INTERVIEW WITH SIR SAMUEL BAKER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 115, 20 April 1885, Page 3

INTERVIEW WITH SIR SAMUEL BAKER.

Sir Samuel Baker has been interviewed by a representative^ the Madras Mail. In the course of the interview he said: — " All the world smells of powder, things are very gloomy, I am afraid. Oh I did you hear about the locomotives lor the Berber railway?" he. inquired suddenly. I was able to tell him that they had arrived safely at Calcutta. 11 Frightful waste of public money ; a sort of thing you would think as a joke if you saw it m a satirical paper." During the course of a discussion on the •war m the Soudan, he remarked : — " I think Brackenbury is quite right to stay at Abu Hained, because it commands the desert to Korosko, which ought to have been made use of long ago." Pointing to a map of the Soudan, he said : — "In all this country there are trade routes. No merchant would ever dream of sending his merchandsse up the stream m ihe wrong season. But \vre have persisted m senoing an expedition tip the river m the wrong season, which no merchant would he fool enonghto do. -Now, my argument has been :^ Why send troops by a route (up the Nile) by which you would not send your merchandise?" Then, pointing to the map, he continued: — "There's Suakim, and it is 270 miles to Berber. There's Korosko, from which place it is 230 inilos to Abu Hamed across the desert. Now Korosko is only half way between Assouan and Wady Haifa, the first and second cataracts." There would have been no difficulty m making a depot for supplies at Eorosko, and the desert route should have been assured to Abu Hamed ; it is only 230 miles. # To adopt the roiite which they have, m the present season, is perfectly ridiculous. "What may be perhaps excusable m the right season is inexcusable m the wrong season. -So late as last March I recommended the Government to organise a system of tanks across the desert from ICorosko to Abu Hamed. 1 advised them to range eight stations with iron tanks containing 8000 gallons at each station. That will have to be done now. That would take the troops with the greatest ease to Abu Hamed, as it would be 25 miles a day camel march Then from Abu Hamed to Berber is 143 miles march along the banks of the river the whole way. Aiid now with regard to the Suakim Berber route. From Suakim to Berber is 270 miles, with, a very good desert nearly the whole way, and there is this special advantage,that there are three sanitaria on the way, about 3000 feet above the sea level. Suakim should be a second Portsmouth , it is only three days from Suez. Therefore, with such a base as Snakim, and the advantage of the sanataria, there could be no question whatever of the advantages of that route. It is only fourteen days to Berber. "We lost Berber last year, Khartoum, alas 1 this year, and if they don't care they'll lose Ddngola now, if Lord Wolseley is going to remain At Korfci, There is a

road open ' from Khartoum to Dongola which the Mahdi is certain to take, and that will cut off the retreat by the Nile." In reply to a query as to the probable accession of tribes to the Mahdi's forces, Sir Samuel replied : " Now, every man, woman, and child will be with the Mahdi. It is jnsfc what I said three years ago would happen. There will be a general rising all over the country if care is not taken : I have always been afraid it would spread to Arabia, and then Heaven only knows where it would stop. As to the recent victory reported from Kassala m a spacial telegram to the Bombay Gazette, he continued : — " Wo don't know the officer — who I suppose is a Circassian or a TTurink — m command of Kassala. He is quite equal to Gordon m defending his position. As the Italians have gone to Massowah it is incumbent upon them to advanco immediately to relieve Kassala. They will be responsible for it is now that they are atMasso wah and should the Italians relieve and occupy Kassala the whole of the country round, up to the Atbara River, all the fertile regious round Kassala, will fall into their hands. That would be an immense diversion m our favor, as, if necessary, the Italians can march down the river upon Berber."