The private secretaryship to Lord Ripon was vacant, and it was offered to Gordon; he accepted it, but on landing at Bombay he found the position would not be to his liking. He says of Lord Ripon, "we parted perfect friends." After Gordon left Egypt someone there wrote to our press saying, "The name of Gordon whenever and wherever mentioned sends a thrill of admiration and love throughout the vast Soudan territory. For a hand so strong, yet withal so beneficent, has never before ruled the peoples of this unhappy country." Gordon left the Soudan peaceful, prosperous and happy, comparatively. After his resignation of the position of private secretary to Lord Ripon, he was invited to visit China again by Mr. Hart, Chinese Commissioner of Customs at Pekin, who said to Gordon, "I am directed to invite you here (that is to say China). Please come and see for yourself. This opportunity for doing really useful work on a large scale ought not to be lost: work, position, conditions can all be arranged with yourself here to your satisfaction. Do take six months leave and come." It was characteristic of Gordon that he replied as follows:--"Inform Hart, Gordon will leave for Shanghai first opportunity; as for the conditions, Gordon is indifferent." He applied to our Government for leave of absence on the grounds that he was invited to go to China. They asked him to state more particularly what for, and what position he was intending to fill. "I am ignorant" was his reply. This was not considered satisfactory and leave was refused. He, however, sent his resignation to the War Office, and proceeded to China. Reaching the flowery land, once more he proceeded from Shanghai to Tientsin and there he had an interview with his old friend and companion in arms, Li Hung Chang. From him he learned the condition in which national and political matters stood. His stay in China was not very prolonged, but his influence was felt in the Councils of the Empire; and when he left he knew that peace prevailed, and that the war between Russia and China had been averted. In the meantime things in the Soudan began to give trouble, the cloud on the horizon gathered in blackness. Almost immediately Gordon left the Soudan the Turkish Pashas began their plundering, robbing and ill-treating the poor Soudanese so much that we cannot wonder at the rising of the natives in favour of the Madhi, for the latter was promising them deliverance from this cruel oppression. The rule of the Pashas and Bashi-Ba-Zoucks, the Duke of Argyle declared to be "cruel, intolerant, and unbearable."