. the Sudan can now be reached
frosn Cairo By rail. but the pleasure
traveller OF course goes by the river
as far as Halfa. where he disembarks
and completes the journey to Khar-
tum by the railway which was con-
structed as part OF the campaign
against the mshdi. Between Wady
Halfa and Khartum there are Eve
cataracts. and the dificulty OF carry
ing a large army over this part Of the
river would have been 50 great that
Kitchener determined to fling a rail
way across the desert This railway.
extended to khartun. which IS the Su-
dan Government railway OF to-day. II
about COO miles in length and in 1907
carried 342.176 passengers.
The journey across the desert 10
more interesting than might be mag
fned The effect OF sunset on the vast
stretch Of sand. which - such = time
e transformed into a lake Of gold. n
something which can only BE- seen IN
the Sudan. and you may b fortunate
enough 70 witness q mirage rivsiing
the palm studded inundsiion Of the
Nne ats sahara Tvcrty-three miles
beyond Berber the Atbara river IL
reached. over which the railway IL car
ried b. means Of an iron bridge. TIE
battle vss fought At Nakhiia. 81 miles
away. Betvecn the Aibsrs and Saendi
are the pyramids q Neroe. tounbs q
the rulers Of The island Nero. al
iudcd % By Strsbo. Fifty miles Be
ycnd shendi begins the sixth cataract.
where the Nile 81 the entrance ~ the
gorge narrors down 70 a width of
only 400 yards From this point The
une runs n Khsrium north whence
the Traveller r. conveyed 10 the tom
acrosz the river b. . steamer IN about
IS minutes.