2 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

Nearly the whole of the Soudan was in a state of rebellion

before the defeat of the followers of Osman Digma at El Teb and Tamai. The English srovernment had maintained the declaration

of the principle first laid down, and refused to recognize that they should be called upon practically to concern themselves either with the defence of the Soudan or its restitution to Egyptian rule.

This, they contended, was the business of the Egyptian govern-

ment if it was to be effected at all, and if it could not be accom-

plished with the means at the command of the viceroy and his

ministry it had better be abandoned, when a small force of British

troops would remain to assist in preventing any invasion of Egypt

itself by the rebels.

The advice that had been seriously offered to the Egyptian government was that they should relieve the invested garrisons and relinquish the western provinces of the Soudan as quickly as possible. This advice was, as we have seen in accordance with the expressed opinion of Lord Dufferin, and agreed in some measure with that held by General Gordon at the time that he had

retired from the governor-generalship of the Soudan provinces.

It must be remembered, however, that Lord Dufferin had

been very doubtful whether the Eastern Soudan could be safely

relinquished, and the khedive himself was entirely opposed to the abandonment of a territory which had already cost so much, and might under better conditions be made to yield a large amount

of national wealth. Of course it is easy for anybody to be wise

after the event; but at the time just before the interposition of

General Graham's force and our protection of Suakim, a good many people agreed with the ex-khedive Ismail when he was consulted by a visitor on the subject of the disaster in the Soudan.

This shrewd personage attributed the rebellion in that region

to the weakness of the government at Cairo. His highness said

that in every part of the Soudan much power is in the hands of a number of religious chiefs, who can easily be managed, but are dangerous if neglected. He contrived to keep them quiet in his

time by a small monthly stipend, which the Control, unwisely, as he thought, discontinued. He was of opinion that recent misfortunes