them at Gemeizeh, Tokar,
Toski, Ferkeh, and Abu Hamed, and were not disappointed; and under the
circumstances, perhaps the most competent military critics, the
Dervishes [laughter] showed no disposition to underrate the fighting
power of our men. And when the _role_ was changed and from the defensive
we were able to take the offensive they soon acquired that respect for
the Egyptian soldiers that all good troops engender in the minds of
their opponents. [Cheers.]

I had to give the Egyptian army arduous work. They had to construct the
railway; they had to build gunboats, and sailing craft through the
dangerous cataracts, they had to be on incessant fatigues, moving stores
and cutting wood for the steamers. It may be fairly said that had it not
been for the work of the Egyptian army the British troops could not have
reached Omdurman without far greater suffering and loss of life, and it
was not only in these pioneer duties that the Egyptian army
distinguished themselves, for when they came in contact with the enemy
their discipline, steadiness and courage were prominently displayed. At
Ferkeh, and at Abu Hamed, they, with the Sudanese troops, turned the
Dervishes out of their positions. At Atbara, they were not behind their
British comrades, and at Omdurman, when Macdonald's brigade repulsed the
fierce and determined attacks that were brought against them, I am sure
that the thought occurred to the mind of every officer in the British
brigades, who saw it: "We might have done it as well; we could not have
done it better." ["Hear! Hear!"] And how was this obtained? By good
training, good discipline and mutual confidence between officers and
men. It was on these lines that the army was formed and organized under
Sir Evelyn Wood and Sir Francis Grenfell, and I, with the assistance of
the finest body of officers that the British army can produce, have
merely followed in their footsteps, and developed the principles that
they had already laid down.

There is one other point to which I would like to refer before bringing
a speech which may have already been too long ["No! No!"] to a
conclusion. In this great commercial centre it may be of interest if I
allude to the financial side of the campaign. Although the accounts have
not yet been absolutely closed, you may take it as very nearly accurate
that during the two and a half years' campaign, extra military credits
to the amount of two and a half millions have been expended.