1900] Trouble in the Soudan 349 



I don't know which is the more despicable, the boasting Tory who made 

 the war openly for the fun of the thing and to fill his pockets, or the 

 Radical, who has allowed himself to be persuaded that he might bully 

 the Boers cheaply and in accordance with Liberal principles. At any 

 rate I am glad to see Ireland free from both of them. There was al- 

 ways to my mind a certain danger to her high ideal in her connection, 

 however temporary, with our ambitions. Imperialism is very contag- 

 ious, and Scotch, as well as English Radicalism, has been entirely per- 

 verted by it. I have often thought that the ' union of hearts ' we talked 

 so much about in 1887 might, if it had become a reality, have only led 

 to the perversion of Ireland too. It is best as it is — at least until we 

 English are humbled to entire sanity. 



" I shall be glad if you will show this letter to Harrington and Healy 

 and Redmond, as well as to Davitt and O'Brien, as I intend it equally 

 for all. It is a great pleasure to me to be able to think of you fighting 

 once more well together for Liberty as in the days of our old cam- 

 paign." 



"15th Feb. — Cockerell arrived last night from London very keen 

 for sight-seeing, and to-day Evelyn also came ; he is strong for stopping 

 the war, and also approves of my letter to Dillon. 



" Mohammed Abdu was here in the afternoon and told me the true 

 story of the military trouble at Khartoum. Kitchener has long been 

 hated by the Egyptian Officers, whom he has throughout ill-treated, al- 

 lowing the English Officers to behave arrogantly to them, and paying 

 no attention to their complaints. The Egyptian troops have been made 

 to do all the hard work, and have been given no credit, while the black 

 troops have been petted and spoiled. When things began to go badly 

 at the Cape Kitchener got alarmed, and tried to prevent any news of 

 the English defeats reaching the Soudan, but he could not hinder it 

 leaking through. Then fearing a revolt he ordered the ammunition to 

 be taken away on the pretence that it was old and would be renewed, 

 but the Soudanese regiments refused to give up the old till the new was 

 supplied ; the Egyptian Officers were suspected of encouraging the re- 

 fusal and some were arrested. In the middle of it all Kitchener was 

 recalled to go to South Africa, and the thing was patched up by Wingate 

 who is less unpopular, though it is not wholly settled yet. Abdu tells 

 me that the idea now is in the event of the Egyptian Question being 

 brought on by the European Powers to call in Turkish troops to replace 

 our English garrison. This would be a lesser evil than the advent of 

 French or Italian troops, which would only mean the Internationaliza- 

 tion of Egypt. Mohammed Abdu knows that it has been talked over 

 among the Ministers and with Lord Cromer. I am inclined to hope 

 that it may really end thus for there seems to be no chance of a simple 



