THE SOUDAN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 96, 26 March 1885, Page 3

THE SOUDAN.

Soliloquising on the departure of the New South Wales contingent the Brisbane Courier remarks : — " And now that the hurrahs are over and tho troopship ' has sailed, we shall have leisure to think of the outcome of all this. It is certainly a leap m the dark, and he would be a wise man who could tell where it wall ultimately land the Australian colonies. This much we know, that it is a step forward which cannot be withdrawn. Never again can we resume exactly the same relations to the mother-country and the tost of the world which we occupied before the despatch of this corps of • armed men to a distant war. No longer will an Australian poet sing — We pile the arms of peace — her trophies manifold, Her plough-share swords, her shields of fleece, . Her armour of bloodless gold. Like the rest of mankind, we shall probably m future hang the ••" battleriven banners' brought back from the Soudan high above all peaceful trophies. Biit these are not really subjects for ire-" gret. Approaching manhood brings to nations as to individuals its resposibilities as well as its privileges, and we are fast nearirig th.c- period of our emancipation from leading strings. Under the leadership of New South Wales we have made a great stride towards the unknown future that awaits us. That prudence as well as boldness will be displayed by the group 'of statesmen into whose hands the guidance of Australia at this critical tinie of (her history has fallen, is the fervent hope of every Australian who loves his country."