Chapter XXVII: General Gordon’s Mission

Success of the Mahdi--Difficult Position of the Ministers--Their Egyptian Policy--General Gordon sent out to the Soudan--Baker Pasha’s Forces Defeated--Sir S. Northcote’s Vote of Censure--The Errors on Both Sides--Why not a Protectorate?--Gordon in Khartoum--Zebehr, “King of the Slave-traders”--Attacks on Gordon--Osman Digna Twice Defeated--Treason in Khartoum--Gordon’s Vain Appeals--Financial Position of Egypt--Abortive Conference of the Powers--Vote of Credit--The New Speaker--Mr. Bradlaugh _Redivivus_--Mr. Childers’ Budget--The Coinage Bill--The Reform Bill--Household Franchise for the Counties--Carried in the Commons--Thrown Out in the Lords--Agitation in the Country--The Autumn Session--“No Surrender”--Compromise--The Franchise Bill Passed--The Nile Expedition--Murder of Colonel Stewart and Mr. Frank Power--Lord Northbrook’s Mission--Ismail Pasha’s Claims--The “Scramble for Africa”--Coolness with Germany--The Angra Pequena Dispute--Bismarck’s Irritation--Queensland and New Guinea--Death of Lord Hertford--The Queen’s New Book--Death of the Duke of Albany--Character and Career of the Prince--The Claremont Estate--The Queen at Darmstadt--Marriage of the Princess Victoria of Hesse--A Gloomy Season--The Health Exhibition--The Queen and the Parliamentary Deadlock--The Abyssinian Envoys at Osborne--Prince George of Wales made K.G.--The Court at Balmoral--Mr. Gladstone’s Visit to the Queen 671