Exploration of Darfur and Kordofan, 1874.Darfur having thus become an Egyptian province, the Khedive sent out two scientific expeditions, composed of staff officers and attachés, to report on the capabilities of the country. These left Cairo on the 5th December, 1874: one, under Colonel Purdy, was to enter Darfur on its northern frontier; the other under Colonel Colston, by the east from Kordofan. The latter expedition was afterwards commanded by Major Prout, when Colston was incapacitated by sickness. Reports of these expeditions were compiled by the Egyptian General staff.
RELATIONS WITH ABYSSINIA.
The relations between Egypt and Abyssinia have an important bearing on the history of the Sudan, and in future years are likely to exercise a still further influence on this portion of Africa.
The Turks and Arabs never succeeded in subjugating this country, although many attempts were made to that end. As far back as the sixteenth century the Turks had seized the port of Zula on the Red Sea, and in later times Suakin and Massaua; but, though based on these ports, they could make no headway into the Abyssinian hills, nor even occupy the coast provinces from Massaua to Suakin. During the aggressions of Ismail, son of Mohammed Ali, the Egyptians and Abyssinians came into collision from Kassala to Gallabat, and the Abyssinians were gradually pushed back to the mountains as their boundary, being hemmed in on all sides by Turks, Egyptians, and the tribes of the Galla country.
Massaua transferred to Egypt, 1866.In 1866 Turkey transferred her interest in Massaua to Egypt in consideration of an increased tribute, and in 1867 the Khedive claimed authority as far as Zula, which is situated in Annesley Bay. English expedition, 1868.Early in 1868 the English expedition to Abyssinia took place, and the Khedive, wishing for the countenance of England in his present and possible future encroachments on the Red Sea coast, did all in his power to assist the undertaking. Egyptian troops were offered to the British Government, though not accepted, and Kassala and Gallabat were spoken of as possible bases of operations. All this did not tend towards creating a good feeling between Egypt and Abyssinia.
When the Khedive, Ismail Pasha, was arranging his Sudan railway scheme, he proposed to make a branch line to Massawa, which would necessarily pass through the province of Bogos.
The Khedive claimed that Bogos had been conquered by Mohammed Ali, though as a matter of fact the borderland only had been held by the Egyptians, whilst the Abyssinians denied that they had ever relinquished their rights to the territory. Border war had been maintained till Said Pasha, the former Khedive, had withdrawn his troops, and Bogos for many years had remained neutral ground.
In the summer of 1874 there was a certain Swiss resident at Massaua named Munzinger, who acted as consul for both England and France. Keren, capital of Bogos, occupied, 1874.Seizing the opportunity of the King of Abyssinia being at war with the Gallas, the Egyptian Government employed Munzinger to occupy Keren, the capital of Bogos, with 1,500 men. About the same time, Egypt also acquired the territory of Ailet, a province lying between Hamasen and Massaua, by the treachery of the Governor, who sold it to the Khedive.
Against these acts the King appealed to Europe, and especially to England, sending as his envoy Colonel Kirkman, a Scotchman, then in the service of King Johannes, but who had formerly been with Gordon in China. This mission had no practical result, and the relations between Abyssinia and Egypt were more strained than ever.
Port of Zeila purchased by Egypt, 1875.In 1875 the Khedive purchased from the Sultan, for about £15,000 a year additional tribute, the port of Zeila, the base from which for many centuries Turk and Arab had unsuccessfully attacked Abyssinia; and in fact acquired at the same time all the Sultan’s nominal rights to the coast country from near Tajura to a point on the Indian Ocean, including Berbera, the transfer actually taking place in autumn, 1875.