but his policy was prevented. 'The policy which it is desirable
to follow ... in the Eastern Soudan,' wrote Sir Evelyn Baring on the
17th of March, in measured rebuke, 'should consist in standing purely
on the defensive against any hostile movement or combination of the
Arab tribes, in avoiding any course of action which might involve the
ultimate necessity of offensive action, and in encouraging legitimate
trade by every means in our power.' [Sir E. Baring to Consul Cameron,
March 14, 1888.]

The Governor could scarcely be expected to carry out a policy so much at
variance with his views and inclinations, and in the summer of 1888
he was transferred to a purely military appointment and became
Adjutant-General of the Egyptian army. For the next four years he worked
busily in the War Office at Cairo, effecting many useful reforms and
hard economies, and revealing powers of organisation which, although not
yet appreciated by his comrades in the Egyptian service, were noticed by
one vigilant eye. In 1892 Sir F. Grenfell resigned the post of Sirdar,
and the chief command of the Egyptian army was vacant. Two men stood out
prominently as candidates--Colonel Wodehouse, who held the command of
the Halfa Field Force, and the Adjutant-General. Colonel Wodehouse had
undoubtedly the greater claims. He had been for several years in command
of a large force in continual contact with the enemy. He had won the
action of Argin, and was known throughout the Soudan as 'the conqueror
of Wad-el-Nejumi.' He had conducted the civil administration of the
frontier province with conspicuous success, and he was popular with all
ranks of the Egyptian army. Kitchener had little to set against this. He
had shown himself a brave and active soldier. He was known to be a good
official. But he had not been in accord with the Government in his civil
administration, and was, moreover, little known to his brother officers.
Sir Evelyn Baring's influence, however, turned the scale. Somewhat,
therefore, to the astonishment of the Egyptian army, Kitchener was
promoted Sirdar. Lord Cromer had found the military officer whom he
considered capable of re-conquering the Soudan when the opportunity
should come.

The years of preparation, wasted by no one in Egypt, were employed by
no department better than by the Intelligence Branch. The greatest
disadvantage from which Lord Wolseley had suffered was the general
ignorance of the Soudan and its peoples. The British