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Wolseley telegraphed to Gordon begging him to come to London
immediately。 Lord Wolseley； who was one of Gordon's oldest
friends； was at that time Adjutant…General of the Forces； there
was a long interview； and； though the details of the conversation
have never transpired； it is known that； in the course of it；
Lord Wolseley asked Gordon if he would be willing to go to the
Sudan； to which Gordon replied that there was only one
objection
his prior engagement to the King of the Belgians。 Before
nightfall； Lord Granville； by private telegram； had 'put a little
pressure on Baring'。 'He had；' he said； 'heard indirectly that
Gordon was ready to go at once to the Sudan on the following
rather vague terms： His mission to be to report to Her Majesty's
Government on the military situation； and to return without any
further engagement。 He would be under you for instructions and
will send letters through you under flying seal。。。 He might be of
use；'
Lord Granville added； in informing you and us of the situation。
It
would be popular at home； but there may be countervailing
objections。
Tell me；' such was Lord Granville's concluding injunction； 'your
real opinion。'
It was the third time of asking； and Sir Evelyn Baring resisted
no longer。
'Gordon；' he telegraphed on the 16th； 'would be the best man if
he will
pledge himself to carry out the policy of withdrawing from the
Sudan as
quickly as is possible； consistently with saving life。 He must
also understand that he must take his instructions from the
British representative in Egypt。。。 I would rather have him than
anyone else；
provided there is a perfectly clear understanding with him as to
what his
position is to be and what line of policy he is to carry out。
Otherwise；
not。。。 Whoever goes should be distinctly warned that he will
undertake a
service of great difficulty and danger。'
In the meantime； Gordon； with the Sudan upon his lips； with the
Sudan in
his imagination； had hurried to Brussels； to obtain from the King
of the
Belgians a reluctant consent to the postponement of his Congo
mission。 On
the 17th he was recalled to London by a telegram from Lord
Wolseley。 On the
18th the final decision was made。 'At noon；' Gordon told the Rev。
Mr。 Barnes； Wolseley came to me and took me to the Ministers。 He
went in and talked to the Ministers； and came back and said： 〃Her
Majesty's Government wants you to undertake this。 Government is
determined to evacuate the Sudan； for they will not guarantee
future government。 Will you go and do it？〃 I said： 〃Yes。〃 He
said： 〃Go in。〃 I went in and saw them。 They said： 〃Did Wolseley
tell you your orders？〃 I said： 〃Yes。〃 I said： 〃You will not
guarantee future government of the Sudan； and you wish me to go
up and evacuate now。〃 They said： 〃Yes〃； and it was over。'
Such was the sequence of events which ended in General Gordon's
last appointment。 The precise motives of those responsible for
these transactions are less easy to discern。 It is difficult to
understand what the reasons could have been which induced the
Government； not only to override the hesitations of Sir Evelyn
Baring； but to overlook the grave and obvious dangers involved in
sending such a man as Gordon to the Sudan。 The whole history of
his life； the whole bent of his character； seemed to disqualify
him for the task for which he had been chosen。 He was before all
things a fighter； an enthusiast； a bold adventurer； and he was
now to be entrusted with the conduct of an inglorious retreat。 He
was alien to the subtleties of civilised statesmanship； he was
unamenable to official control； he was incapable of the skilful
management of delicate situations； and he was now to be placed in
a position of great complexity； requiring at once a cool
judgment； a clear perception of fact； and a fixed determination
to carry out a line of policy laid down from above。 He had； it is
true； been Governor…General of the Sudan； but he was now to
return to the scene of his greatness as the emissary of a
defeated and humbled power； he was to be a fugitive where he had
once been a ruler； the very success of his mission was to consist
in establishing the triumph of those forces which he had spent
years in trampling underfoot。 All this should have been clear to
those in authority； after a very little reflection。 It was clear
enough to Sir Evelyn Baring； though； with characteristic
reticence；
he had abstained from giving expression to his thoughts。 But；
even
if a general acquaintance with Gordon's life and character were
not
sufficient to lead to these conclusions； he himself had taken
care to
put their validity beyond reasonable doubt。
Both in his interview with Mr。 Stead and in his letter to Sir
Samuel Baker；
he had indicated unmistakably his own attitude towards the Sudan
situation。
The policy which he advocated； the state of feeling in which he
showed
himself to be； was diametrically opposed to the declared
intentions of the
Government。 He was by no means in favour of withdrawing from the
Sudan； he was in favour； as might have been supposed； of vigorous
military action。 It might be necessary to abandon； for the time
being； the more remote garrisons in Darfur and Equatoria； but
Khartoum must be held at all costs。 To allow the Mahdi to enter
Khartoum would not merely mean the return of the whole of the
Sudan to barbarism； it would be a menace to the safety of Egypt
herself。 To attempt to protect Egypt against the Mahdi by
fortifying her southern frontier was preposterous。 'You might as
well fortify against a fever。' Arabia； Syria； the whole
Mohammedan world； would be shaken by the Mahdi's advance。 'In
self…defence；' Gordon declared to Mr。 Stead； the policy of
evacuation cannot possibly be justified。'
The true policy was obvious。 A strong manSir Samuel Baker；
perhaps
must be sent to Khartoum； with a large contingent of Indian and
Turkish
troops and with two millions of money。 He would very soon
overpower the
Mahdi； whose forces would 'fall to pieces of themselves'。 For in
Gordon's opinion it was 'an entire mistake to regard the Mahdi as
in any sense a religious leader'； he would collapse as soon as he
was face to face with an English general。 Then the distant
regions of Darfur and Equatoria could once more be occupied；
their original Sultans could be reinstated； the whole country
would be placed under civilised rule； and the slave…trade would
be finally abolished。 These were the views which Gordon publicly
expressed on January 9th and on January 14th； and it certainly
seems strange that on January 10th and on January 14th； Lord
Granville should have proposed； without a word of consultation
with Gordon himself； to send him on a mission which involved； not
the reconquest； but the abandonment of the Sudan； Gordon； indeed；
when he was actually approached by Lord Wolseley； had apparently
agreed to become the agent of a policy which was exactly the
reverse of his own。 No doubt； too； it is possible for a
subordinate to suppress his private convictions and to carry out
loyally； in spite of them； the orders of his superiors。 But how
rare are the qualities of self…control and wisdom which such a
subordinate must possess！ And how little reason there was to
think that General Gordon possessed them！
In fact； the conduct of the Government wears so singular an
appearance that it has seemed necessary to account for it by some
ulterior explanation。 It has often been asserted that the true
cause of Gordon's appointment was the clamour in the Press。 It is
said among others； by Sir Evelyn Baring himself； who has given
something like an official sanction to this view of the case
that
the Government could not resist the pressure of the newspapers
and the feeling in the country which it indicated； that
Ministers； carried off their feet by a wave of 'Gordon cultus'；
were obliged to give way to the inevitable。 But this suggestion
is hardly supported by an examination of the facts。 Already；
early in December； and many weeks before Gordon's name had begun
to figure in the newspapers； Lord Granville had made his first
effort to induce Sir Evelyn Baring to accept Gordon's services。
The first newspaper demand for a Gordon mission appeared in the
〃Pall Mall Gazette〃 on the afternoon of January 9th； and the very
next morning； Lord Granville was making his second telegraphic
attack upon Sir Evelyn Baring。 The feeling in the Press did not
become general until the 11th； and on the 14th Lord Granville； in
his telegram to Mr。 Gladstone； for the third time proposed the
appointment of Gordon。 Clearly； on the part of Lord Granville at
any rate； there was no extreme desire to resist the wishes of the