FOOTNOTES:

“No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.

“And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.”

“Yet thus saith the Lord God; at the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:

“And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom.”—Ed.

Prétres à Kordofan.

1. Don Luigi Bonorni, Superior. 2. Don Guiseppe Ohrwalder. 3. Don Paulo Nusignoli. 4. Fra Isodoro Locatelli. 5. Fra Guiseppe Regusto.

Sœurs.

1. Teresa Grigolini, Superioress. 2. Fortunata Corce. 3. Catarina Chincherini. 4. Cometta Corsi. 5. Elizabetta Venturini. 6. Maria Caprini.

“Having regard to the time which has elapsed, Her Majesty’s Government desire to add to their communication of the 23rd April as follows:—As the original plan for the evacuation of the Soudan has been dropped, and as aggressive operations cannot be undertaken with the countenance of Her Majesty’s Government, General Gordon is enjoined to consider and either to report upon, or, if feasible, to adopt, at the first proper moment, measures for his own removal and for that of the Egyptians at Kartoum who have suffered for him or who have served him faithfully, including their wives and children, by whatever route he may consider best, having especial regard to his own safety and that of the other British subjects.

“With regard to the Egyptians above referred to, General Gordon is authorised to make free use of money rewards or promises at his discretion. For example, he is at liberty to assign to Egyptian soldiers at Kartoum sums for themselves and for persons brought with them per head, contingent on their safe arrival at Korosko, or whatever point he may consider a place of safety; or he may employ and pay the tribes in the neighbourhood to escort them. Her Majesty’s Government presume that the Soudanese at Kartoum are not in danger. In the event of General Gordon having dispatched any persons or agents to other points, he is authorised to spend any money required for the purpose of recalling them or securing their safety.”—Egypt, 22, 1884, No. 22.—Ed.

“On March 9, Sir Evelyn Baring recommended that Zubair should go up, such a recommendation being in harmony with the policy of evacuation.”—Egypt, No. 12, 1884, in 115 & 222.—Ed.

“13th.—Financiers—German, Austrian, Russian—attack England’s attitude. Conference considered must lead coalition against England. Fitzmaurice stated British Government not prepared change advice given Egypt withdraw from Kartoum.

“13th.—Parliament closed till 15th September. Message hopes mission Northbrook suggest useful counsels. England will continue to fulfil public duties imposed upon her by events in Egypt.

“17th August.—The 88th, 46th, and 56th regiments, with expedition of 19th Hussars and corps of Mounted Infantry, go to Halfa.

“London, 19th.—General Erle commands expedition Halfa. Buller chief of staff.”

“Dear General Gordon,

“I send you the above as the last public news we have heard. I have been appointed Inspector General of the Soudan Telegraph, but at present I can’t get beyond Debba to inspect them, as Mr. Hudai has captured the Merowi telegraph office, and the Sirdar will not let us advance. I am ordered back to Halfa, and am leaving by boat this morning. With kind regards to Colonel Stewart,

“Yours sincerely,

“E. A. Floyer.”

“Debba, 22nd August, 1884.”

“Can I do anything for you or General Gordon? I should be awfully glad if you will let me know. The relief expedition is evidently coming up this way, but whether they will go by Berber or attempt the direct road from here I do not know. The Mahdi is in a bad way; he has abandoned Parfur, and has no reinforcements to send to Kartoum and Sennaar, which are asked for.

“Yours always,

“H. H. Kitchener.”

“Mr. Egerton has asked me to send you the following:—August 30th. Tell Gordon steamers are being passed over second cataracts, and that we wish to be informed through Dongola exactly when he expects to be in difficulties as to provisions and ammunition.” Message ends, “Lord Wolseley is coming out to command. The 35th Regiment is now being sent from Halfa to Dongola. Sir E. Wood is at Halfa. General Earle, Dormer, Buller, and Freemantle are coming up Nile with troops. I think an expedition will be sent across from here to Kartoum, while another goes with steamer to Berber. A few words about what you wish done would be very acceptable.”

“Yours,

“H. H. Kitchener, R.E.

“Debbeh, August 31st.”

“To General Gordon,

“445737—905309—185115—417291—552676—792996—271381—511906—689363—945242—226739—648255—102037—626054—535222—672318—277535—134971—467430—203151—804960—483289—681510.”

The following was written on the back of this cipher telegram:—

“Your letters of 13/7/84 and 20/7/84 have been received, and their contents telegraphed on. The last news here is the 35th Regiment has been ordered to advance from Halfa to Dongola at once. General Earle commands expedition, Buller C. of S., Dormer and Freemantle brigades. All coming up. Lord Wolseley leaves London directly to take over supreme command. All well here. Mudir working well. No danger. Sir E. Wood is at Halfa sending on troops.

“H. H. Kitchener.

“Debbeh, 29th August, 1884.”

As regards the Sennaar garrison, Her Majesty’s Government is not prepared to sanction the dispatch of an expedition of British troops up the Blue Nile in order to insure its retreat.

From the last telegrams received from General Gordon, there is reason to hope that he has already taken steps to withdraw the Egyptian portion of the Sennaar garrison.

You will use your best endeavours to insure the safe retreat of the Egyptian troops which constitute the Kartoum garrison, and of such of the civil employés of Kartoum, together with their families, as may wish to return to Egypt.

As regards the future government of the Soudan, and especially of Kartoum, Her Majesty’s Government would be glad to see a Government at Khartoum which, so far as all matters connected with the internal administration of the country are concerned, would be wholly independent of Egypt.—Lord Wolseley’s Instructions, Egypt, No. 35, 1884, No. 157.—Ed.

“Let it be known to you all that I have been appointed, in concert between the Khedive’s Government and the Government of Great Britain, Governor-General of the whole Soudan; and the Soudan has now become an independent State, to govern itself without the intervention of the Egyptian Government in any way whatever.”—General Gordon’s Proclamation to All the Notables and Inhabitants in the Soudan, Feb. 13, 1884.—Ed.

“You know exactly the position of the different garrisons so far as I can explain it, and that there is no probability of the people rallying round me, or of paying any attention to my Proclamation.

“If you mean to make the proposed diversion to Berber (of British troops), and to accept my proposal as to Zebehr, to instal him in the Soudan and evacuate, then it is worth while to hold on to Kartoum.

“If, on the other hand, you determine on neither of these steps, then I can see no use in holding on to Kartoum, for it is impossible for me to help the other garrisons, and I shall only be sacrificing the whole of the troops and employés here.

“In this latter case, your instructions to me had better be that I should evacuate Kartoum, and, with all the employés and troops, remove the seat of government to Berber. You would understand that such a step would mean the sacrificing of all outlying places except Berber and Dongola.

“You must give a prompt reply to this, as even the retreat to Berber may not be in my power in a few days; and, even if carried out at once, the retreat will be of extreme difficulty.

“I should have to leave large stores, and nine steamers which cannot go down. Eventually, some question would arise at Berber and Dongola, and I may utterly fail in getting the Cairo employés to Berber.

“If I attempt it, I could be responsible only for the attempt to do so.

“Once the Mahdi is in Kartoum, operations against him will be very arduous, and will not serve Sennaar and Kassala.”

“Kartoum, March 9, 1884, 11.40 p.m.

“If the immediate evacuation of Kartoum is determined upon, irrespective of outlying towns, I would propose to send down all the Cairo employés and white troops with Colonel Stewart to Berber, where he would await your orders. I would also ask Her Majesty’s Government to accept the resignation of my commission, and I would take all steamers and stores up to the Equatorial and Bahr Gazelle Provinces, and consider those provinces as under the King of the Belgians.

“You would be able to retire all Cairo employés and white troops with Stewart from Berber to Dongola, and thence to Wady Halfa.

“If you, therefore, determine on the immediate evacuation of Kartoum, this is my idea. If you object, tell me.

“It is the only solution that I can see if the immediate evacuation of Kartoum, irrespective of the outlying towns, is determined upon.”—Ibid.—Ed.

Sir Evelyn Baring replies in a telegram dated March 2nd, 1884:—“I have received your eleven telegrams of the last four days on matters of general policy. I am most anxious to help and support you in every way, but find it very difficult to understand exactly what you want. I think your best plan will be to reconsider the whole question carefully and then state to me in one telegram what it is you recommend, &c.”

✳✳✳✳✳

“The cruelties the king and his people committed were atrocious. Forty Soudan soldiers were mutilated altogether, and sent to Bogos with the message that, if His Highness the Khedive wanted eunuchs he could have these.”—Hill’s Colonel Gordon in Central Africa, pp. 421-423.—Ed.

“General Gordon has on several occasions pressed for 200 British troops to be sent to Wady Halfa. I agree with the military authorities in thinking that it would not be desirable to comply with this request.”

Sir Evelyn Baring to Earl Granville (received March 4th).

“General Gordon and Colonel Stewart strongly urge the desirability, from the point of view of the success of their present mission, of opening up the Berber-Suakin route.... I cannot agree with the proposal mentioned in Colonel Stewart’s telegram, that a force of British or Indian cavalry should be sent through for Suakin to Berber.”—Egypt No. 12 (1884). No. 205.—Ed.

Cairo, February 28th, 1884.

“I have the honour to report to your Lordship that, although I did not specially consult General Gordon on the subject of sending British troops to Assouan, he telegraphs to me that if 100 British troops were sent to Assouan or Wady Halfa, they would run no more risk than Nile tourists, and would have the best effect.... I certainly would not risk sending so small a body as 100 men.”—Egypt No. 12, No. 170.—Ed.

Demitrios Kapnoulas. Demosthen Kapilos.

George Kepetzakos. Demitrios Georgopoulos.

Herial Bolanaki. George Kontis.

Alexandre Genacari. Xenophon Apostolidis.

Nasum Abagui. George Tantzos.

Nessim Morinos. Jean Stergiou.

Demitrios Perdicakis. Nicolas Kouvaras.

Michel Nomikos. Jean Dermitrzakis.

Stauros Papadakis. Michel Chatzi Christodoulou.

Jean Prospion.

Note.—On the opposite page is an extract from Lord Lytton’s speech, cut from one of the papers: “Ask General Gordon, if he ever comes safely home to us, what he and his still unrescued garrison have learned to think of the high sense of national honour, the chivalrous courage, the unflinching good faith of Mr. Gladstone and his Radical Cabinet.” (Three cheers were given for Gordon.)—Ed.

“With reference to General Graham’s message communicated to Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for War relative to the opening out of the Berber-Suakin route, I wish to say that I do not recommend any English troops being sent to Berber.”—Egypt, No. 12, 1884, No. 214.

“Cairo, March 13th, 1884.

“I have instructed him (General Gordon) to hold on at Kartoum, until I can communicate further with Her Majesty’s Government, and have told him that he should on no account proceed to the Bahr Gazelle and Equatorial Provinces.”—Egypt, 1884, Nos. 12-242.—Ed.

“In undertaking this difficult task which now lies before you, you may feel assured that no effort will be wanting on the part of the Cairo authorities, whether English or Egyptian, to afford you all the co-operation and support in their power.”—Sir E. Baring to Major-General Gordon, Inclosure in Egypt No 6.—Ed.

The others were not present at the battle of Marabiyeh. Major Martin and Captain Walker had been invalided home, and Major Warner was with Hussein Pasha on the Blue Nile.