It is a curious fact that any effort to relieve the garrisons made from the outside is contemporaneous with the expiration of the period stated in March of the time they could hold out, viz., six months. There are some ugly suspicious circumstances all the way through! The consequence will be a far greater expense. Had efforts been made quietly between March and August to span with proper transport between Wady Halfa and Hannek,[86] much of the present difficulties to an advance would have been got over, and security would have been felt everywhere that efforts were really being made. There is a humility in Baring’s telegram asking my advice as to routes for access to Kartoum. “Sir E. Baring having gone to London, I am charged by Her Majesty’s Government to tell you to keep them informed not only as to immediate but as to any prospective danger at Kartoum, that you should advise them in order to be prepared for any such danger as to force necessary to secure your retreat, its amount, character, route for access to Kartoum, and time for its departure. Her Majesty’s Government does not entertain your proposal to supply you with Turkish or other forces for the purpose of undertaking military expeditions, such being beyond scope of your commission, and at variance with the policy which was the purport of your mission to the Soudan. If with this knowledge you continue at Kartoum, you should state cause and intention with which you so continue.”[87] If the telegrams I sent down in March to Baring are referred to, it will be seen I had already[88] informed him of all he could possibly want to know, and I specially said that the expedition by the route of Wady Halfa would be (as it was at that epoch) a mere picnic party.
Man proposes—God disposes. Any one who two-and-a-half years ago had said that the Gladstone ministry would not only go to Egypt, and, not content with one expedition to the Soudan (Graham’s), would go in for two expeditions, would have been scouted as a madman; and it certainly is curious that Mr. Gladstone, in “—— Review”[89] of 1878, combating Mr. Dicey’s ideas for the annexation of Egypt, should have stated that this annexation was impossible on account of the Soudan!
There is one thing, which, in the opinion of the world, would expunge all disagreeables from the whole question, i.e., if the abolition of slavery were proclaimed. It would be a difficult job, but would be possible if we took our time, and at Lord Mayor’s dinners, &c., it would be a platform no one could come up to.
4 p.m. Steamers from Sennaar in sight. Now we shall be all together again, thank God!
The Arabs off the south front are all agog at sight of the steamers coming down. Those on the Blue Nile are firing on the steamers. I sent up Mansowrah to help them. The Arabs are in the houses. Expenditure of ammunition is enormous, I should think. The three steamers have passed the place where the Arabs are. They came down one by one, which was not wise.
From the top of the Serail one commands view all round for miles.
It will be a satisfaction to Her Majesty’s Navy to know that it is our navy which has, humanly speaking, saved us. It really is a splendid fleet and naval arsenal. The steamers have come in; the Arabs were numerous and had five guns; seven of their shells struck the steamers (Arabs had also two rocket tubes). The steamers brought down 2000 ardebs, and report Sennaar well off, and no Arabs in arms in all their district. Seyd Osman Mahomet is said to have occupied Katarif with his men. A sheikh has promised to capture the steamer Mahomet Ali, which is up the River Dinder, and to hand her over to the Sennaar Governor. Wad Medinet did not fire on the steamers, but brandished spears, &c.; our loss in passing the gauntlet was three killed and eight wounded.
The Arabs have no conscience; they make my captured soldiers serve the guns, and otherwise act against us under pain of death!
I declare my people do, in a feeble way, what is wanted, and do not deserve the character of cowards; they bear defeat far better than other peoples, and they are good-tempered over it. We English are the cream, all acknowledge that, but we will not exist on two dates a day, as these men do, without a murmur.