Gordon himself had thought some very personal comments should not be published; while the content included extended attacks on the current Liberal administration of W. E. Gladstone.
Sir Henry was apparently unaware of Hake's political sympathies (he was a strong Conservative supporter).
[8] Sir Henry Gordon required, contractually, that substantial redaction of the text removed a large number of personal references.
[10] Hake then lectured on Gordon and the failure of the Liberal government to rescue him in Khartoum, before the 1885 United Kingdom general election.
[12] The Conservatives supported the tour covertly through Richard Middleton; and finance was provided by Lord Cranborne and his sister, with whom Hake was in contact in October and December.
[2][15] Hake died on 8 December 1916 of peripheral neuritis, in the City of London Lunatic Asylum, Stone, Kent.