Year: 1869




The New York Journal of Commerce
has the following exposition of the pur-
poses of the forthcoming expedition up the
Nile under the patronage of the Viceroy of
Egypt:


The Baker expedition up the Nile is
announced to start about the 1st of July,
at which date the annual rise of the river
usually commences. This will be the best
appointed, and probably, in its effects, the
most beneficial enterprise ever undertaken
for the civilization of savage men, About
1,30o Infantry and 200 cavalry, Arabs and
Nubians-good soldiers, and seasoned iu
the African climate-will compose the ex-
| peditionary force, all under the absolute
command of Sir Samuel Baker, one of the
most intrepid ard successful African ex-
! plorers, man whose cooness, skill and
| judgement have been tried and proved in
the furnace of adventure. Iron steamers,
which can be taken apart and transported
on the backs Of camels, fourteen mountain
howitzers, ammunition aud supplies un-
limited, have been furnished out of the
overhowing evchequer of the Viceroy Of
Egypt. The motive of that enlightened
prince in sending out this costly expedition
is one that bears the closest scrutiny, aud
challenges the admiration of the Christian
world. Though a true and consistent
Musseman, his object is not-like the
Prophet's-to PROPAGATE his faith. There
is no pretence OF any proselyting purpose
in the scheme-though, had the Viceroy
| declared that to be his motive, the expe-
dition would still have reflected honor upon
bin. Morally speaking, he has as much
right to push forward Mahommedanism by
the sword as Christian nations have to ad-
vance their systems of religion by the same
means and it certainly would be better to
bring the savages of equatorial Africa
under sway of the crescent than to let them
continue in their present bondage to the
most degrading forms of heathenism The
former, bad as it is in Christian eyes, is
infinitely preferable to the latter. There
can be but little doubt, that in emitting
the element of religious crusade from
this expedition, the Viceroy has designedly
deferred to the sentiments of that civilized
part of the world which is Christianzed
and in doing so he has shown how the
Christian spirit may truly dwell in the heart
of follower of the Prophet.


Next to religion as motive-or we might
| say associated with tits handmade it is
sometimes called in such enterprises the
extension OF commerce. To open up the
field of trade in products which the world
wants, and so to promote the comfort and
happiness of mankind in general, is itself
au object most highly to be commended;
aud if that alone were the design of the
Viceroy, the Nile expedition, if humanely
and wisely conducted would receive the
hearty approval Of every civilized nation
under the sun OF course the Viceroy ex-
poets to reap some substantial advantages
in return for his heavy outlay Of money.
He means to establish trading stations in
the land of gold, ivory, gum arabic, bees
wax, and camphor; and he has an eye to
cottongrowing at points that may be favor
able for it. He would not vindicate the
business capacity he displayed as a builder
of railroads and telegraphs, and promoter
of the Suez canal, if he did not also look
to the enrichment of his treasury from the
Nile expedition. But beyond and above
this, the true objective point at which he
aims is the breaking up of the slave trade,
which has its home in its most hideous de-
velepment in the country which his troops
will penetrate and make their own. In
many ways the present Viceroy, since his
accession to power, has evinced noble
ambition to do his part with the wisest
rulers of the world, in the advancement of
civilization. Enjoying the advantages of
living on the border country of equatorial
Africa, possessing troops acclimated to the
burning heats of that region, and having
the amplest means at command he seemed
to have conceived it to be his mission and
duty to strike powerful blow at the slave
trade in its strongest fastness. 1t is as if
he had set out to emulate the generous
action of the United States, France and
England, in warning upon the same inhu-
man traffic This is the motive which the
Flceroy himself chooses to assert; and it
Is so natural one to influence prince
ambitious to take high rank among civil
lied sovereigns, that we do not hesitate to
accept it as the real reason of the expe-
dition His choice of Sir Samuel Baker
to head the invading force, entrusting to
him supreme power, indicates this. That
eminent traveller is not trader, and his
efforts to establish profitable commercial
centres may prove failure. He is not
the subject of the Viceroy. and cannot be
counted on as enthusiastic to add to the
dominions of his patron. But he under
stands the slave trade thoroughly, and hates
it with his whole heart--as his books
abundantly attest-and against that, wher-
ever he can find it, as against armies. in
the field, he may be trusted to strike most
effective blows If he can break up that
horrible trade, in such portions of Central
Africa as he can reach with his troops. he
will share with the Viceroy of Egypt the
gratitude of christendom.