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Auction: 17020 - Autographs, Historical Documents, Ephemera and Postal History
Lot: 914

Autographs
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
1888 (23 March) a highly important and long A.L.S. from Government House, Suakin to Sir Evelyn Baring (consul-general in Egypt). This letter was written in response to a statement made by Lord Salisbury who stated that "Egypt was only justified in holding Suakin to prevent the slave trade" and gives other important reasons such as not allowing Osman Digna the opportunity to gain support from the surrounding tribes and preventing the Mahdist forces the freedom of the coastline to bring in arms and ammunition, He includes the following paragraph, "At the recent official visit I paid to the Vali of the Hedjaz at Jeddah H.G. was most anxious on this subject & since my return here has telegraphed to me for copies of the Mahdist letters sent to the sheikes of the Hedjaz, which I am about to send him".


This letter was written shortly after the Battle of Handub, where he was shot in the jaw and is signed "H H Kitchener". Photo

In July 1885 Kitchener became Governor of the Egyptian Provinces of Eastern Sudan and Red Sea Littoral (which in practice consisted of little more than the Port of Suakin). He led his forces in action against the followers of the Mahdi at Handub in January 1888, when he was injured in the jaw.

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Sold for
£2,400