Evening star., 1924-08-18
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL y. COLLINS

War is threatening In the Sudan.
over that vast country-Egypt or
Great Britain? The Sudanese seem
to have little voice in the matter.
The first conquest of the Sudan
was made by Egypt in 1890, while
Egypt was a Turkish province. The
rule Of the conquerors was marked
by enslaving the natives and exploit
ing the natural resources. In 1881
the long-looked-for prophet of the
Sudanese, the Mahdi ("the promised
one''). arose in leadership and threw
off the Turkish Egyptian yoke. AS
Egypt at that time was in the midst
Of her own confusion, and was facing
national bankruptcy, it was not until
years later that she could make any
attempt to reconquer the Sudanese.
In the meantime, the latter developed
power and became with each year a
greater menace to their former mas
ters.
In 1882 England interviewed in
Egyptian affairs to protect bonds
held by British investors. Egypt
continued allegiance to Turkish SUI
erainty, annually paying $4,000
pounds sterling, as tribute, but
thenceforward was under British
control as to all details of admin
istration. In 1851 the situation in
the Sudan had become 50 disturbed
that by the authority of Lord Cro-
mer. diplomatic agent of Great
Britain and adviser of the Khedive,
to establish order. Led by treach-
erous guides. it became lost in the
desert, and of the entire army not
one survived from the Mahdis sur
prise attack and the desert thirst.
The following January the British
home government sent the popular
and erratio Gen. Gordon" to khar-
tum, as governor general of the
Sudan. He went without troops to
take command of the long unpaid
Egyptian forces, already upon the
verge of mutiny.
The story of Britain's tardy REIN
forcements of the Mahdis capture Of
Khartum, the killing of Gordon and
the abandonment of the Sudan by the
British is familiar history. Six
years later an Egyptian army, trained
by British officers, reoccupied the
country.
Under the administration of Lord
Cromer, as adviser to the khedive,
Egypt's finances were recouped. In
1892, upon the death of Khedive
Tewfik Pasha, the nominal ruler of
Egypt, Britain recognized Turkeys
right to appoint as his successor
Abbas Hilma. He was finally de-
posed by Great Britain at the out
break Of the World War, when the
British, as a war measure, declared
dissolved all connection between
Turkey and Egypt and announced
British protectorate over Egypt.
In 1898. under the reign of Khedive
Abbas Hilma, Lord Kitchener was
made commander-in-chief of the
British and Egyptian armies and sent
to reoccupy the Sudan. although
Egypt already held certain strong
holds. Possession was taken OF
Khartum. the capital, where the
British and Egyptian flags were
raised. side by side.
Great Britain now claims that her
leadership in the Kitchener cam
paixn entities her to hold the Sudan
Independent Of Egypt. Egypt as
serts that she is entitled to the coun-
try, which she had conquered in
1920, held against the Mahdi since
1892. and for whose complete sub
jugation in 1S95-18sS she had fur
nished twice as many troops and
borne twice the cost of the military
expedition as had her ally. Great
Britain.
The new form Of joint government
Of the Sudan was called a condo
minium"-a co-dominion. In practi-
cal application by the English, it be-
came a dominion without much co."
for all executive officials were to be
nominated by the British and ap-
pointed by decree Of the Sultan Of
Egypt. None but. Britons were NOM
mated. =
Il
IAN expert" in tho August num-
Der Of the British magazine, Foreign,