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situation。 It was some time before the details of the Hicks 

expedition were fully known; but when they were; andwhen the

appalling 

character of the disaster was understood; a thrill of horror ran

through 

the country。 The newspapers became full of articles on the Sudan;

of 

personal descriptions of the Mahdi; of agitated letters from

colonels 

and clergymen demanding vengeance; and of serious discussions of

future 

policy in Egypt。 Then; at the beginning of the new year; alarming

messages 

began to arrive from Khartoum。 Colonel Coetlogon; who was in

command of 

the Egyptian troops; reported a menacing concentration of the

enemy。 Day by day; 

hour by hour; affairs grew worse。 The Egyptians were obviously

outnumbered: 

they could not maintain themselves in the field; Khartoum was in

danger; at 

any moment; its investment might be complete。 And; with Khartoum

once cut off 

from communication with Egypt; what might not happen?



Colonel Coetlogon began to calculate how long the city would hold



out。 Perhaps it could not resist the Mahdi for a month; perhaps 

for more than a month; but he began to talk of the necessity of a



speedy retreat。 It was clear that a climax was approaching; and 

that measures must be taken to forestall it at once。 Accordingly;



Sir Evelyn Baring; on receipt of final orders from England; 

presented an ultimatum to the Egyptian Government: the Ministry 

must either sanction the evacuation of the Sudan; or it must 

resign。 The Ministry was obstinate; and; on January 7th; 1884; 

it resigned; to be replaced by a more pliable body of Pashas。 On 

the same day; General Gordon arrived at Southampton。 He was over 

fifty; and he was still; by the world's measurements; an 

unimportant man。 In spite of his achievements; in spite of a 

certain celebrity for 'Chinese Gordon' was still occasionally 

spoken of he was unrecognised and almost unemployed。 



He had spent a lifetime in the dubious services of foreign

governments; 

punctuated by futile drudgeries at home; and now; after a long

idleness; 

he had been sent forto do what?to look after the Congo for

the King 

of the Belgians。 At his age; even if he survived the work and the

climate; 

he could hardly look forward to any subsequent appointment; he

would 

return from the Congo; old and worn out; to a red…brick villa and



extinction。 Such were General Gordon's prospects on January 7th; 

1884。 By January 18th; his name was on every tongue; he was the 

favourite of the nation; he had been declared to be the one

living man 

capable of coping with the perils of the hour; he had been 

chosen; with unanimous approval; to perform a great task; and he 

had left England on a mission which was to bring him not only a 

boundless popularity; but an immortal fame。 The circumstances 

which led to a change so sudden and so remarkable are less easily



explained than might have been wished。 An ambiguity hangs over 

them an ambiguity which the discretion of eminent persons has 

certainly not diminished。 But some of the facts are clear enough。



The decision to withdraw from the Sudan had no sooner been taken 

than it had become evident that the operation would be a 

difficult and hazardous one; and that it would be necessary to 

send to Khartoum an emissary armed with special powers and 

possessed of special ability; to carry it out。 Towards the end of



November; somebody at the War Officeit is not clear whohad 

suggested that this emissary should be General Gordon。 Lord 

Granville; the Foreign Secretary; had thereupon telegraphed to 

Sir Evelyn Baring asking whether; in his opinion; the presence of



General Gordon would be useful in Egypt; Sir Evelyn Baring had 

replied that the Egyptian Government was averse to this 

proposal; and the matter had dropped。 



There was no further reference to Gordon in the official

dispatches 

until after his return to England。 Nor; before that date; was any



allusion made to him as a possible unraveller of the Sudan

difficulty; 

in the Press。 In all the discussions which followed the news of

the 

Hicks disaster; his name is only to be found in occasional and 

incidental references to his work 〃In the Sudan〃。 The 〃Pall Mall 

Gazette〃; which; more than any other newspaper; interested itself



in Egyptian affairs; alluded to Gordon once or twice as a 

geographical expert; but; in an enumeration of the leading 

authorities on the Sudan; left him out of account altogether。 Yet



it was from the 〃Pall Mall Gazette〃 that the impulsion which 

projected him into a blaze of publicity finally came。 Mr。 Stead; 

its enterprising editor; went down to Southampton the day after 

Gordon's arrival there; and obtained an interview。 Now when he 

was in the mood after a little b。 and s。; especially no one

was 

more capable than Gordon; with his facile speech and his free…

and…easy manners; of furnishing good copy for a journalist; and 

Mr。 Stead made the most of his opportunity。 The interview;

copious 

and pointed; was published next day in the most prominent part of



the paper; together with a leading article; demanding that the 

General should be immediately dispatched to Khartoum with the 

widest powers。 The rest of the Press; both in London and in the 

provinces; at once took up the cry: General Gordon was a capable 

and energetic officer; he was a noble and God…fearing man; he was



a national asset; he was a statesman in the highest sense of the 

word; the occasion was pressing and perilous; General Gordon had 

been for years Governor…General of the Sudan; General Gordon 

alone had the knowledge; the courage; the virtue; which would 

save the situation; General Gordon must go to Khartoum。 So; for a



week; the papers sang in chorus。 But already those in high places



had taken a step。 Mr。 Stead's interview appeared on the afternoon



of January 9th; and on the morning of January 10th Lord Granville



telegraphed to Sir Evelyn Baring; proposing; for a second time; 

that Gordon's services should be utilised in Egypt。 But Sir 

Evelyn Baring; for the second time; rejected the proposal。



While these messages were flashing to and fro; Gordon himself was



paying a visit to the Rev。 Mr。 Barnes at the Vicarage of 

Heavitree; near Exeter。 The conversation ran chiefly on Biblical 

and spiritual matters on the light thrown by the Old Testament 

upon the geography of Palestine; and on the relations between man



and his Maker; but; there were moments when topics of a more 

worldly interest arose。 It happened that Sir Samuel Baker; 

Gordon's predecessor in Equatoria; lived in the neighbourhood。 A 

meeting was arranged; and the two ex…Governors; with Mr。 Barnes

in 

attendance; went for a drive together。 In the carriage; Sir 

Samuel Baker; taking up the tale of the 〃Pall Mall Gazette〃; 

dilated upon the necessity of his friend's returning to the Sudan



as Governor…General。 Gordon was silent; but Mr。 Barnes noticed 

that his blue eyes flashed; while an eager expression passed over



his face。 Late that night; after the Vicar had retired to bed; he



was surprised by the door suddenly opening; and by the appearance



of his guest swiftly tripping into the room。 'You saw me today?' 

the low voice abruptly questioned。 'You mean in the carriage?' 

replied the startled Mr。 Barnes。 'Yes;' came the reply; 'you saw 

MEthat was MYSELFthe self I want to get rid of。' There was a 

sliding movement; the door swung to; and the Vicar found himself 

alone again。



It was clear that a disturbing influence had found its way into 

Gordon's mind。 His thoughts; wandering through Africa; flitted to



the Sudan; they did not linger at the Congo。 During the same 

visit; he took the opportunity of calling upon Dr。 Temple; the 

Bishop of Exeter; and asking him; merely as a hypothetical 

question; whether; in his opinion; Sudanese converts to 

Christianity might be permitted to keep three wives。 His Lordship



answered that this would be uncanonical。



A few days later; it appeared that the conversation in the 

carriage at Heavitree had borne fruit。 Gordon wrote a letter to 

Sir Samuel Baker; further elaborating the opinions on the Sudan 

which he had already expressed in his interview with Mr。 Stead; 

the letter was clearly intended for publication; and published it



was in 〃The Times〃 of January 14th。 On the same day; Gordon's

name 

began once more to buzz along the wires in secret questions and 

answers to and from the highest quarters。



'Might it not be advisable;' telegraphed Lord Granville to Mr。 

Gladstone; to put a little pressure on Baring; to induce him to 

accept the assistance of General Gordon?' Mr。 Gladstone replied; 

also by a telegram; in the affirmative; and on the 15th; Lord 

Wolseley telegraphed to Gordon begging him to come to London 

immediately。 Lor

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