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Order and settled government in Dongola must in like manner have backing from

the north.

(Signed)

EDWIN H. EGERTON.

Cairo, January 17, 1886.

No. 6.

Sir H. Drummond Wolff to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received January 25.)

(No. 34.) My Lord,

Cairo, January 18, 1886 I HAVE requested Mr. Stuart Wortley to carry to England the despatches I am this day sending to your Lordship. He has been on the frontier for more than two months and during the recent operations, having also on former occasions been employed in the Soudan. He has been placed in full possession of the views of the Generals as to the proposals of the ex-Vekil of Dongola, and is aware also of the opinions I have formed on the subject. These are fully stated in my recent despatches, but as time will be a great element of success for the realization of the proposals, if approved, I think many references here may be avoided, and much information as to detail may be rapidly made available by Her Majesty's Government from the intimate knowledge possessed by Mr. Wortley of the country and its inhabitants, and from his personal communications with the ex-Vekil and with others whose co-operation is necessary.

I am anxious, however, to point out to your Lordship that, in now submitting to the consideration of Her Majesty's Government the present proposals, I do so, not with any desire to recommend an advance, but as an economical method of preserving our present position, and as a basis for future proceedings, whether of warfare or negotiation. I believe that they present advantages for peaceful negotia- tion of an exceptional character, that they will lighten the burden on our troops if they are destined to remain on the Nile frontier during the summer, and that if, later on, we are again obliged to undertake hostilities, we shall be prepared to do so on favourable conditions.

I have, &c.

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(Signed)

X

H. DRUMMOND WOLFF.

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