Il6 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

consistent, Gordon might have said, but they arise from my conviction that circumstances which now menace the country and will prevent me from completing the work I came here to accomplish, make it necessary to be inconsistent rather than to obstinately adhere to what may appear to be the reasonable deductions from my former declarations.

Misrht not Gordon and Barinsf have retorted on Lord Granville's sarcasm by asking him how the government could reconcile their recent action at Suakim and the Red Sea territory with the reiterated assurances that they could never consent to aid the khedive in defending or reconquering the Soudan? The unforeseen had to that extent superseded the foreseen policy; and there was no absolute consistency anywhere, except with the Mahdi, who refused to abate a jot of his pretensions, and with Zebehr, who waited to know what would be the price for his services if he were asked and consented to go to the Soudan.

But Gordon replied soberly and seriously to the satirical despatch by a long telegram, dated from Khartum, on the 8th of March. The sending of Zebehr, he said, meant the extrication of the Cairo employes from Khartum and the garrisons from Sennar and Kassala. " I can see no possible way to do so except through him, who, being a native of the country, can rally the well -affected round him, as they know he will make his home here. I do not think that the giving a subsidy to Zebehr for some two years would be in contradiction to the policy of entire evacuation. It would be nothing more than giving him a lump sum in two instalments under the conditions I have already written.

As for slave-holding, even had we held the Soudan, we could never have interfered with it. I have already said that the treaty of 1877 was an impossible one; therefore, on that head, Zebehr's appointment would make no difference whatever. As for slavehunting, the evacuation of the Bahr Gazelle and Equatorial provinces would entirely prevent it. Should Zebehr attempt, after his two years' subsidy was paid him, to take those districts, we could put pressure on him at Suakim, which will remain in our