6 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

returned to Khartum to take the command there, sent a message

imploring the Egyptian government, as it could not relieve the

garrison, to eive orders for its retreat, as with almost a third part

of the troops disaffected and surrounded by a hostile population they would soon be shut up within the place, unable either to retreat or to escape.

The reply of the Egyptian ministry was a telegraphic instruc-

tion that all the troops in the Soudan should be collected, Khartum

evacuated, and the stores destroyed. This was much more easily- said than done, and it is possible that Nubar Pasha was aware of it.

When our eovernment were informed that these orders had

been sent they were also apprised of the enormous difficulties that

lay in the way of obeying them. The civil population of Khartum was about 11,000, the garrison under the command of Colonel Coetlogon amounted to about 6000, and, as the civilians at all events would have to make the journey by the river, several months would be required to obtain boats and make preparations

for leaving the place.

After the destruction of the army of Hicks Pasha the whole Soudan was in a blaze, and though Colonel Coetlogon, on whom

the command at Khartum devolved, was doing his best to defend

Khartum and to prepare for abandoning it, it soon became a question whether he would be able to do either with the force at

his disposal. All kinds of opinions had been expressed as to the best course to be adopted, but, unhappily, the rebellion did not

stay while either of the recommendations that had been put forward could be reduced to practice. It was suspected in some

quarters that Egyptian policy would be to let things drift and to

rely on England being in some way compelled to go to the rescue.

It was at one time supposed that Khartum would be given up and Berber made the frontier post; but many who knew the country, and among them Sir Samuel Baker, thought that Khartum could be made impregnable, a dozen steamers on the White and Blue

Niles, at whose junction it is situated, putting it beyond the reach of attack. He proposed having a strong garrison at

Dongola, just above the third cataract, and between Dono-ola