RHODESIA. 205 



really means to make a great national effort 

 to introduce civilisation and commerce as a 

 dominating power in the Dark Continent 



It is also obvious that nothing but brute force 

 should compel us to evacuate Egypt, which in our 

 absence would speedily become a mere raiding- 

 ground of the Dervishes until again helped out 

 of her troubles by the energetic action of France, 

 which she would only be too glad to exert in 

 reconquering the Soudan, and thus acquiring an 

 indisputable and permanent claim to the occupation 

 of Egypt 



The presence of a settled system of Government 

 extending from the confines of Zambesian Rhodesia 

 to the sources of the Nile is now easily within the 

 region of possibility if the requisite energy is 

 available; and the moral effect of action on the 

 indicated lines would go far to weaken and 

 demoralise the Dervish position on the Nile, and 

 extinguish all hope of a rallying point in the rear 

 of the North Soudan. 



In a country like Rhodesia, next to the profit- 

 able output of gold comes the question of certain 

 and reasonably speedy means of transport and 

 communication, and along what may be considered 



