lO EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

Any Egyptian (fellaheen) soldiers on them can be converted into

camel-drivers and come back here with unloaded camels.

As soon as Lord Charles Beresford reports that he is ready to

proceed with one or more steamers to Khartum you will go to that

place with him and deliver the inclosed letter to General Gordon.

I leave it open so that you may read it.

Orders have been given to Sir H. Stewart to send a small

detachment of infantry with you to Khartum. If you like you can

upon arriving there march these men through the city to show

the people that British troojDs are near at hand. If there is any

epidemic in town you will not do this. I do not wish them to

sleep in the city. They must return with you to Metammeh. You will only stay in Khartum long enough to confer fully with

General Gordon. Having done so you will return with Lord

Charles Beresford in steamers to Metammeh.

My letter to General Gordon will explain to you the object of

your mission. You will confer with him both upon the military

and upon the political position. You are aware of the great

difficulty of feeding this army at such a great distance from the

sea. You know how we are off in the matter of supplies, the

condition and distribution of the troops under my command, the

dates when Major-general Earle will be able to move on Abu- Ahmed, &c. I am sending with you the three officers named in

the margin,^ who will accompany you to Khartum, and will remain

there to assist General Gordon until I am able to relieve that

jDlace. It is always possible that when Mohamad Achmet fully

realizes that an English army is approaching Khartum he will

retreat and thus raise the siege. Khartum would, under such

circumstances, continue to be the political centre of our operations;

but Berber would become our military objective. No British

troops would be sent to Khartum beyond a few red-coats in

steamers for the purpose of impressing on the inhabitants the fact

that it was to the presence of our army they owed their safety. The siege of Khartum being thus raised all our military

' Major Dickson, Royal Dragoons; Lieutenant Stewart-Wortley, Royal Rifles; the third to be named on arrival at Jlelammeh.