The Cause of the Soudan War.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5023, 17 February 1885, Page 2

The Cause of the Soudan War.

In July, 1881, Mahomed Achmed, the Mahdi called the " False Prophet," pro claimed open rebellion, and commenced operations, but was defeated in the South Senaarinthe winter of 1881-82. Since then the False Prophet has . kept the Soudan in a constant ferment, alternately defeating tho Egyptian troops under Abd el Kader and being defeated by them. In 1883 the Egyptian Government became seriously alarmed at the state of affairs. A heterogeneous army was hastily col* lected under the command of Hicks Pasha, an English officer, and sent to-the Soudan. For a time it was victorious, but on No vember sth it was led into an ambuscade through the treachery of the native guides and totally annihilated. This crowning catastrophe set the Soudan in a blaze. The rebellion spread like wild-fire in all directions, and the position of the Egyp tian garrisons in the Soudan became precarious in the extreme. An attempt to relieve Siokat, made by a rabble force under Baker Pasha, disastrously failed. Then the British Government interfered, and took the Soudan in band. General Graham, with a British force, was sent to Souakin, where he defeated the rebels. The policy of the British Government is to give up the Soudan to the Soudanese. General Gordon was the officer selected to arrange for the evacuation of the country. On the 18th January, 1884, he was summoned to London./ At' three, o'clock in the afternoon he had an interview with the Cabinet, and five hours later started on his mission. On the 18th February he arrived at Khartoum. One of the first acts was to issue a proclamation announcing the independence of the Soudan. He has failed, however, to suppress the rebellion or pacify the country. His position at Khartoum was full of danger. The rebels surrounded the town, and a large portion of the inhabitants were in a state of rebellion. Gordon practically became a prisoner in Khartoum. An attempt which he made to escape failed. He appealed to the British Government to send him assistance, but none was sent, owing to the season of the year,.until September, when Lord Wolseley went with a force up the Nile. Accounts of their progress have been published from time to time in our telegraphic columns. -