The Washington herald., 1913-02-05

Gen. Gordons tragic tate Is recalled by
the death of Zobeir Pasha which oc-
Cured at Cell, twenty miles north of
Khartoum. AS an Indirect outcome of his
slave-trading exploits Zobeir became
practically ruler of the Bahr-el-Ghazal
district. He captured Darfur for Egypt.
and for several years was one OF the
most powerful men in the Sudan. When
Gordon arrived. Zobeir was under de-
tention at Cairo. but In spite of the man
having been a notorious slave trader.
Gordon had not been many days in
Khartoum before he proposed him as his
successor as governor-general of the
Sudan.
Undoubtedly. Zobeir was a rare fighting
man, and the ablest leader In the Sudan.
Sir Robert Wingate. the Sirdar, has de-
scribed him as a far-seeing, thoughtful
man of iron will, born ruler of men.
Gordon's proposal was supported by
Lord Cromer. who made repeated repre-
.sentations TO London in support of It, and
expressed the belief that Zobeir was the
only man for the place.
Gordon. in other days. had caused 70
heir's son TO be shot, and this was sup
posed to have set up an NInquenchabie
blood feud between them. Before reach
in Cairo he had suggested that Zobeir
should be sent TO Cyprus and there kept
out OF the way. This was not done. On
Gordons way through Carlo, the two
men met in a highly dramatic interview.
Zobeir bitterly upbraided Gordon: You
killed my son whom intrusted to you.
He was your son. You brought my wives
and children in chains to Khartoum."
Still. after that incident. Gordon de-
clared that he had "a mystical feeling
that Zobeir and he were all right. What
inspired his reiterated demand for the
immediate dispatch of Zobeir Is sur
missed to have been the conviction, forced
upon him during his journey 10 hhar-
toum that his first idea OF leaving the
petty sultans to fight it out with the
Mahdi would not work: that the Mahdi
had got so strong a hold that he could
only be met by II man OF Zobeirs ca
pacity, military skill and old authority.
As iIl-fortune had II. the Zobeir plan
leaked out before the government de-
cided Public opinion intervened. The
very men who had most loudly clam
orcd for the eXtrication OF the Egyptian
garrIsons who had pressed with most
importunity for the dispatch OF Gordon.
who had been most urgent for the neceS-
sIty for giving him a free hand. now
declared that Ii would be a national de-
graduation and a European scandal to lis
ten to Gordon's request. He himself had
given them a capital text, having once
said that ZobeIr alone was responsible
for the slave trade of the previous ten
years.
Finally Gordon wrote: III you do not
send Zobeir. you have no chance OF get
ting the garrisons away" Gordon rec
osnized that Zobeir was the only man
who could be set up against the Mahdi.
Gladstone became a strong convert to
sending Zobcir. but the majority OF the
Cabinet was against it. and he gave
way.
The change. whatever II may nave
been. PASSED like a Hash. Just as the
proposal infiamed many in England. so IL
did mischief at Cairo. Zobeir. like other
people. got wind of il, and enemies oil
England at Cairo set to work with him.
Sir r. Barring might have found him hard
to deal with. II was GOrdon's rashness
that had made the design public. Cor
don. too. as II happened. had made
dire mistake. At Berber he had shown
the Ehedive's secret 'frman," announc-
ing the intended abandonment Of the
Sudan. The news spread: it soon reached
the Mahdi himself. and he made polite
use of it. He issued a proclamation ask
ing all the sheilSs. who stood aloof from
him, what they had to gain in support
ing a pasha who was going TO give the
Sudan up.
The rising OF the tribes around Khar-
toum, the isolation Of the city. and its
siege and fall and the death of Gordon
followed.
Londonderry. owing to its strenuous
election just now, is considerably in the
Iimelight But how did Londonderry &C
quire her motto. No Surrender" The
tourist learns that as soon as he enters
the porch OF St Columa's Cathedral. a
huge bombshell that fell during the siege
4; ~ fs fal
the envelOp that contained Gen. sHanil-
toms thoughtful invitation to yield the
gates of the city. and provoked the IA
nous rejoinder OF NO surrender. The
cathedral itself contributed largely TO the
resistance. for when ammunition became
scarce the leaden roof was melted into
cannon balls.
Londonderry was plain Dcrry-"Place
OF Oaks"-until three centuries ago The
town owed its origin to a monastery
founded by CoIuma in 5i6. and was be-
sIeged and sacked many times by Dam
ish invaders and contending clans ere.
in the twelfth century, il came into the
possession of Richard lie Burgo. The
Irish Society Of London took over the
town at the beginning of the seventeenth
century. and changed its name 10 Lon
donderry in l6l3- Its defense by the
Protestants of the North against the
forces of James II from December. I6SS
TIL August, l6Sg. was one of the most
thrilling events in Irish history. ana
gave Macaulay the opportunity for one
OF his most purple patches
A city with such traditions as London
derry has naturally given its name to
many places in the newer parts of ths
world. But these are much divided be-
tween Derry and Londonderry: and II
the longer name has a slight majority
II may be because. in some instances. II
Is not from the city. but from the peer
age title that the name has come. One