NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE news from Egypt is still bad. The Malidi is believed to be marching on Khartoum in two columns, which move down the Blue and the White Nile upon the city. It is certain -that forces, whether under his command or not, are approach- ing the .city, and that the tribes which control the Desert north of it are in insurrection. Retreat for the garrison by -that route is, therefore, impracticable ; while General Baker -reports that 27,000 Arabs are on the road between Suakim and Berber, and an advance from that port is, therefore, impossible. _He himself recommends that Colonel Coetlogon should march south-east to Kassala, while an Egyptian army transported to _Massowah marches through comparatively friendly tribes to _meet him at that spot. This project, however, is viewed un- favourably by the Egyptian Government, and, in fact, there is no native energy or power of rapid action left anywhere, the Europeans in Egyptian service being helpless to obtain support, while the Egyptians resent the Europeans' promotion. Whatever is done must be done by the British, who find themselves ham- pered at every turn by their nominal subordination. No British .officer, for instance, can give an order about the Soudan, while even in the Department of the Interior, Mr. Clifford Lloyd is not inde- pendent. His nominal superior is instructed to obey him ; but when Mr. Lloyd appointed a native adlatus, officially as addi- tional tinder-Secretary, really as a channel of communication with "the Office," Nubar Pasha claimed the patronage, and cancelled the appointment. The friction between the Pashas and the English makes all things slow, and the second experi- ment with a Native Ministry must shortly break down, like the trst. Nothing, in fact, will work rightly till pretence is given up, and real power and apparent power placed in the same
