50 EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN.

to restore to these peoples their independence, and will no longer suffer the Egyptian government to interfere with their affairs.

" 2. For this purpose, her Majesty's government have decided to send me to the Soudan to arrange for the evacuation of these countries, and the safe removal of the Egyptian employes and troops.

" 3. Keeping paragraph No. 1 in view, viz. that the evacuation of the Soudan is irrevocably decided on, it will depend upon circumstances in what way this is to be accomplished.

" My idea is that the restoration of the country should be made to the different petty sultans who existed at the time of Mehemet Ali's conquest, and whose families still exist; that the Mahdi should be left altogether out of the calculation as regards the handing over the country; and that it should be optional with the sultans to accept his supremacy or not. As these sultans would probably not be likely to gain by accepting the Mahdi as their sovereign, it is probable that they will hold to their independent positions. Thus we should have two factors to deal with — namely, the petty sultans asserting their several independence, and the Mahdi's party aiming at supremacy over them. To hand, therefore, over to the Mahdi the arsenals, &c, would, I consider, be a mistake. They should be handed over to the sultans of the states in which they are placed.

" The most difficult question is how and to whom to hand over the arsenals at Khartum, Dongola, and Kassala, which towns have, so to say, no old standing families, Khartum and Kassala having sprung up since Mehemet Ali's conquest. Probably it would be advisable to postpone any decision as to these towns till such time as the inhabitants have made known their opinion.

" 4. I have in paragraph 3 proposed the transfer of the lands to the local sultans, and stated my opinion that these will not accept the supremacy of the Mahdi. If this is agreed to and my supposition be correct as to their action, there can be but little doubt that as far as he is able the Mahdi will endeavour to assert his rule over them, and will be opposed to any evacuation of the government employes and troops. My opinion of the Mahdi's