BRITAIN’S POLICY.
Lord Allenby paid a tribute to the Gordon College and also to the mission schools, which are doing excellent work in teaching trades. He stated that public security was absolutely all right, and people were travelling about the country without escorts.
Regarding the political question, the High Commissioner said there was nothing to add to his speech explaining the situation to the members of the delegation and other notables at the Palace in Khartoum on April 26. The text of this speech was issued here to-day. The High Commissioner said:
I find there has been some fear in the minds of the people of the Soudan that there would be in future less close association of Great Britain with the development of your country. The British Government has no such intention.
He then quoted a full extract from Mr. Lloyd George’s speech in the House of Commons on February 28, regarding the Soudan. Lord Allenby concluded:
I think this is enough to reassure you. I hope when you go to your homes you will tell your people not to be afraid that Great Britain will abandon the Soudan.
Sir Sakted Ali Mirghani made a remarkable reply, thanking the High Commissioner for his reassurances.
The speaker said he was very glad to take the opportunity to express directly to the High Commissioner the feelings of himself and those assembled on the political situation – namely, that the Soudan is a distinct country and nationality, and should be allowed to progress along its own lines of development. The speaker hoped that this would be recognised, so that the progress, already so marked under the British, administration, should continue in the future. He also hoped nothing would impede a continuation of the Makwar dam and irrigation schemes, which were vital to the future prosperity of the country.
Subsequently every notable present rose in turn, expressing hearty agreement and also gratitude for the state of religious liberty and material prosperity wherein they found themselves, and attributing the peace and progress of the last twenty-four years to the beneficent administration of the Soudan Government.
Sir Sakted Ali Mirghani’s speech is much commented on here as confirming the rumours current in well-informed circles of a growing movement among the Soudanese to dissociate themselves from Egypt and their desire to remain a separate entity under the British aegis.