1 68 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

CHAPTER IX.

Our Army at Suakim. Forces under Sir Gerald Graham. Loyalty of the Colonies. The P;;triotic Advances of Australia and Canada. New South Wales to the Front. The Hon. William Bede Dalley and his Friends. Public Spirit. The Australian Contingent for Egypt. F.xcitement in the Colonies. Departure of the Troops from Sydney. Retirement of General Buller from Gubat. Recall of the Nile Column. Return of Troops to Korti. The Latest Accounts of Gordon and Khartiim, There was no longer any doubt that a considerable force would be sent to Suakim to oppose the gathering horde of savage Hadendowas and other tribesmen, who were ready to fight under the command of Osman Digma, who was collecting his forces at Tamanieb. It was known that the construction of the much-contested railway from Suakim to Berber was to be again attempted.

Light infantry had been ordered from Gibraltar to Egypt.

Bengal and Bombay native infantry and Bengal cavalry had been selected at Bombay for service in the Soudan. The Shropshire Regiment were to go in the transport Dcccan from Malta. The Indian contingent to be sent to the Soudan was to number 2600 men, including 500 sabres; and the Indian government at Calcutta had received orders to send a brigade. At Cairo a second battalion of mounted infantry 200 strong was formed for service at Suakim. In London and at the various depots and dockyards all was excitement as the preparations for sending a strong contingent were pressed forward. There was a sound of war in the air, for Russian generals and their troops were skulking on the Afghan frontier, and the czar, as usual, was prepared either to bully, to lie, or to temporize according to circumstances.

There were more reasons than one for preparing to call out our reserves and to organize our resources; but the immediate cause was the apparent determination of the government to make a late and hasty stride for the purpose of opening the route to Berber in the event of the desert column and the Nile column meeting, and General Lord Wolseley joining them with his forces and taking the command against Khartum.