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General notes: the Americans are busy with a heated presidential election; the question of gold vs "free silver coinage" is the primary theme in the press. William McKinley, recently governor of Ohio, is running against William Jennings Bryan, a gifted young orator from Nebraska. France, Russia and Great Britain have arrived at an entente in regard to the Ottoman Empire's treatment of minorities, especially the Armenians. The events of The Adventure of the Veiled Lodger, a Sherlock Holmes mystery, take place. A motor race is run from Paris to Marseille and back to Paris; only one of the automobiles has a steering-wheel (the rest have tiller bars). Wilhelm Rontgen has discovered X-rays, and French chemist A. Henri Becquerel has discovered "Becquerel rays" (later named radioactivity by the Curies).
LORD SALISBURY ON THE SOUDAN EXPEDITION.
LONDON, June 20, 1896, Friday. The Prime Minister, in the House of Lords on Friday night, made an important statement on the Government policy in Egypt, in reply to a question by Lord Rosebery. In pointing out the position in which the threatened fall of Kassala would have placed Egypt, from the enormous accession of strength it would have conferred on the Khalifa, he dwelt on the importance of prestige to the latter, saying that "his following consists of one faithful tribe, the Bagarra Arabs, and the rest of the following consists of those Arabs who think he is likely to win." The expedition to Dongola, which was in any case to take place sooner or later, was thus imperatively called for at the present moment in the interests of Egypt, although it was undoubtedly matter for rejoicing if it could at the same time be of assistance to Italy in a critical and dangerous moment. The occupation of Dongola he declared to be the object of the expedition, as the recovery of that rich and important province would be of great permanent benefit to Egypt, drawing into it "vivifying streams of commerce," while saving her from the dangerous and humiliating inroads of the Dervishes to which she has been exposed for ten years. While, therefore, the Sirdar has an entirely free hand as far as the reconquest of Dongola, he is not to go further without fresh instructions.
The first result of the expedition had been to refute the belief that the Egyptian troops would not fight, and to prove that they possess in as high a degree as any other race the virtues we might expect from men who are fighting for their native land. The present limitation of the advance to Dongola is prescribed by financial necessity, owing to the peculiar position of Egypt as the only country in the world which cannot borrow. Only this consideration, the Prime Minister declared, prevents a still further advance, and he concluded by expressing the opinion that "we shall not have placed Egypt in the position in which she deserves to stand, until the Egyptian flag floats over Khartoum."
THE SOUDAN EXPEDITION.
PUSHING ON THE RAILWAYS.
CAIRO, August 5, 1896.-- The railway to Koskeh is completed.
THE SOUDAN EXPEDITION.
CAIRO, August 17, 1896. The water in the Nile has increased, so that gunboats have been enabled to pass the second cataract.
THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN.
CAIRO, September 5, 1896. The troops at Koskeh are preparing for a general advance southward.
THE SOUDAN.
CAIRO, September 14. The Egyptian expeditionary force has reached Fereig. The Dervishes are at Kerman, and a battle is imminent.
THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN.
FURTHER DEFEAT OF THE DERVISHES.
CAIRO, September 20, 1896. Kerman was occupied by the Egyptians, unopposed. The Dervishes retreated upon Hafir. While crossing the river they lost heavily. Commander Colville and four Egyptians were wounded. Three gunboats sank the Dervishes' steamer, silenced the river forts, and proceeded on their way to Dongola; one of them, however, got ashore at Hannek Cataract.
THE SOUDAN.
STUBBORN DEFENCE BY DERVISHES.
DEFEATED, BUT NOT CONQUERED.
CAIRO, September 22, 1896. The Dervishes stubbornly defended two of their forts by a long line of rifle pits, and the gunboats had great difficulty in getting within range.
Twice they were compelled to retire, but ultimately with field guns they occupied an island commanding Hafir, which is on the western side of the Nile, nearly opposite Kerman, and both armies were spectators to an artillery duel for many hours. Eventually the gunboats forced a passage and turned the position in favour of the British.
LATER. The Queen has sent a message to the Sirdar congratulating him on the success of the expedition.
The casualties on the British side were 16.
The Dervishes sent their women southward, and in the engagement lost the major portion of their ammunition.
The Sirdar has offered the Dervishes pardon if they will surrender, but reports from Hafir state that the Bishara has re-entered Dongola, and intends to fight.
Further reports have been received that Bishara Arabs have re-appeared outside Dongola.
SOUDAN EXPEDITION.
OCCUPATION OF DONGOLA.
FLIGHT OF THE DERVISHES.
PURSUIT BY THE EGYPTIAN CAVALRY.
500 PRISONERS TAKEN.
LONDON, September 23, 1896. Further particulars now received of the advance of the Egyptian expedition on Dongola record a complete success. It is stated that at the sight of the Egyptian troops the Dervishes immediately abandoned their camp without attempting any defence, and they are now being pursued by the Egyptian cavalry and tile gunboats on the Nile. Six guns and large quantities of grain and war material have been captured from the Dervishes, and several of the leading emirs have given in their submission.
It is now considered probable that the Dervishes will evacuate the whole of the province of Dongola.
LONDON, September 24, 1896. Later information states that the Egyptian expedition left Zowarat, five miles below Dongola, at 5 o'clock in the morning, and by 10 o'clock Dongola had been occupied by the Egyptian cavalry, the assistance of the infantry not being required. The gunboats, which advanced up the Nile parallel with tlie troops, rendered very efficient service, and to the execution done by them a great part of the success of the expedition is due. The gunboats shelled a position occupied by a body of 3000 Dervishes, and prevented the recapture of the grain stores, which bad previously been seized.
A few of the Baggara Arabs, who formed the principal portion of the Dervish force, fought desperately, and, refusing to surrender, were killed; but the main body fled into the desert with such precipitancy that many of the women accompanying them, finding themselves unable to carry their children, dropped them in the sand as they fled from their pursuers.
The fire of the gunboats on the Dervish position at Dongola proved very deadly, and the Dervishes sustained very heavy losses. Wad el-Bishara, the Dervish commander, retired shortly after the commencement of the engagement.
The Egyptian cavalry, under the command of Colonel Burn-Murdoch, pursued and overtook a section of the Dervish force who had fled into the desert, and committed great havoc among them. A large number were killed, and 500 taken prisoners.
THE SOUDAN.
RETREAT OF THE DERVISHES.
NINE HUNDRED PRISONERS TAKEN.
CAIRO, September 25, 1896. The gunboats have reached Debbeh.
Many of the cartridges found in possession of the Dervish prisoners have recently been made on the Continent.
Most of the leaders have yielded.
The gunboats are still harassing the retiring Dervishes. Over nine hundred prisoners have been taken.
The forts at Dongola are skillfully built, and if they had been resolutely held would have caused immense trouble.
The collapse of Dervish resistance was owing to the Jehadiehas refusing to fight. Many of that tribe have since joined the Sirdar's forces.
The Baggara cavalry covered the retreat splendidly and repeatedly charged their pursuers.
THE SOUDAN.
CAIRO, September 26, 1896. General Kitchener held a review of 15,000 troups at the new camp which has been formed at Dongola. The latter place was found to be in an insanitary condition. The Jaalim tribe have joined with the British.
THE DERVISHES DEMORALIZED.
CAIRO, September 27, 1896. The Dervishes are now struggling to reach Omdurman, and are said to be thoroughly demoralized.
OUR FORCES IN THE SOUDAN.
GETTING INTO HISTORIC COUNTRY.
CAIRO, September 27, 1896. The steamers of the Egyptian expedition have got beyond Korti, which is well beyond the great southward bend of the Nile, and is the terminus of one of the great routes across the Bayuda desert -- that leading to Metammeh, taken in 1884 by General Stewart's force, whose march was notable for the costly victories at Abu Klea wells, and the loss of press correspondents.
TROOPS RETURNING TO CAIRO.
NO PRESENT INTENTION OF GOING TO KHARTOUM.
CAIRO, September 29, 1896. The cavalry and garrisons at Rebbas, Merawai, and Khandak, as well as the South Staffordshire Regiment, are returning to this city. This is taken as an indication that is not the intention of the present expeditionary force to advance on Khartoum.
THE CONTROL OF EGYPT.
REPORTED INTRIGUE BY THE KHEDIVE.
ALLEGED SCHEME TO THROW OFF THE BRITISH YOKE.
LONDON, September 28, 1896. The Egyptians believe that the Khedive is travelling incognito in Europe, carrying with him the draft of a scheme for the independence of Egypt. It is also reported that he had a secret meeting with M. Hanotaux, the French Foreign Minister.
The Times says that such an intrigue would humiliate and probably endanger the Khedive.
THE SOUDAN CAMPAIGN.
CAIRO, September 29, 1896. The Dongola sheiks took refuge on the gunboats in order to escape punishment by the Dervish authorities at Omdurman.
The Khalifa has sent the late Mahdi's family to General Kitchener. The Khalifa was anxious to get rid of the Mahdi's family, and seized the opportunity of the Sirdar's presence in Upper Egypt to pack them off to him.
The sheiks are submitting wholesale.
Among the property abandoned by the Dervishes in their flight was found a coat of chain mail and helmets dating from the time of the Crusades.
THE SOUDAN.
CAIRO, September 30, 1896. Bisharra, one of the Arab leaders, narrowly escaped capture by those belonging to one of the gunboats.
THE SOUDAN.
LONDON, October 2, 1896. News from the Belgian Congo reports that units of the Force Publique under Baron Dhanis have defeated the Dervishes in the interior.
THE SOUDAN.
CAIRO, October 5, 1896. The Dervishes, reduced to a mere rabble, are in retreat on Berber.
They are suffering terribly from wounds, famine, and thirst.
THE SOUDAN.
CAIRO, October 8, 1896. The Sirdar and his staff left Dongola for Cairo this day.
LITERARY NOTES
Visitors from the planet Mars will be the heroes of both Du Maurier's 'The Martian' and Mr Well's new serial for 'Pearson's Magazine.' Du Maurier's story commences in the October 'Harper's.'
THE SOUDAN EXPEDITION
CAIRO, October 13, 1896. General Kitchener and his staff have arrived here from Dongola.
THE SOUDAN.
CAIRO, October 15, 1896. A ball was held this evening, given by the Khedive in honour of the re-conquest of Dongola province.
THE SOUDAN EXPEDITION.
CAIRO, October 17, 1896. It is estimated that the cost of the Dongola expedition will be £650,000.
THE SOUDAN.
CAIRO, October 19, 1896. Azrak is fortifying Abu Klea. Osman Digna has gone to Omdurman.
THE SOUDAN.
LONDON, October 30, 1896. The troops at Suakim return next month.
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