"MY DEAR GORDON PASHA,--Appreciating your honourable character, your energy, and the great services that you have already rendered to my Government, I have decided to unite in one great Governor-Generalship the whole of the Soudan, Darfour, and the Equatorial Provinces, and to entrust to you the important mission of directing it. I am about to issue a Decree to this effect. "The territories to be included in this Government being very vast, it is necessary for good administration that you should have under your orders three Vakils--one for the Soudan properly so called and the Provinces of the Equator, another for Darfour, and the third for the Red Sea coast and the Eastern Soudan. "In the event of your deeming any changes necessary, you will make your observations to me. "The Governor-Generalship of the Soudan is completely independent of the Ministry of Finance. "I direct your attention to two points, viz.--the suppression of slavery, and the improvement of the means of communication. "Abyssinia extends along a great part of the frontiers of the Soudan. I beg of you, when you are on the spot, to carefully examine into the situation of affairs, and I authorise you, if you deem it expedient, to enter into negotiations with the Abyssinian authorities with the view of arriving at a settlement of pending questions. "I end by thanking you, my dear Gordon Pasha, for your kindness in continuing to Egypt your precious services, and I am fully persuaded that, with the aid of your great experience and your devotion, we shall bring to a happy end the work we are pursuing together. "Believe, my dear Gordon Pasha, in my sentiments of high esteem and sincere friendship.--Your affectionate ISMAIL."