British Commonwealth of Nations: Sudan Shocks

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COMMONWEALTH

(British Commonwealth of Nations)

In Egypt. Declaring that Khedive Abbas Hilmy Pasha, dethroned ruler of Egypt, was seeking to foment trouble in the country, the Egyptian Government massed-troops at various Egyptian ports. Widespread uneasiness ensued.

In the Sudan. About the same time, cadets at Khartum declined to give up their rifles on returning to barracks. British troops were forced to surround and arrest them.

At Atbara, an Egyptian railway battalion mutinied, attacked British troops with bricks and other implements. The British fired upon their assailants, causing 19 casualties. The mutiny was allegedly accompanied by pro-Egyptian demonstrations.

At Port Sudan a minor disturbance took place.

At London. With grave faces, there arrived at the British Foreign Offices Field Marshal Viscount Allenby,* High Commissioner for Egypt and the Sudan; Major General Sir L. O. F. Stack, Governor General and Sirdar (Com-mander-in-Chief of the Anglo-Egyptian troops) of the Sudan. For several hours they conversed with Premier MacDonald.

After the conference, it was reported that the British Government, in view of Egypt's pretensions to the Sudan (TIME, Apr. 28, 1923) had taken a serious view of the disturbances, demanded that seditious elements from the Egyptian Army in the Sudan be eliminated to preserve the peace. Warships and troops were sent to the Sudan. Lord Allenby and Sir L. O. F. Stack, who were in England on leave, were reported to have returned, the former to Egypt, the latter to the Sudan.

A little more than a century ago Egypt conquered the Sudan, which the Arabs call Belad-es-Sudan, "country of the blacks." Under purely Egyptian rule, the Sudan became a den of iniquity in which inefficiency, slavery and corruption ran rampant. The population dwindled and the country, instead of providing a source of income for the Egyptian Government, 'became a tremendous financial burden.

In 1881 occurred the rise of the Madhi, "Guide of Islam," whose policy was to evict the Egyptians. Then followed the defeat of the Egyptians, the murder of General Gordon, the campaign under Field Marshal Lord Wolsley and later that by an Anglo-Egyptian force under General Sir H. Kitchener (later Field Marshal Lord Kitchener).

Following the latter campaign, which ended in 1898, an Anglo-Egyptian condominium to rule the Sudan was established. Britain declared at the time, and has never deviated from her contention, that the Sudan, "having been reconquered by joint military and financial efforts of Great Britain and Egypt, claims by right of conquest to share in the legislation and administration of the country." That is why the Sudan is known today as the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.