298 KHARTOUM CAMPAIGN.

surely unnecessary. But the Sirdar has a way of bestowing confidences on no one—simply issuing orders when the occasion arrives. | Since my return to England a reference to the correspondence disclosed in the official despatches or Fashoda Blue-book proves the correctness of the information that reached me even at that early stage. From the summary of the documents which appeared in the Dazly Telegraph of 1oth October, we learn that ‘‘before the battle of Omdurman Lord Salisbury had given instructions to the Sirdar through Lord Cromer,” as follows :— “‘It is desirable that you should be placed in possession of the views of Her Majesty’s Government in respect to the line of action to be followed in the event of Khartoum being occupied at an early date by the forces now operating in the Soudan under the command of Sir Herbert Kitchener.

‘‘Her Majesty's Government do not contemplate that after the occupation of Khartoum any further military operations on a large scale, or involving any considerable expense, will be undertaken for the occupation of the provinces to the south. But the Sirdar is authorised to send two flotillas, one up the White and the other up the Blue Nile. | ** You are authorised to settle the composition of these two forces in consultation with the Sirdar.

‘Sir Herbert Kitchener should in person command the White Nile flotilla as far as Fashoda, and may take with him a small body of British troops, should you concur with him in thinking such a course desirable.

*‘ The officer in command of the Blue Nile flotilla is authorised to go as far as the foot of the cataract, which is believed to commence about Rosaires. He is not to land troops with a view to marching beyond the point on the river navigable for steamers.

Should he, before reaching Rosaires, encounter any Abyssinian