to guard that one chance? No; they did not. If they think they did, let them explain Earl Granville's telegrams to Sir Evelyn Baring, refusing to adopt any of Gordon's proposals for the settlement of the Soudan, and yet begging him to remain a little longer with his head in the lion's mouth.
This we know is a cruel reproach to make to an English Minister, but it is matter of history. The Blue-book, 'Egypt, No. 12, 1884,' speaks for itself; and it tells a tale which, when heard, as it must be, in Parliament, will cause the ears of General Gordon's countrymen to tingle with indignation. Gordon went to Khartoum on a very special mission; and, as he believed, with extraordinary powers adequate to the occasion. The Government that appointed him had no right to be startled at any proposal he might make for effecting his task. If it was too wild a proposal for them to adopt promptly and energetically, their duty was to recall him at once, seeing they had no policy of their own to offer him instead. Gordon, after examining the situation, recommended the appointment of Zebehr Pasha as Governor of the Soudan. Colonel Stewart indorsed this recommendation; and Sir Evelyn Baring, in forwarding it to the Government, expressed his own opinion that Zebehr Pasha "was the only possible man." This was telegraphed from Cairo to London on the 19th February 1884. On the 22d February Earl Granville telegraphed back: "Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that the gravest objections exist to the appointment by their authority of a successor to General Gordon." Though he had that very day received intelligence of the fall of Tokar and the massacre of the garrison, he did not think "the necessity had yet arisen of going beyond the suggestions contained in General Gordon's memorandum of the 22d ult., by making a special provision for the government of the country." Gordon's reply was characteristically short and decided. On the 26th February he telegraphed: "That settles the question for me. I cannot suggest any other." But Sir Evelyn Baring appears to have pressed the proposal, and to have also suggested, as an alternative, the despatch of troops to Berber. On the 11th March Earl Granville reiterated his refusal, adding that neither were the Government prepared to send troops to Berber; but "they would be quite prepared to extend General Gordon's appointment for any reasonable time which may be necessary to enable him to carry out the objects of his mission."
Magnanimous Cabinet! It would allow Gordon to do nothing, and it would do nothing for him, but "it was quite prepared to extend his appointment"! In another despatch (No. 185, March 1, 1884), Earl Granville expressed his real wish in plainer words: "Her Majesty's Government desire further information as to the urgency of any immediate appointment of a successor to General Gordon, who, they trust, will remain for some time longer at Khartoum." From a House of Commons point of view, Gordon at Khartoum was invaluable. He was a ready answer to all inconvenient questions, and the "Christian hero" was an irresistible stalking-horse in debate. Therefore Gordon was asked to keep his head in the lion's mouth! Let it be engraven over him – "Who, they trust, will remain for some time longer at Khartoum." Not only thrust into the lion's den, but actually hand-tied and begged to remain there to meet his death!
