The Waikato Times THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1967, 14 February 1885, Page 2

The Waikato Times THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

I ijutl and p\act justice to .ill :non, Ol \\li.tts(K\er .t ile 01 pi-rsu.isioii, ri-ligion 1 ; or pohliral. Hen sh ill the Press the People's ri^ht miintmn, Ln.iwoilby iiifliiciue and unbribeil by gun

SATUIiVAY, FEU J4, 1880.

« Tr is no more tigme of speech to say that the mm dei ot <!enoi.il (Joidon has liccn lecened with genuine feelings of soi row throughout the Euquie. No gr.uidei iigun* than that of the dead hero occupies the p;u^>s of contemporary history. ]j\lc Uayarcl, lie was sans 2 )CU >' ■uo/s rcproche — ;t man who in himself i ('deemed (he nge from the charge of Mjttislmess. It was, perhaps, piojici- that a man as this should die with his face to the foe , ),ul it i« mournful t<> i. ■(!<■< t tli.it his lift- wsi<4 sacrificed to treacheiy. The narrative of I'vmts sucei>(clni£C the fsill of Khartoum is given 111 our telegraphic columns, and need not lie lepeated here. In tho minds of English people there, seems to lie lnit one desire— a, desire for revenge, and whether I'jis be just or not we may

be certain tli:it tlie Government will ha\eto b»nd before it. Th;it the Cabinet has yielded to the popular demand is evidenced by the preparations made for an expedition from iSn.ikiin to Jlerbei on t!i > Nil", the route which the reli «f expedition oujjit to li.i\e taken at iir.st. Mi Gl idstone s Government will find it dillicult to make excuses for the adoption of the Nile route, and the crii"l delay which it invohel. Whatever considerations weighed with the Governni"iit, it is quite e\ ident now tli.it the decision was a w K»n» one; th.it the protest of Geneial Stephenson against the Nile expedition was based on more complete information than any that Lord Wols'-ley possessed. Strongly ,is the f-ital course pursued will be condemned, it profits little to indulge in vain regrets. Gordon is d^.id, and the wildest clamour iiir.unst the British Government cannot bring him to life again. But it is still possible to complete the work in carrying out which he laid down his life. The pacification ot the Soudan, the destruction of the power of the noxious Mahdi, the abolition of slavery, .and the establishment of a stable Government for the people are consummations still within our power to attain. To the noble heart that perished in Khartoum levenge, as an end to be pursued, would h.iAe been hateful in the extieme. It was the good of the people of the Upper Nile country w hich engrossed his thoughts, and which led him to leave his peaceful pursuits and undeitake that fateful journey up the ii\er in Januaiy of l;ust year. Tn proportion as we honour his memory we should seek to take up the work he left unfinished. Towards the paltry cowards who betrayed their best friend we need extend no sympathy hanging is too good for them : but upon the wretched, superstitionblinded Arabs our sympathy will not be wasted.

Following clo-,e upon the report of the murder of (Jordon, comes the news of the death of anothei bia\e olli<er. (General Kaile, and two of Ins colonels (lencral Eaile had command of the column which is to .uhunce upon Klrutoum l»y way <>f Betber, and pait of w hose luisiness it was, or is, to infliit punishment on the murdereis of Colonel Stew ait. Fiom the fiist his load has been beset with ditliou 1 ties, and if the tele^iams aie collect the (iener.il had not pi<>ceeded far from Korti when he met his death. The Ht,'ht must ha\e been a desperate one, jiidjjimj by the number of oih'cers killed and wounded, but the British soldier maintained his reputation, and though the price paid is hii,'h, it affords some sort of satisfaction to know that the enemy, K>oo shout;, weir almost annihilat<'d. Col. iJiackenburv has succeeded to the command of Ueneial Earle's (oluinii, and Lord Wolseley does not .uiticipate that any fresh obi staclcs Avill be met with on the road to Berber. The chances are that the Mahdi's attention is wholly occupied in impro\ ing the fortifications of Khaitoum, and the next eim.i^ement of .my consequence wdl probably be between the False Phrophet on the one hand, and the \ictor of Tel-cl-Kebir on the other.