Romans before their wars invoked all misery on themselves before
the Goddess Nemesis if their war was unjust. We did not invoke
her, but she followed us. Between the time that the Tory
Government went out, and the new Viceroy Ripon had landed at
Bombay, Lytton forced the hand of the Liberal Government by
entering into negotiations with Abdurrahman, and appointing the
Vali at Candahar, so endeavouring to prevent justice to Yacoob.
Stokes, Arbuthnot, and another member of Supreme Council all
protested against the deposition of Yacoob, also Sir Neville
Chamberlaine."

Lest it should be thought that Gordon was alone in these opinions, I
append this statement, drawn up at the time by Sir Neville
Chamberlaine:--

"An unprejudiced review of the circumstances surrounding the
_emeute_ of September 1879 clearly indicates that the spontaneous
and unpremeditated action of a discontented, undisciplined, and
unpaid soldiery had not been planned, directed, or countenanced
by the Ameer, his ministers, or his advisers. There is no
evidence to prove or even to suspect that the mutiny of his
soldiers was in any way not deplored by the Ameer, but was
regarded by him with regret, dismay, and even terror. Fully
conscious of the very grave misapprehensions and possible
accusation of timidity and weakness on our part, I entertain,
myself, very strong convictions that we should have first
permitted and encouraged the Ameer to punish the mutinous
soldiers and rioters implicated in the outrage before we
ourselves interfered. The omission to adopt this course
inevitably led to the action forced on the Ameer, which
culminated in the forced resignation of his power and the total
annihilation of the national government. The Ameer in thus
resigning reserved to himself the right of seeking, when occasion
offered, restoration to his heritage and its reversion to his
heir. Nothing has occurred to justify the ignoring of these
undeniable rights."

Gordon's resignation was handed in to Lord Ripon on the night of the
2nd of June, the news appeared in the London papers of the 4th, and it
had one immediate consequence which no one could have foreseen. But
before referring to that matter I must make clear the heavy pecuniary
sacrifice his resignation of this post entailed upon Gordon. He repaid
every far