Saturday was a day of comparative rest for the troops,
who were exhausted by their long fight and march. On Sunday a deeply impressive service of thanksgiving was held among the ruins of Khartoum (representatives from each arm of the Service being present), and the Union Jack and the Egyptian flag were simultaneously hoisted. This is as it should be, and is, in effect, an announcement to the whole world that our occupation of the Nile Valley has become permanent. The service, which was conducted jointly by the Presbyterian, the Anglican, and the Roman Catholic Chaplains to the Forces, consisted of "appropriate passages from Scripture and prayers" At the end the Sirdar called for cheers for the Queen and the Khedive. Khartoum is now utterly desolate, but it is to be reoccupied, and doubtless in a few months —towns grow quickly in the East—it will again be a flourishing city. It will apparently not be difficult to rebuild Gordon's palace, as the foundations, and indeed the whole lower story, are intact. The proposal to rechristen Khartoum with Gordon's name is a good one, only it must be Gordon's name in Arabic and not in English. Had the city still existed, to have changed its name would have been theatrical and absurd, but a new name may be given to a new city.
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