And the ambitions of British policy 61 Liberals and Conservatives The statement of Mr. Gladstone, leader of the Liberals, in 1877, about the English aspiration to occupy Egypt, pass through it to Sudan, and from Sudan to the equator, and to extend a hand from there to the Nile and the Cape, and to swallow Abyssinia during the journey. Let us return to the views of the deputies and newspapers on this matter after the expedition of "Kitchener". In the middle of March 12, 1896, Sirdar Kitchener Pasha received the order from his government verbatim. In the evening of March 13, the news was conveyed to the Prime Minister of Egypt, who conveyed it to Khedive Abbas at night. On March 14, the Egyptian reserve was called to arms. On the 15th, the soldiers traveled to Sudan, and Akasha was appointed to work for Al-Hamd. On the 27th, Sirdar Kitchener took command of the expedition. From March 13 to 16, 1896, the British Parliament was occupied with the matter of this expedition. The British government said, "It ordered it to support the Abyssinians, whose situation had become dire after the defeat of Adwa and the collapse of the Italians, and the containment of their power that protects Kassala." The news of the expedition's advance was met with "relief," and Labouchère stood to condemn the order for this expedition in Parliament, describing it as an attempt to prevent discussion and debate. The Daily Chronicle, describing this expedition, said, "It is equivalent to a final seizure of the Egyptian territory, and the fulfillment of promises repeated since 1882, and an announcement to France that we do not care about its interests, its aspirations, its citizens, its friendship, or its anger." The French press described the expedition at the time by saying: "The English people are a trading people, and they treat politics as a commercial business, and the rule in trade is 'profit to the utmost of one's ability and low expenditure to the utmost of one's ability.'" Sir William Kirk-Corbett criticized the expedition for its high cost, to which Lord Curzon replied, "The expenses of this expedition, which can only be estimated as a rough estimate..."