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the Red Sea port of Suakin； which were to have a decisive effect
upon the prospects of Khartoum。 General Baker； the brother of Sir
Samuel Baker； attempting to relieve the beleaguered garrisons of
Sinkat and Tokar； had rashly attacked the forces of Osman Digna；
had been defeated； and obliged to retire。 Sinkat and Tokar had
then fallen into the hands of the Mahdi's general。 There was a
great outcry in England； and a wave of warlike feeling passed
over the country。 Lord Wolseley at once drew up a memorandum
advocating the annexation of the Sudan。 In the House of Commons
even Liberals began to demand vengeance and military action；
whereupon the Government dispatched Sir Gerald Graham with a
considerable British force to Suakin。 Sir Gerald Graham advanced；
and in the battles of El Teb and Tamai inflicted two bloody
defeats upon the Mahdi's forces。 It almost seemed as if the
Government was now committed to a policy of interference and
conquest； as if the imperialist section of the Cabinet were at
last to have their way。 The dispatch of Sir Gerald Graham
coincided with Gordon's sudden demand for British and Indian
troops with which to 'smash up the Mahdi'。 The business； he
assured Sir Evelyn Baring； in a stream of telegrams； could very
easily be done。 It made him sick； he said； to see himself held in
check and the people of the Sudan tyrannised over by 'a feeble
lot of stinking Dervishes'。 Let Zobeir at once be sent down to
him； and all would be well。
The original Sultans of the country had unfortunately proved
disap…pointing。 Their place should be taken by Zobeir。 After the
Mahdi had been smashed up； Zobeir should rule the Sudan as a
subsidised vassal of England； on a similar footing to that of the
Amir of Afghanistan。 The plan was perhaps feasible； but it was
clearly incompatible with the policy of evacuation； as it had
been hitherto laid down by the English Government。 Should they
reverse that policy？ Should they appoint Zobeir； reinforce Sir
Gerald Graham； and smash up the Mahdi？ They could not make up
their minds。 So far as Zobeir was concerned； there were two
counterbalancing considerations； on the one hand； Evelyn Baring
now declared that he was in favour of the appointment； but； on
the other hand； would English public opinion consent to a man；
described by Gordon himself as 'the greatest slave…hunter who
ever existed'； being given an English subsidy and the control of
the Sudan？ While the Cabinet was wavering； Gordon took a fatal
step。 The delay was intolerable； and one evening； in a rage； he
revealed his desire for Zobeir which had hitherto been kept a
profound official secret to Mr Power； the English Consul at
Khartoum； and the special correspondent of 〃The Times。〃 Perhaps
he calculated that the public announcement of his wishes would
oblige the Government to yield to them； if so； he was completely
mistaken； for the result was the very reverse。 The country；
already startled by the proclamation in favour of slavery； could
not swallow Zobeir。 The Anti…Slavery Society set on foot a
violent agitation； opinion in the House of Commons suddenly
stiffened； and the Cabinet； by a substantial majority； decided
that Zobeir should remain in Cairo。 The imperialist wave had
risen high； but it had not risen high enough； and now it was
rapidly subsiding。 The Government's next action was decisive。 Sir
Gerald Graham and his British Army were withdrawn from the Sudan。
The critical fortnight during which these events took place was
the first fortnight of March。 By the close of it； Gordon's
position had undergone a rapid and terrible change。 Not only did
he find himself deprived； by the decision of the Government； both
of the hope of Zobeir's assistance and of the prospect of
smashing up the Mahdi with the aid of British troops； the
military movements in the Eastern Sudan produced； at the very
same moment； a yet more fatal consequence。 The adherents of the
Mahdi had been maddened； they had not been crushed； by Sir Gerald
Graham's victories。 When； immediately afterwards； the English
withdrew to Suakin； from which they never again emerged； the
inference seemed obvious； they had been defeated； and their power
was at an end。 The warlike tribes to the north and the northeast
of Khartoum had long been wavering。 They now hesitated no longer；
and joined the Mahdi。 From that moment it was less than a month
from Gordon's arrival at Khartoum the situation of the town was
desperate。 The line of communications was cut。 Though it still
might be possible for occasional native messengers； or for a few
individuals on an armed steamer； to win their way down the river
into Egypt； the removal of a large number of personsthe loyal
inhabitants or the Egyptian garrison was henceforward an
impossibility。 The whole scheme of the Gordon mission had
irremediably collapsed； worse still； Gordon himself； so far from
having effected the evacuation of the Sudan； was surrounded by
the enemy。 'The question now is；' Sir Evelyn Baring told Lord
Granville； on March 24th； 'how to get General Gordon and Colonel
Stewart away from Khartoum。'
The actual condition of the town； however； was not； from a
military point of view； so serious as Colonel Coetlogon； in the
first moments of panic after the Hicks disaster； had supposed。
Gordon was of opinion that it was capable of sustaining a siege
of many months。 With his usual vigour； he had already begun to
prepare an elaborate system of earthworks； mines； and wire
entanglements。 There was a five or six months' supply of food；
there was a great quantity of ammunition； the garrison numbered
about 8；000 men。 There were； besides； nine small paddle…wheel
steamers； hitherto used for purposes of communication along the
Nile； which； fitted with guns and protected by metal plates； were
of considerable military value。 'We are all right；' Gordon told
his sister on March 15th。 'We shall； D。 V。； go on for months。' So
far； at any rate； there was no cause for despair。 But the
effervescent happiness of three weeks since had vanished。 Gloom；
doubt； disillusionment； self…questioning； had swooped down again
upon their victim。 'Either I must believe He does all things in
mercy and love； or else I disbelieve His existence； there is no
half way in the matter。 What holes do I not put myself into！ And
for what？ So mixed are my ideas。 I believe ambition put me here
in this ruin。' Was not that the explanation of it all？ 'Our
Lord's promise is not for the fulfilment of earthly wishes；
therefore； if things come to ruin here He is still faithful； and
is carrying out His great work of divine wisdom。' How could he
have forgotten that？ But he would not transgress again。 'I owe
all to God； and nothing to myself； for； humanly speaking； I have
done very foolish things。 However； if I am humbled； the better
for me。'
News of the changed circumstances at Khartoum was not slow in
reaching England； and a feeling of anxiety began to spread。 Among
the first to realise the gravity of the situation was Queen
Victoria。 'It is alarming；' she telegraphed to Lord Hartington on
March 25th。 'General Gordon is in danger； you are bound to try to
save him。。。 You have incurred a fearful responsibility。' With an
unerring instinct； Her Majesty forestalled and expressed the
popular sentiment。 During April； when it had become clear that
the wire between Khartoum and Cairo had been severed； when； as
time passed； no word came northward； save vague rumours of
disaster； when at last a curtain of impenetrable mystery closed
over Khartoum； the growing uneasiness manifested itself in
letters to the newspapers； in leading articles； and in a flood of
subscriptions towards a relief fund。 At the beginning of May； the
public alarm reached a climax。 It now appeared to be certain； not
only that General Gordon was in imminent danger； but that no
steps had yet been taken by the Government to save him。
On the 5th； there was a meeting of protest and indignation at St。
James's Hall； on the 9th there was a mass meeting in Hyde Park；
on the 11th there was a meeting at Manchester。 The Baroness
Burdett…Coutts wrote an agitated letter to 〃The Times〃 begging
for further subscriptions。 Somebody else proposed that a special
fund should be started with which 'to bribe the tribes to secure
the General's personal safety'。 A country vicar made another
suggestion。 Why should not public prayers be offered up for
General Gordon in every church in the kingdom？ He himself had
adopted that course last Sunday。 'Is not this；' he concluded；
'what the godly man； the true hero； himself would wish to be
done？' It was all of no avail。 General Gordon remained in peril；
the Government remained inactive。 Finally； a vote of censure was
moved in the House of Commons； but that too proved useless。 It
was strange； the same executive which； two months before； had
trimmed its sails so eagerly to the shifting gusts of popular