“WHAT shall we do?” 67 cannot but vividly recall its history, and regretfully dwell upon its conse¬ quences. Let us rapidly recall the steps taken for its remedy.

On Tuesday, August the 5th, the public were first officially informed that a “step of some importance” was contemplated by the Government in reference to Egyptian affairs. Mr. Gladstone, when the questions for the day had come to an end, without further preface than an acknowledgment of the serious responsibility imposed on the Government by the failure of the Conference, said that to assist the cabinet in meeting this responsibility Her Majesty had been pleased to approve their proposal that Lord Northbrook should proceed to Egypt to inquire and report and advise the Government upon the counsels they should give to the Egyptian Government, and also on the steps which it might be necessary to take in connexion therewith. Lord Northbrook had accepted this commission, and would proceed to Egypt in the course of the present month. Sir E. Baring would accompany him.

Upon this the House went into committee of supply, and Mr. Gladstone moved a vote of credit of £300,000 to enable the Government to undertake operations for the relief of General Gordon. At the outset he reminded the House of the pledges which the Government had given at various times, especially of the promise of Lord Hartington, to undertake military measures for the rescue of General Gordon if they should be demanded for his safety, and he then canvassed the conflicting reports which had appeared in the papers as to the position of Khartoum since there had ceased to be any official communication with him. The general conclusion he drew was that the con¬ tingency contemplated by Lord Hartington, when military measures would be necessary, had not yet arisen, but it might arise during the recess, and the object of the vote was to put the Government in a position to meet it if it occurred while Parliament was not sitting. It was also desirable to make certain preparations, the nature of which he thought it advisable not to state. The vote, he added in conclusion, was one rather of principle than an exact estimate of the sum which would be required, and under cover of it the Government would be able to undertake whatever measures might be necessary.

Gordon then was to be rescued. One would imagine that from every heart would have gone up a sigh of relief. Yet the report of the debate which followed the motion for a vote of credit for the sending of an expedition to extricate the defender of Khartoum from his perilous position is curious in the extreme. Mr. Labouchere opposed the vote, arguing that General Gordon was disobeying instructions by remaining at Khartoum, and that the expense of his relief should fall on the Egyptian Government. Sir W. Lawson, facetiously or otherwise, objected to the vote, being opposed to the policy of “smashing” anybody, and would prefer to vote £300,000 to the Mahdi to