The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-15 00:00:00

THE WAR, IN THE SOUDAN,

In a telegram. dated Souakim, Sunday, the special
correspondent of the Daily News says:—
Osman. Digna is at Ilarroy, near Tamanhid, with
small contingents of from 50 to 400 fighting men
each, representing nine different tribes. The latest
reports confirm the earlier ones that only two thou-
sand to two thousand five hundred follow Osman
Digna, and that the demoralization among the clans
continues. However, none of the tribes have re-
sponded to General Graham's proclamation, in which
he has promised pardon and enjoined them to sepa-
rate themselves from Osman. The Sheikh Mahomed
Ali says that the Maharah tribe is certain to make
submission. Osman has written to the Sheikh El
Morghani a letter, in which he accuses the latter of
being more Christian than Mohamedan.
A report from Trinkitat brought in yesterday states
that a battle had taken place round Kassala, in which
a considerable number were killed on both sides, but
it is uncertain whether the story refers to the later or
earlier phases of the rebellion in the Kassala district.
One of Tewfik's soldiers, who has just arrived, says
that the rebels tore to pieces Tewlik's body, and in
accordance with a superstitious notion, devoured his
liver. The same man, who passed near 'Osman's
camp, asserts that Digna has four guns and upwards
of a thousand Itemingtons, with a large quantity of
ammunition.

0311 W/ Ligna, in his dispatch to Morghani, writes
that the latter, if he were loyal and wise, should
rather endeavour to convert his English friends;to the
Mohammedan faith; that he and his followers hope
to drink the blood of the Egyptians and their aiders
and abettors; and that the present, being a time of
great depression in religious faith throughout Islam,
is the very time in which the Mandi is destined to
appear. The letter is signed by fifteen sheiks, besides
Osman Digna.

Under date Khartoum, March 7, the correspondent
the TisVICS writes:—
On learning that an emissary of the Mandi was at
Shendy attempting to stir up the people there to
revolt, I asked General Gordon to kindly give me his
views on the situation. He answered :
" There is nothing farther to be hoped for in the
way of quieting the people than has already been ac-
complished, and there is a certainty that as time ad-
vances the emissaries of the Mandi will succeed in
raising the tribes between this and Berber. This is
not owing- to disaffection, but to fear caused by the
pronounced policy of the abandonment of the Soudan,
which policy has been published by sending down the
widows and orphans, and the Cairo employe.'s from Khar-
toum. We cannot blame them for rising when no definite
sign is shown of establishing a permanent Government
here. Except by means of emissaries the Mandilias no
power outside of El Obeid, where he distrusts the
people and also the Bedouins around. He is a non-
entity as to any advance on Khartoum, but all-power-
ful through his emissaries when backed with the pro-
nounced policy of abandonment without establishing a
permanent Government.
"General Graham's victory is a glorious one, and if
Sollpwed up by an advance of about two squadrons to
Berber would settle the question as to this place, for
the people between there and Khartoum would not
think of rising. Zebehr Pasha should be sent to
succeed me. With these squadrons and Wood's
Invincibles should advance a regiment, or it should go
to Dongola, while 100 British troops might make a
Nile trip to Wady Haifa and stay there for two
months. This would settle the question, for when the
Nib o rose, with the Berber black troops and those of
Khartoum, which I would bring up, I could deal with
the rebels on the Blue Nile and open up the road to
Senna.ar. Then I would take out the Cairo employe s,
and Zobehr Pasha would put his own men there. I
would evacuate the equatorial Bahr Gazelle pro-
vinces, and hand over the troops to Zebehr Pasha,
who would before the end of the year finish off the
Madhi.

"As for Zebehr Pasha's blood-feud with me it is
absurd, if a subsidy be granted him for three years
dependent on my safety. As for Zebehr's slave-
dealing offences they are bad, but not worse than
those of Ismail and other Turks, for the thief is no
worse than the receiver.
"Be sure of one thing. If her Majesty's Govern-
ment do not act promptly General Graham's victory
will go for nought, and with the useless expenditure
of blood the effect of it will evaporate. I do not
believe we shall send any more telegrams, for it is no
longer a question of days, but of hours.
"I am dead against the sending of any British
expedition to reconquer the Soudan. It is unnecessary.
I would not have a single life lost. It is my Arm con-
viction that none would be lost by the plan I pro-
pose; and our honour would be saved. I like the
people in rebellion as much as those who are not,
and I thank God that so far as I am concerned no
man has gone before his Maker prematurely through
me."

These remarks of the General I elicited when I
perceived his great anxiety as to the state of affairs
here—an anxiety not for himself but for those
whose safety is dependent on his action in this
matter.

The following is a copy of the second Proclamation
sent out to thirty-three of the Sheiks of hostile
tribes:

"We, the Admiral of the English Fleet and the
General of the English Army assembled at Soitakini,
English do hereby summon you to disperse peaceably and to
return to your homes. The army is about
to march to your camp in the alley of Tamanieh,
and will treat all found there in arms as rebels, in
the same way they treated those at El Teb. Be warned
in time. Listen no more to the evil counsels of Osinan
Digna. If you have any grievances, send delegates to
Khartoum to meet General Gordon, whom you all
know to be a good and just man. If you desire to
send delegates to us, we promise them protection, and
will transmit their statements by telegraph to General
Gordon, and obtain a reply in one day. We desire
you to send a reply by the bearer of this letter, or
the consequences will be upon your own head."

The following telegram has been received at the
Admiralty from Rear-Admiral Sir William Hewett,
dated from Souaktm, March 10, 1884:
"Following is reply from Osman's camp to pro-
clamation sent out by me, in which General con-
curred:
" In the name of the Mast Merciful God. The
Lord be praised, &o. From the whole of the tribes
and their sheikhs who have received your writings,
and those who did not receive writings, to the Com-
mandant of the English soldiers, whom God help to
Islam. Amen.

"Then your letters have arrived with us, and
what you have informed us in them—to come in.
Then know that the Gracious God has sent His
Malidi suddenly, who was expected, the looked-for
messenger for the religious, and against the infidels,
so as to show the religion of God, through him
and by him to kill those who hate Him—which has
happened. You have seen who have gone to him
from the people and soldiers, who are countless.
God killed them, so look at the multitudes. (Here
follow verses of Koran.)
"'You, who never know religion till after death,
hate God from the beginning. Then we are sure
that God, and only God, sent the Mandi, so as to
take away your property. And you know this since
the time of our Lord Mahomet's coming. Pray tc
God and be converted.

"'There is nothing between us but the sword,
especially as the Madhi has come to kill you and
destroy you, unless God wishes you to Islam. The
Mandi's sword be on your necks wherever you may
escape, and God's iron be round your necks wherever
you may go. Do not &ink you are enough for us;
and the Turks are only a little better than you. We
will not leave your heads unless you become Mussul-
mans and listen to the Prophet and laws of God. And
God said, in His dear book, those who believe Him
fight for Him, and those wko do not believe in Him
shall be killed. (Here follow many verses from
Koran referring to permission to kill infidels.)
" Therefore God has waited for you for a long
time, and you have thouOt that he would always gc
on waiting for you. But God said he would wait
for you, as you were bad people. But know that
during the time of the Mandi he will not accept
.bribes from you, and also will not leave you in your
infidelity. So there is nothing for you but the sword,
so that there will not remain one of you on the face of
the earth. Therefore, Islam.' (Sealed by Sheikhs of
21 tribes)."