THE ADVANCE TO KHARTOUM. (By Sir. Samual White Baker )

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1977, 10 March 1885, Page 4

THE ADVANCE TO KHARTOUM. (By Sir. Samual White Baker )

Tith Press is exhibiting signs of public utixiity as Lot <l WoUc. ley's expedm in ih slowly creeping towards the South, and inei easing the distance from the base of biippln -> A most .able genet al and the be->t or Biitis'i troops have been placed in a tno3t unfan pooition by their own Govtininent. They have been ordeied to advance fioni Cairo by the Nile when that i nor h.is commenced its fall, thuobj nL'jrav iting e\ciy natural difficult) , ren d< mi q il>e passage of cataracts impossible to .imcis which could have ;wfiidrd with comparative ease had the expedition bciii r>np,u oil l» start from Assouan on 1/ Jll v . I ha\ c thoinngh conh"d"iieo in tli- il.ihty of Lord WoNi-l-y, an I that confidence being g<MK'i ally exhibited by bis stall and the troops under bis comin md \\i ! on-nne siic.e-s, in «p't'' of the niim nln'ac'es wiuu'i imnei.css'iry delay Ins c ate I to bar his progress. As < n'i of otu leadeis tnusfc bj inttres te 1 in the history of the Soudan, I will mute him to «pnad out bis imp, and with comp.i^ess and '•cile to investigate the cours" of the mighty Nile fioni Cairo southwaids to Khartoum, throughout ita numeioiis winding and opposing lapids, for about a distance of 1000 miles ; he will then be able to appieciate the labour and expense of conducting an expedition at thewtong season of the jear, when the i her, instead of being navigable foi ordinal y vessels h.is shrunk to a torrent abounding with rocks and shallows, winch can only be surmounted by the gnntest eflbit and fatigue. A reference of the map will exhibit five important points which are vital to an invading force advancing throughout a hostile connti v to the relief of Khartoum :—: — 1. Korosko, south of Assouan, the terminus of the desert route to Berber. 2 Abou Hamed, 230 miles distant, the southern terminus which commands the sudden bend of the Nile. .'5 Puinjola, the most important provin -c, w'lin ceieaK and cattle, commandin;; the deseit loutes to the southern provinces up tlh> we«t bank of the Nile The possession of Dongo! i in force will a^uit, lli loyalty of tho Kabhabiah tiibe, ■%v l l c> will supply the necessary camel tiansport 4 Dm her. 143 miles distant from Abju H uned, 220 miles from Kliaitonm, and 270 fiom Suakim. It will at once be 'ten that J3^rbei is the key of the position a-j the n vtr navigible from that station on Khaitoum until the beginning of Jinu.iiy should the rise hu e been unfa\ouiable Should a force anne at B.rber by the Ist of Januaiy it would be indirect comniunic ition by stcanieis with Khaitoum in a voyage of tlin-e or fo'ir da^s. It is therefore imperative for an army advancing fiom thi> north or east that Beibor should be reached before that date, which would peimit an advance upon Khaitoum by river instead of a tedious laud journey of '220 miles. Tne banks of the river from Khaitoum to Berber are highly cultivated and abounding in agiicultuial pioduce; it is accotdingly self evident that Briber should have been maintained ns the great depot for supplies, and as the gnat stia-tecieal point which comniiniU not only the river but the deseit l mites, Donsola upon the west, Abon Hamed and Korosko on the noith, and Suakim, 270 iiiiljs distant on the east. Attir >,r Gerald (Jraham's victories at S nl.nn bis force was witlidiawn, and t.i>i enemy naturally returned to tl c att.iclc. A miruh from Suakun at that time would have been simple enoiiu'h, and Berber would have been ecu pud by Biitish troops. Khartoum wonl 1 nave been supported, and the insiniectio:i would have collapsed, precivlyas the icljcllion in Lower Egypt cvapiratcd after Td el-Kcbir. That opportunity, like many others, was neglected. The result was natural. Berber, the all important position, was captured by the enemy, and (!oidon was immediately invented in Khartoum ; while Suaki-n, garrisoned by a detachment of marine',, just sufficiently strong to hold the en tliufiiks, Wii* exposed to almost nttititl \ ntticks by tl:e recuperated forces of O in m Digna, the original opponent of Sir (»oi ild (iiaham. No ."> is Sinkim. This point must recr-^ar.ly be linked with Berber, as the diiixt and easy route by which supplies can bo dehveied to the central depot upon the Nile. It is ridiculous to those who are experienced in the country that otheis who have no local knowledge whatever should piesuine to condemn a a toiite which is the great commercial high ua v ftom Khartoum to the sea coast. Surely the traders of the Soudan aie tha best autlioiities upon commcicial routes, and the hire of a camel is the aceuiate te-t of the difficulties of the jo'u 'i^y When I it;<on 'hree occasions ciossed fiom liciber to yuakim, the rate of i.unel hire was ninety piastres (IS") foi a tup of two hundied and seventy rrih's, dining which tlu camels could pincuro their own pasturage from the intuial h"il)a«e of tiie desert. I inarched 21 hoises from Suakim the entire distaiue to Khiit'Mim, 4DO miles, without tli< -!i_'!itest dilliculty. Miss Tinnc was one of tl.e fiist Kuiop^ans to employ this louti' in IVG4,1 V G4, when si c ciriied her dead inoth'-i from the intciior. N,)t only ladii", but even a lady 'B maid considered tlio Suakim Berber loute an ngieeable lontc dining the month of Januaiy, and ytt we hear fiom high theoretical, but uiipnetie.il autlioiities that this route .should be condunnrd ! I ask this simple (Jin ition, ' Would any merchant attempt to send Ins goods fiom Caiio to Khartoum in an open boat, or any other vessel, dining tlic low Nile' 1 This i t>rjiiirc3 no ansv, ci. It is (oo absuid. He would, of covisp, delivei his L'oods .at Suakim in font diys fiom SUP 7, ten days from Saakim to Buiber. and four by steamer to Khartoum — total, eighteen days' &.( tu.il ti av r lliiik fiom Suez to Khartoum, cm iiisive of di lavs Contiast this with a vojau'f of 1(500 miles fiom Cairo by the Nile ngi ii'-t c.itar icts and currents (lining (Ik v, long p< nod of the year ! The m xt Kieneh critique will lie upon ' John Bull it son }n/' It must be distinctly undf 1 -food that I do not condemn the Nil( advanif, but 1 cannot too stionuly efiiidemn the hesitation and delay which postponed the opeiation until the fa\orrilili ison had passed away. That is a fi f Iihl; wliuh irust be bitterly appreciat<d b\ ,1!! tlio <• ofhVcis and men who are engird in the o\p(dition. LOl d Wolsc Icy is by this time at AmbuIcol mil lus expciu'iicp of the liver will <n,iM him to form an opinion lVhpecting tli' further advanei' by lioats. }fe will p'obibly make a da>-h across the desert t> Slit-inly, ISO tnile-i, with 2000 men, v bil' 1 the mam body will on tinuo the iivi I 's couisi t!ie long bend to Berber. In t!i it cisc he will have woise difh'cultic" than he would have encountered by a fltscit i,iarcb from Suakim, asthere would be a lack of appliances and supports w !•!( h w hold have been presented upon the -'j.i border. Nevertheless, it is prob.il.ly that he will attenrpt a forward ino\( m< nt aeioss the Balnula desert if the Kabbabeesh tribe are assured as alii' s. This they will be, provided they mo ( onfident of primanent support, but tli-y will fail if they hear a whisper of 'abandonment.' Should Lord Wolseley buee< cd in pushing 2000 men to Shendy. .isiniilir force can follow lapidly. lie will then be in communication with Khaitoum, if his an ival at Shendy should bo riot later than the first week in Januiry. I believe he will accomplish tln>, but the boats cannot reach Shendy until late in February, even should no K-i-tanco be encountered from the "iirmy. The last cataract between Shendy And Khaitoum includes the most formidable position I hronghout the entire course of the N T iln. Thii will certainly he defended by tin* rneiry, and it must he turned brfoi c it w ill be possible for vessels to ad \ ric* 1 agiinst the current. At tins point t'no river is contracted to a width of only about l.") 0 yards in a passage between peipoiidir-nlar cblTs aeveral hundred fee t above tlio mirface. An enemy neeretcd among the rocks on cither side of this ex*

t> aoj diti.iiy goig<- would lie li.iiilly a hmidnd y.uds distant fioin an olijeot t \,u tly in the middle of the stieam. Flic d.mgei to a flotilla of open lioits would l>e extreme, as the pi ogress against the eໍn,;lj s ( ron» euiit'i.t would he in Ci s'mii i!y slow, ntn should the uu.d lv f.i\ )ui,'bli'. .StiMiniMS descending t'if u\ur fioin Khiutonm niiirht inn tin sumtkt, ,is t'tc w.itei i> inin-eiwly ''wp. iinl full l -;<0(d would take tli> in tin ouch t''c pa<-s .'-t the latii of 14 ni:le> an horn (ienci.il Gordon should be communiiattd with ni))ii Loid WoUelry's aiinal at ) , so th.it he may send his j-to.in ci s to co opei. ite with a land attack to elc.u ..Mil OLeiip\ tlii-, pi^s. CominnnrUr It N •fiiliui A ]>,iler, wlio was with me in \tißi, lia^ t\jipiieni'« of the yonre, and ni wi'l bo ilili- to.ilTo'd tin nice«aaiy in fomntion, litiiii,' ti th<* fiout with (In i'\j.oil!tion O.i the othei hand we lint no ititplli;." ii'e co>iLTrnini{ t ho fnoinv, uid it i-. piolnhlu tint Loid W oNrlcy s foieeof "JOOO men .id\nntuig 180 miles Iroin Ainliiiknl to Sht-ndy m"ght inei-t with oh.stin.ite iiM«.t,»i«.«. This i< an important to;i>idu.»tion iv deseit w.ir f,xie, wh>'ie the \\A\s nviy Uc in the pos ac sion ot the opposing paity. Tliib is an adilition.il ieason for an ex pedition fiom Suakiin We know that o>man Diana's Arabs will sbow fiqlit, and we can ciusli them befoie the ad\ance is attempted. The mountains alTord most favourable stations, with a plentiful watei snp[)ly neatly thiee thousand feet .iho\e the sea, at Oquak, Sinkat, and Kokreb, upon the route to Berber. These could be occupied by British and Egyptian t oops, and be held as permanent positions to command the oinmunic.itions, while some 3009 men should continue the march to Berber. That route would be opened within a few days, and supplies foi Lord VVobtlcy's foiee could then immediately be nursed at Berber, while a continuous ttieam of camels f torn Siukim would suppoit the depot upon the rhcr, and gl.idden the hearts of the late u-bellions Arabs by doll.us re.'iilarly paid for the employment of tlicir nniuinls. If <ioi ilrni is shoit of fooil, and the Mtilidi's piople (by leeent accounts) aie «ufti'iii'g from famine pi ices. Lord Wol>ele)\ aimy will not arrive in a land flowing with milk and honey. It becomes all lmpoit.mt that the Suakini route should bp opened, and that Berber should be ptoxiMotud as the central depot. In else of success, the supplies would be available on denvind ; in the event of disaster, the line of retieat would not be confined to the non navigable Nile.— Pall Mali (ia/^tte, December.

TifK magnificent sum of €3,900 ».n iccently paid in Mc&aid Sotlieby anil Wilkinson's auction room in the Stiand for an old Bible in two volumes. It rejoiced, however, in not only being the first edition of the sacred work, hem ing the date of 1450 53, but also in being the earliest book printed with metal typis by the inventore :>f printing. Fair Trade v. FieeTiade was discussed at a meeting held in Ncwcistle. under the picsidenoy of the Mayor (Aid. Stephenson) A resolution \ irtually ronolcni n.itory of fteo trade was moved and seconded. An amendment was then pro posed, affirming that the depression was m uo way caused by free, tra le, and that any proposition to tax imports would be contrary rosound policy,and could receive no countenance from tin- nueting. ThU was seconded by Mr X C'oplmd, late working men's candidate foi Ncwc.Tstli-, find cauird amid excitement by a uotiM deiablo majority. A Royal Clan. —lt appears from an account of Viennese Society, now publishing in Paris, that there are now no le^s than seventy Archdukes and Arc!) duchesses belonging to the House of Hapsburg, who all mairy into the loyal ca3tc, form a clan among thrmselves, and do not associate on intimate terms even with the highest nobility. Who maintains all these Pnncesaud Princesses? They hive, wo presume, all claims npon tho patiimonial estate of the Houmj of H.ip >-burg, anrl the estate is Luge ; but the subdivision is becoming extreme. If the number of claimants should in 50 years be double!, as it very well may be, the family will be compelled either to give up its pretensions to solitude and mate with millionaires, or to pass a rule like that of Dutch families, that only a certain number shall marry; or to imitate the example of the Delhi Princes, who all lived together in the great palace, some of them upon allowances barely sufficient to sustain life. — Spectator. Thr frequently repeated question "how is it that there are not more marriages'* is evidently a many-sided one. By young ladies, says the "Australasian," it is apparently regirdod as on<? of mere pcisonal inclination and impulse, and "Why don't the men propose ?" is discussed as though the native shyness and iiffidence of the masculine sex has a good deal to do with it. Vlp Hayter is never weary to reiterating that the number of marriages does not depend on the number of " man iagcable women, but almost enthely upon the number of maniageable men the community contains, the tendency of whom to mairy is modified by their baUits and occupations, and upon the view they take of their future prospects " So that if ws do not have more maninges the explanation is that we ha\e not more marriageable men desirous of getting innnied. But this leaves open tin- question why is theie an increasing disinclination shown by marriageable men accepting the risks and responsibilities of matiimony. At this stage of the discussion comes in the suggestion offend by the coric*poiideut of an Adelaide paper. It all comes, it seems, from the cxoibitant fee of £3 10s chaiged by some miiUHteis for performing the ceiemony. Here we have a number of ardent youths, with souls overflowing with affection and he;ut? neivcd to resolution, eager to get married, and this prohibitive rate of .t'3 10s blocks the way. When the difficulty is in this way shown to be one merely of hard cash, surely it is worth the attention of politicians and of the churches whether a case for state intervention is not made out The demand for a marriage subsidy to the churches, so as to allow them to perfoini marriages free, would be immensely stionger than that for an edu tional subsidy. After all, childien could live without education ; but without marriage the rising generation, and ultimately the older one, churches, and the Mate itself, would soon come to an cud. All this shows the exticme complexity of the social problems involved in the question of the marriage rate.

The Bad and Worthless are never imilafu? or cowitirftitrd. This is espccial'y true of a family medicine, and it is positive proof that the remedy imitated is of the highest value. As soon as it had been tested and proved by the whole world that Hop Bitters was the purest, best and the most valuable family medicine on earth, many imitations spuing up and began to steal tho notices in which the press and the people of the country had expressed the merits of H. 8., and in every way trying to induce suffering invalids to use their stuff instead, expecting to make money on the credit and good name of H. B. Many others started nostrums put up in similar style to H. 8., with variously devised names in which tho word " Hop" or " Hops" were used in a way to induce people to believ e they were the same as Hop Bitters. Alt »ucn pretended remedies or cures, no matter what their style or name is and especially those with the woid " Hop" or " Hops" in their name or in any way con nectcd with them or their name, are imitations or counterfeits. Beware of them. 'I ouch none of them. Use no thing but genuine American Hop Bitters, with a bunch or cluster of giecu Hops on the white label, and Dr Ronle'i name blown in the glnss. Trust nothing ehe. Druggists and Chemists are warned against dealing in imitations or counterfeits.