WARS OF THE NINETIES 192 Cromer again did his part in assuring our triumph. This was generously acknowledged by the Sirdar when he thanked the City of London for the sword of honour presented to him at the Guildhall on his return to England. " To this great enterprise," he said, " a master mind was necessary. Lord Cromer was our master mind. It was due to his able direction that the reconquest of the Soudan was accomplished."

Sanguine estimates have been made of the possible future value of the Soudan as a field for commerce. There is no need to go into such matters here. For most of us the chief value of the reconquest of the Soudan is not a matter of pounds or pence. We are proud of it rather because it wiped out the memory' of a great failure, put an end to a system of blood-stained oppression, and away for ever the greatest slave-huntin ; slave-holding power in north-eastern Africa. Kitchener's march to Omdurman was, hi simple truth, th resumption of Gordon's crusade against the slavers of the Nile valley. Thus every lover of peace whi >ves fireedi has the best reason to rejoice in his victory.

recover it, or part ofit, when she once morehas the strength. Nor can any blame attach to those who took upon themselves the odious but necessary duty of throwing overboard a valuable cargo, which,if retained, was bound to sink the ship. On the contrary, it is to them that the credit of having saved Egypt principally belongs.

While the soldiers, Wood, Grenfell, and Kitchener, were organising and training the new Egyptian army, Lord Cromer was guiding the equallyimportantreform inher civilgovernment and finances, which refilled her treasury and made the reconquest of the Soudan a possible undertaking. Such achievements do not attractpopular attention as readily as the record ofmarches andbattles andvictories. But,nevertheless, all through these years of preparation the British Consulate-General at Cairo was as important a factor in the coming reconquest as the headquarters of the army on the Nile frontier. At last came the day when,to use Sir AlfredMilner's words,Egypt, aidedby England, at length" had the strength" to attempt the recovery of her lostprovinces. Andin the 3 ears of victory, as in the years of waiting, .Lord THE END.

1111 Khalifa's tin mosquj