The San Francisco call., 1910-03-16
ROOSEVELT WILL
RETURN HOMEBY
WAYOF TH[EAST
Definitely Announces That He
Can Not Make a Triumphal
Trip to the West
Former President Spends Inter.
esting Day on the Famous
Battlefield of 0mdurman
By JOHN cALLAN o'LAUGHL1N
Especial Gable 10 The Call


Copyright. 1910, by the Tribune Company
KHARTOUM, March 15.-Former
President Roosevelt announced posi-
lively today that he would not attempt
a triumphal march across America.
Various chambers Of commerce of cities
OF the mountain region and the Pacific
slope have extended invitations for
him to be their guest. He stated he
had made all arrangements to reach
Zone as soon as possible.
His sons marriage will take place in
June, and his time until then will be
filed with his engagements on his
European tour He said that he could
not possibly be absent from the
marriage.
The fact that he has declined all
these western invitations is accepted as
establishing his intention not TO make
4 spectacular American tour. He says
he is willing TO be present on frontier
day in Cheyenne August q If he can
arrange his time TO permit this trip.
PASSES DAY OF DELIGHT
This has been a delightful and in
teresting day" said Roosevelt when he
retired to the palace for the night.
This morning he inspected the town
in company with his wife and daughter,
Ethel. Slatin Pasha and Captain Clay
ton. The party rode in an automobile
made with broad, solid wheels especial
ly for desert travel Then he was
driven TO Gordon college, where he
made an encouraging address to the
students. He considers the institution
a rens rkable evidence of British civil
izing influence.
Think of it" he said. the sons of
the khalifa FL Mahdi are studying in
q college which perpetuates the name
OF the man originally responsible for
the destruction of their fathers power"
There is no doubt, in RooseVelt's
opinion. that Britain has done great
work for civilization in extending its
control over the Soudan.
KIsITs OMDURMAN BATTLEFIELD
After luncheon the former president
enjoyed d unique and interesting ex-
perience. The Roosevelt family. Slatin
Pssha. Governor Wilson Bey, Captain
Clayton. Prince Auersperg of Austria,
an American woman of distinguished
appearance and the wife of the ad-
jutant general Of the Soudan, who was
the hostess. proceeded on the sirdar's
yacht Elfin to Kerreri, where the battle
OF Omdurman was fought
AS the party landed on the beach a
squadron of Soudanese cavalry, in
nmand Of q native officer, saluted
4sevelt, who walked in front of the
>uen, inspecting their horses and rifles,
and said q few pleasant words to their
commander.
Then Roosevelt. his wife, his daugh-
ter. his son Kermit and the others
mounted camels-
This is more exciting than shoot
ing a ion," calculated the former pres
ident.
The correspondents presented a bat
terry Of cameras, first at Roosevelt and
then at his wife and the others, all
Of which was endured patiently.
AT GRAVES OF HEROES
Then the march began, through the
ruins Of the northern end of Omdur-
man and the remains of the houses de-
stroyed by the British shells from
across the desert
The ships of the desert presented a
stately appearance, while the corre-
spondents. riding donkeys, represented
torpedo boat destroyers, the whole re-
minding one with a bit of ina gination
Of a fleet Of men of war.
Roosevelt informed Slatin Pasha that
he was fairly comfortable, putting the
accent on the adjective.
After riding a mile the party came
to the gully where the British lancers
were slaughtered by the dervishes.
Roosevelt inspected the gully and
then visited the monument, which, in
closed by protecting iron bars. marks
the graves OF Lieutenant Grenfel and
his men who fell there.
Mrs. Roosevelt and Ethel dismounted
and walked to the monument, where
they listened to an eloquent descrip-
tion by Captain Clayton of the Ian
GERS heroism in charging a force of
8 900 savages with fewer than 400 men.
LOOK OVER SCENE OF STRUGGLE
The party continued to Gebel Surg
ham, the hill originally occupied by
the dervishes. All dismounted and as
cended the hill afoot, stumbling over
the bits OF broken rock which were.
strewn thickly along the path. From
the top Of the hill they commanded a
view of the entire battlefield and the
spot on the Nile where General Kitch-
ener camped. They picked out the line
Of battle between the dervishes and
NE British, and the bare ground over
which the latter charged.
Slatin Pasha, Wilson Bey and Captain
Clayton all participated in the battle
Slatin explained the details of the fight
10 Roosevelt, Wilson Bey to Mrs. Roose-
Welt and Captain Clayton to Miss Ethel.
The former president showed a sur
prising familiarity with the positions
and discussed the strategy employed.
Here the son of the British premier,
Herbert Asquith, was presented TO the
Roosevelts, and the party returned aft
er an hour to the Elfin, all glad to have
seen the battlefield, but agreeing that
camel riding was less agreeable than
horseback riding
The city OF Omdurman was bathed in
the light of the quarter moon and the
stars as the Elfn passed, making a pic
ture Of surprising beauty, increased by
the strange contrast of the nludhouses
with the more modern European struc-
lures of Khartoum, just across the
river.
Captain Clayton gave a dinner to-
night in honor of the Roosevelts at the
palace.