THE SOUDAN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1139, 29 February 1884, Page 3

THE SOUDAN.

L 0..0 a, February 21. Qordon-Poshi has proclaims! the Soudan as independent of Egypt. . Febni tv 22. A ‘transport carrying a ..etaoh’nom of hit-aus, has got ..a ore at S .iiakio, an i it .is feared this will cause some delay to the cxoe utiou. Gordon Pa ha’s proclamation is now ex plained to have simply meant permission to retain the system of domeetie shivery in thehoudau—not to authorise slave hunting. Cairo, February 21. Telegrams have been received fiorn Khartoum reporting that Gordon Pasha meeting with continued success in his • ffofs to complete the pacification of the Soudan, arrangements have heen made for an interview between Major-General Gordon and El Mahdi. And the former will leave Kliartoun at an early date for that purpose ■ Despatches from Souakin to hind antnouaco that Colonel Grahun. with the final portion of the British troops from Cairo, arrived th-re yesterday. An expedition for the re'ief of Tokar will commence its march thither on Sunday next, the 23th inat. February 22. Telegrams to hsnd from Souakin announce that messages had heen received them from the Gove-nor of Tokar, stating that without food, ami finding that it, was impossible to further prolong the defence of the town, which for some days previously was closely invested by the enemy, he had heen compelled to accept the terms offered by Arab beseigers, and had agreed to surrender the town to them. The telegrams further state that one half of the garrison had submitted to the rebel leader, but that the ininainder hid become fu atives Nothing is yet known as to the manner in which non combatant inhabitants »>ave been treated by the adherents of the Mahdi. The “ own correspondent ’’ of the Pall Mall Gazette wrote as follows, under date Cairo, December 18th, respecting Egypt and the Mahdi : Lord Wolseley’a expedition ami the defeat of Arabi would be child’s play by the side of the conquest of the Sou lan, if we were to undertake it, for the Mahdi would only have to retire ami we must follow him. unless we wish to establish ourselves pe-raanently in the desert as watchdogs. The mistake made at home was to allow British officers—in fact, any Englishman to give to the Soudan expedition a British label; and in undertaking the reorganisation of the native army we should have borne in mind that this army might soma day be wanted, and that it is a farce to have soldiers who cannot be used for military purposes. Of course the Egyptian Government would like us to act, and act promptly. The Mahdi is daity gaining gr.und, the lower classes in the villages and even in the towns look upon him if not as the Mahdi, at least as his forerunner, and nothing prevents them from openly declaring in his fa' our but the presence of onr redcoats. The vast majority of men "f all nations hope that Gr-ar. Britain will send some 10, "00 or 15.000 men from India ; others would prefer 25,000 Turkish regulars; while a minority, to which 1 belong, would stiffen the Egyptian army with the required number of Circassians or even Montenegrins British as well as Turkish intervention- in the Soudan would change the ssue, an I though' the Mahdi would be defeated, “ Egypt for the Egyptians ” would hardly ha the result. If there must, be intervention of some Power, Ithink■ Turkish intervention would be the lesser evil and more to onr advantage ; yon can reason with a conqueror, lint with religious fanatics no compromise is possible. But as 1 neither wish the Sultan to settle in the Soudan, nor that we in consequence should be obliged to remain permanently in Egypt, I should certainly prefer the work to be done by the Khedive himself, if diplomatic pressure can provide him promptly with the material he cannot find in Egypt, for he wants at once at least SOOlTwell trained soldiers. Much is expected from the rivary of the tribes and timely subventions, but for all this money is wanted and speedy action. However, there is no time to bp lost, and a decision must be arrived at without delay ; the present situation cannot last, and it would be better to abandon even Souakin and Khartoum than to allow the retail slaughter of Egyptian troops to continue. It would be hard on Egypt, and won hi temporarily treble the power of the Madhi, but England would have to stem his advance and be obliged to cru-di him in the plains of Assouan, w' ile the intervening period would allow Egypt to ojbanise 10,000 men for a re occupation of Souakin and the line east of the White Nile after thoMadhi’a defeat. The brother-in-law of the Mahdi, after occupying Kawa and Duem, is said to have arrived within 30 miles of Khartoum, at a point on the eastern bank of the White Nile, and is trying to raise the standard of revolt. The correspondent of the Times at Khartoun telegraphing on the afternoon of December 2nd, "ays “TlieKawi and Duem garrisons, whose advent here is of vital importance to the defence of this city and (of Egypt, have not arrived, po rbly owing to a fearful storm which has be-n raging for three days from the north. We are sadly short of men ; hut Colonel Coetlogen has done all that is possible for the defence of the city, which from its nature it is impossible to fortify and de end with less than 12.000 men. The Europeans are loyal, hut the Arabs and Turks are most despondent, as it is evi lent that the anthorifles at Cairo are sending no help. The English newspapers advocate Assouan as the natural frontier of Egypt, forgetting that an English officer and an English consul are in this city, and that many Euro peans will be abandoned and massacred if the new policy he adop'e 1. This portion of the Soudan contains 11,00' soldiers, civilians, and fellaheen, all subjects of the Khe dive, with families in Cairo, amt as much deserving of protection as the natives of Lower Egypt. Colonel Coetlogon is now trying to rally them at Khartoum in order to save the whole of Egypt, yet contradic tory orders are sent weekly, which hamper him as much as possible. We may expect the enemy at any moment, And the popmacion is nndisgnisedly hostile. The people outnumbered the troops and are as well armed. Even including the Duem and Swa garrisons, the troops are insufficient a police force to preserve the peace of the city, wi bout considering the encmv outside, who are not mere savages, but are armed with rifles and cfiicientaili ier,’. an » who hare among them 4DOO nvn of the ol 1 El Obeil garrison, whi fought against Hicks Pasha at Kashgate, ami who are now soldiers of the Mahdi. If K artoum be unworthy of relief or defence, the more dig nifie I policy would be to order us to retreat on Berber.”