1899] England Thanks Lord Kitchener 823 England's Thanks to England has adopted a substantial Lord Kitchener. method of showing her appreciation of the great work done by Major-General Lord Kitchener of Khartum, Sirdar of the Egyptian army,

466

ERMAK, AS SHE CRUSHES THROUGH ICE FIELDS. illustration.)

for the great work he accomplished in defeating the Mahdist forces under the Khalifa, and reopening the Sudan to civilization.

In the first place, Queen Victoria raised him to the

peerage, with the title of Lord Kitchener of Khartum, and then sent a message to Parliament, in which she asked that a grant equal to nearly $150,000 be made to him as a reward for his services.

There was considerable discussion over this point. Some of the members, although they warmly applauded the work done by the Sirdar and his forces, declared that before the grant was made there should be a complete inquiry into the matter of the desecration of the Mahdi's tomb.

At the time Khartum and Omdurman were taken by the British it was stated that General Kitchener had given orders that the tomb of the Mahdi should be destroyed. This order was given in consequence of the belief among the people that the Mahdi was a prophet. It was the desire of the Sirdar to stamp out Mahdism from the Sudan forever, as it had brought in its train nothing but brutality and bloodshed, had destroyed the peace and prosperity of the region, and driven the whole country back several hundred years in progress and civilization.

His knowledge of the people and their superstitions made him realize that as long as the Maldi's tomb was left intact the people would flock to it as the Mohammedan pilgrims do to Mecca, and would maintain that miracles were performed by the bones; in this way Mahdism would be kept alive indefinitely.

Orders were therefore given that the tomb should be opened and the remains of the Mahdi scattered. The story, however, was told that this commission was intrusted to a Major Gordon, a relative of General Gordon, who was murdered in Khartum by the Mahdi.

1899] Desecration of the Mahdi's Tomb 825

It is said that this officer opened the tomb, cut the head from the body, and subsequently sent it to Cairo for dispatch to England. The truth of this story is not vouched for, but one fact is certain, that is, when the tomb and body were finally destroyed the head was missing.

There has been much amazed comment over this action on the part of British soldiers, and therefore when the suggestion was made to reward the General for his work in the Sudan some members of parlia ment referred to this shocking incident. Hon. A. J. Balfour, First Lord of the Treasury, who introduced the subject of the Queen's wishes in regard to rewarding Lord Kitchener, replied to the inquiries by saying that he thought that the whole question was one of military merit, and the grant was accordingly made.

A few days later both houses of Parliament passed a vote of thanks to the officers and men who, under the leadership of Major-General Lord Kitchener of Khartum, had done such excellent work in the Sudan. In regard to the commercial future of the Sudan, the government has decided to throw the country open to the trade of the world. Foreign goods will be admitted free of duty, and Europeans will be encouraged to enter the territory and acquire land. Late dispatches from the Nile region state that the British troops have overcome and taken prisoners two of the chiefs who caused Sir Henry M. Stanley, who was recently knighted by Queen Victoria, so much trouble during his expedition for the relief of Emin Pasha. These chiefs, encouraged by the success of

the Mahdi, ravaged and laid waste all the villages and settlements owned by weaker tribes.

Sir Henry in his book, In Darkest Africa, stated that until the power of Kubba Rega was broken permanent peace could not be hoped for in this region.

Kubba Rega is happily among the chiefs who have just been captured, and it is to be hoped that the fertile Nile region may now enjoy prosperity from its source to its mouth.

Curzon.

It is said that the Sirdar may be withdrawn from the Sudan and appointed to a high post in India. The frontier tribes continue to give a great Request of Lord deal of trouble, and the Ameer of Afghanistan is arming his subjects and keeping his gun factory at Kabul working to the highest pitch. The reason for this activity is a mystery, as he is apparently on excellent terms with both Russia and England, his nearest neighbors.

Under these circumstances it is very desirable to have a man at hand who is prompt, capable, and experienced, and the new Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, has sent urgent requests to England that the Sirdar may be placed in command in India now that his work in the Sudan is accomplished.

Affairs in connection with the celebrated Dreyfus case are moving forward with great rapidity.

In the first place it was announced Affairs in Paris. that the government has taken steps to demand the extradition of Esterhazy, who is in England. This means that the French authorities.

1899]

Affairs in Paris

827

will claim Esterhazy as a criminal who ought to be punished under their laws, and will ask the English authorities to arrest him and hand him over to the French police.

Major Esterhazy has already been tried for selling the military secrets of France to a foreign power, but was acquitted. He cannot therefore be tried a second time for the same offense; but by his own confession he wrote the famous bordereau which fastened the guilt on Dreyfus, and he can therefore be tried for forgery and punished for that crime if not for the other.

The second interesting event has been the release of Colonel Georges Picquart. It was this officer who, on assuming control of the Intelligence Office, found what to him were undoubted proofs that Dreyfus was innocent and that Esterhazy was the guilty man.

Colonel Picquart at once endeavored to right the terrible wrong that had been done, and was one of the most important witnesses for M. Zola when the novelist was on trial for libeling the army in his famous paper, which began, "I accuse." Colonel Picquart's evidence was discounted by the assertion that he had forged a telegram for the sake of fastening the crime on Esterhazy, and after much persecution he was finally thrown into prison on this accusation.

The order to restore him to liberty was issued on Friday, June 9, and the same day he was released. The accusation against him has been dismissed, and the Court has declared there is no case against him.

A dinner party was given in his honor, at which M.