were Shilluks and
Dinkas coming from the country between Fashoda and the equatorial
provinces, but a proportion came from the western borders of the Sudan,
and some from Wadai and Bornu. Many were absolute savages, difficult to
control, wayward and thoughtless like children. Sudanese are very
excitable and apt to get out of hand; unlike the fellahs they are not
fond of drill, and are slow to acquire it; but their dash, pugnacious
instincts and desire to close with an enemy, are valuable military
qualities. The Sudanese, moreover, shoot better than the fellahin, whose
eyesight is often defective. The Sudanese captain can seldom read or
write, and is therefore in the hands of the Egyptian-born company
quartermaster-sergeant as regards pay and clothing accounts. He is slow,
and as a rule has little knowledge of drill. Nevertheless he is
self-reliant, much respected by his men, and can be trusted in the field
to carry out any orders received from his British officer. The most
efficient companies in the Sudanese battalions are apparently those in
which the captain is a black and the lieutenants are Egyptians.

In 1908 the Egyptian army, with a total establishment of 18,000,
consisted of three squadrons of cavalry (one composed of Sudanese)
each numbering 116 men; four batteries of field artillery and a Maxim
battery, horses and mules being used, with a total strength of 1257 of
all ranks; the camel corps, 626 of all ranks (fellahin and Sudanese);
and nine fellahin and six Sudanese infantry battalions, 10,631 of all
ranks. Every battalion receives two additional companies on
mobilization and takes the field with six companies.

The armament of the infantry is Martini-Henry rifle and bayonet; of
the cavalry, lance, sword and carbine.

There are seven gunboats on the Nile.

The medical department (reorganized in 1883 by Surgeon-Major J. G.
Rogers at the time of the cholera epidemic) controls in peace fourteen
station hospitals, and in war furnishes a mobile field hospital to
each brigade. There are also veterinary station hospitals. The supply
department controls mills at Tura, Halfa and Khartum.

The stringent system of selecting British officers, originated by the
first sirdar in 1883, is shown by the fact that of the 24 employed in
creating the army, 14 rose to be generals. The competition for
employment in the army is still severe. In 1908 there were 140 British
warrant and non