ore than "an ordinary diplomatic agent." He felt that the Sudan, for either Egypt or Britain, "was a useless possession" (Cromer, 1916, 390). Within that perspec tive, he recommended British withdrawal from the Sudan (Al Sayyid, 1968). The British government, however, had sent an
4army to the Sudan commanded by General Hicks to restore order. The army was massacred by the Mahdi's forces (Al Sayyid, 1968). Baring continued to recommend against the commitment of any further British resources either financial or human into what he considered to be the bottomless hole of the Sudan (Al Sayyid, 1968).
The insurrection in the Sudan reached such proportions, how ever, that all consideration of a British withdrawal was put on hold (Al Sayyid, 1968). The Egyptian government strongly opposed the abandonment of the Sudan. The Egyptian position was accepted by the British cabinet over the Baring recommenda tion (Al Sayyid, 1968). In pursuit of the new policy, the British launched a new campaign in t
...