The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-08-02 00:00:00

OPERATIONS IN THE SOUDAN.

The steamer Camel has arrived at Souakim with a
cargo of railway plant.
Major Clarke, who is in charge of the railway
operations at Souakim, calculates that taking the dis-
tance to terber at 260 miles, the probable cost of the
proposed line will be £750,000, and the maxi-
mum cost £860,000. The work of construction
would take four months after the receipt of materials
and labourers. He ridicules the idea of making a
civil contract to pay £1,500,000. His calculations
are based on published official data respecting the
Indian railways. He states that he can obtain ample
water for 12,000 men, and that requisite for the
animals and followers, at the rate of five gallons per
man and twelve gallons per animal daily, from a well
which he will begin to enlarge to-morrow. The water
will be conveyed in pipes to the first station. He con-
siders that the difficulties of the water supply on the
route have been over-estimated.
Spies report that in the attack on the night of the
21st inst., on Fort Turk, Souakim, nine of the enemy
had been killed and many more wounded. Major
Haggard and the other English officers in the fort,
speak highly of the steadiness and careful firing of the
company of Egyptians defending the work. In criti-
cising the firing it should be remembered that it
always takes place at night, the range being unknown
(though it is seldom under 600 yards); and that the
only target is the momentary flash of a rifle.
A. messenger has returned to Wady Haifa from
Dongola with a letter, dated July 18. from a European
residing there. Describing the attack on Debbeh (on
the night of the sth inst.) he says: "The enemy,
under Achmet Hedi, numbered nearly 13,000. Debbeh
was fortified, and was held by 700 men, Noureddin
Bey being in command. The enemy was repulsed
with considerable loss, Noureddin Bey's loss being
small. On the 7th the Mudir reached Debbeh with
200 men as a reinforcement. Hearing that Achmet
Hedi with a body of 750 Arabs was at Wady
Naziri, the Mudir left 300 men at Debbeh and
started on the 15th to attack him with all his
available forces in one steamer and thirty-seven
sailing boats, many armed peasants from the
villages on the banks having joined him. There was,
however, no enemy at Wady Naztri, so he proceeded to
Merawl, which he found to be almost deserted." The
writer continues: "There is great alarm here, th 3
people having heard of the massacre at Berber. F$
none can leave the town without a written permissio*
which it is impossible to obtain; the officials not xet
fusing it, but postponing its issue daily." Referring
to the Mudir's order, sent from Abudon to Dongola,
to prepare 300 camels at Dongola, and to telegraph
to Wady Haifa for 200 to be held in readiness there,
the writer implores information as to whether more
troops are proceeding to Dongola, and whether camels
have been collected for that purpose. There is no
mention in the letter of an enforced conversion of
Christians to Islam.

VITAL STATISTICS.-Dr. Farr once said that if one
could watch the march of 1,000,000 people through
life, the following would be observable: Nearly
150,000 would die the first year, 53,000 the second
year, 28,000 the third year, and less than 4000 in the
thirteenth year. At the end of forty-five years
500,000 have died. At the end of sixty years
370,000 would be still living; at the end of eighty
years, 97,000; at eighty-five, 31,000; and at ninety-
five years there would be 223; at the end of 101
years there will be one survivot