The Egyptian campaigns, 1882 to 1885Royle, Charles
History
The Egyptian campaigns, 1882 to 1885
Royle, Charles
Egypt -- History -- British occupation, 1882-1936; Sudan -- History
"You will bear in mind that the main end to be pursued is the
evacuation of the Soudan. This policy was adopted, after very
full discussion, by the Egyptian Government, on the advice of
Her Majesty's Government. It meets with the full approval of
His Highness the Khedive and of the present Egyptian Ministry.
"You are of opinion that the 'restoration of the country should
be made to the different petty Sultans who existed at the time
of Mehemet Ali's conquest, and whose families still exist;' and
that an endeavour should be made to form a confederation of
those Sultans. In this view the Egyptian Government entirely
concurs.
"A credit of £100,000 has been opened for you at the Finance
Department, and further sums will be supplied to you on your
requisition when this sum is exhausted."
Gordon's final instructions were given him by the Egyptian Government in
a firman appointing him Governor-General. By this firman he was
empowered to carry into execution the evacuation of the respective
territories and the withdrawal of the troops, civil officials, and such
of the inhabitants as wished to leave for Egypt. He was, if possible,
after completing the evacuation, to take steps for establishing an
organized government in the different provinces.
The significance of the alteration in Gordon's instructions will be
perceived from Lord Granville's remark at the close of his summary of
Gordon's new duties, in a despatch of March 28th, that "Her Majesty's
Government, bearing in mind the exigencies of the occasion, concurred in
these instructions," which virtually altered General Gordon's mission
from one of advising and reporting to that of directing the evacuation
not only of Khartoum, but of the whole Soudan, and also of establishing
an organized government.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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