THE POSITION AT KHARTOUM.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1192, 2 January 1885, Page 3

THE POSITION AT KHARTOUM.

Truth is one of the papers that does not believe iu General Gordon. In a recent number we find it taking the following view of the position The report of Colonel Duncan fully confirms all that has I een suggested with respect to the evacuation of the Soudan. The number of refugees passed through Assouan have hem 2138. Of these the mm and boys were 1176, ami the women and girls 9no ; the number of civilians, including the families of officers and soldiers, was 1799 Amongst the refugees there were a good many merchants, some Copts, some school mastass, a few European priests with their converts, and some prisoners released by Gordon at Khartoum. “ The number of soldiers would have been greater had it not been necessary for his Excellency Gordon Pasha to recall from Barber all the men who had started for Egypt Proper, and who were fit for service." I : would seem, then, that eve y man, woman, and child who wished to leave Khartoum, was able to co so, and that, of course, the garrison might have gone too, bad not Gordon prevented it Gordon, therefore, notwithstanding his orders to evacuate Khartoum, deliberately retained the Egyptitn so’diers there with a view to carry out bis own policy of “smashing the Mahdi.” It Power’s latest telegrams are to be credited, Gordon has established himself in Khartoum as a sort of Adullam cave, and having bought slaves and convened them into soldiers, is inciting the Sudanese to assassinate rue Mahdi, while he himself is sending out steamers to bombard tho towns iu the neighbourhood. Government is fully aware of these facts, but having so landed Gordon, and themselves for selecting him. is afraid to call atten*iou to them. Hail Gordon obeyed his instructions wo should have been richer by several million pounds, lbe-e would have beui no expedition, and a considerable number' of Soudanese, of Egyptians, ami of Englishmen who are now dead would alive 1