The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-10 00:00:00

THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.

The morning papers contain lengthy letters from their
correspondents in Abyssinia. The accounts continue to
bear witness to the improved state of things that has
existed since Sir R. Napier reached Senafe. The transport
service, upon which, more than upon anything else, the
prospects of the expedition depend, has immensely im-
proved. The Lahore Train and the Rawul Pindee Train,
which have been in a state of efficiency from the moment
of their arrival, are now to the front without that
encumbrance of Egyptian and Arab muleteers
which until very recently hampered the movements
of the army. The Punjaub and North - West
officers who are serving in these trains understand their
inspectors and drivers, and are understood by them ; and
thus it happens that while mules of the Bombay train are
being starved by their Egyptian and Arab drivers, those
of the two trains we have mentioned receive their allotted
food at the proper time and without waste. While
Egyptian and Arab drivers are being flogged because they
refuse to feed their animals, the Sikh and Pathan grass-
cutters are to be met with six and eight miles from
camp, because the grass to be got nearer they do
not consider good enough for their mules. Of the
3,620 mules landed in Abyssinia from Lahore only six
have died, and of the 1,000 from Rawul Pindee only
three have died, while the mortality among those collected
from other sources has been about 50 per cent. One of
the letters which we have received contains the following
passage : " The waste of money ia the purchase of mules
admits of no dispute, Dollars fly right and left at all the
depots, and go to people who are only being taught to de-
preciate their value. Most of the articles we purchase
might have been bought from 25 to 50 per cent. cheaper,
but for the terribly false start we made. All this is due to
the haste with which things were done by the Bombay and
Home G overran outs. "

The Telegraph correspondent writes from Aik Hullat,
February 14. At that date the 3rd Dragoon Guards, who
were to form part of the advanced division, had not
Landed. A great many elephants had arrived from India,
and these animals were to be employed in bringing up a
battery of eight-inch mortars. An inquiry was to be held
into the disorganised state of one of the Land Transport
Corps. There was an utter want of method in the landing
of animals. Mules were loaded without anyone in charge
of them, without drivers, and, in many cases, without
picketing ropes, or even head collars. Officers were put
in charge of hundreds of men, for the most part horrid
scoundrels, of all nations, none of whose languages they
could talk ; and without anything like a sufficiel,t number
Jf interpreters, they were expected to get their men into
working order, and to attend to all the various requisi-
tions and demands for transport that were all day
coming in.

The following official prlcis of the latest news from
Magdala and from the King's camp at Bet Hor, has been
?laced at the disposal of the press :
. _

"Information has been received of the prisoners at Mag.
dala up to January 17, and of those in the King's camp up
to January 9. All the prisoners were well. A I,2tachment
of troops left Magdala on January 1, joined ~,c King in
his camp, and were to return to Magdala with about 400
prisoners. The imprisoned Europeans were among the
number. Their leg-fetters had been removed, and hand-
cuffs substituted, so that they might march. It is under-
stood Mrs. Rosenthal would accompany them. There is
nothing in the information received from which we are
enabled to judge, either how far the King apprehends
the present posture of affairs, or what course he in-
tends to follow. The King was using every endeavour
to get the road towards Magdala made, working with his
own hands, and making the free Europeans help. He
had made some slight progress, and had arrived at the
bottom of the valley of the Djedda river. It is calculated
lie would reach Magdala by the end of February with his
'lamp ; though by abandoning the latter he could any day
Arrive there. The people of Dalanta, continue submissive
to him; but those of Daoont had again refused to sub-
mit to him. His soldiers were suffering from scarcity
of provisions and transport. It was reported in Magdala
that Memelek, the King of Shoa, had again set out for
Magdala, better prepared to act against Theodorus than
3n his former visit. A detailed communicati, n from
one of the captives, sent to friends in England, and
there published, has by some means reached the King's
camp, and is in the hands of M. Bardel. Apprehensions
are entertained that he will use it to the injury of the

prisoners."

'We are informed that Lord Bateman is recover-
ing from his recent illness.
THE REV. AIR. SPEKE.—There is no truth in the
paragraph which stated that Mr. Speke is in a private
lunatic asylum. He has arrived at Genoa, and letters
from thence give a favourable account of him.—Post.

THE CHARGES AGAINST MR. RASSAM.—There
has been published, in the form of a parliamentary return,
4, copy of a letter from Brigadier-General W. L. Mere-
ivether, C. 8., to his Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir
.
Napier, K.C.8., dated Zulla, the 18th January, 1868,
la exoneration of Mr. Rassam from the charge of misap.
iropriation of money, a matter to which we have already
tferred. Here is the letter:—" Camp, Zulla, Jan. 18,
868.—Sir, a discussion took place lately in Parliament
egarding the money received from King Theodore by Mr,
awsam, In justice to the latter gentleman, I have the
honour to state that the money so received was at once
credited by him to Government, and appears so in his
accounts, with a foot note that 6,800 dollars were taken
)ack from him by the King when the mission was hnpri-
coned in July 1866.—1 have, &c. (Signed) W. L. MERE-
WETHER, Brigadier-General, on special duty, Abyssinia."

DESTRUCTION OF A CHURCH BY FIRE. Tho
parish church of Wemdon (dedicated to St. George),
situate near Bridgwater, was destroyed by fire on Sunday
morning. During divine service, and just after the vicar
(the Rev. C. W. Alston) had given out his text, a loud
knocking was heard at one of the doors, and on its beirg
opened a man named Lyndham, who at a distance had
observed smoke proceeding from the roof, alarmed the con-
gregation by exclaiming, " Make haste out ; the church
is on fire." As might be expected, great consternation
prevailed, although no fire or smoke was then observed
inside the building. The members of the congregation,
however, hastily left their seats and got outside into the
churchyard, when it was seen that one portion of the roof
was in a blaze. It was evident that the flue belonging to
the stove had either become over-heated, or that there was
some defect in it, which had caused ignition of the rafters
between the ceiling and the roof. Everything that was
movable was quickly gathered up and removel from the
church, and a messenger was despatched for the West of
England fire-engine, at Bridgwater. which was brought to
the spot in an incredible short space of time, but, aided
by the strong wind, the fire had so much spread, that the
interior of the building was in flames. A plentiful supply
of water was procured from an adjoining brook, and
several men got upon the roof and succeeded in cutting off
)mmunication with the tower, which was thus saved,
together with a peal of five bells. With the exception of
that and the chancel, the whole of the building was entirely
destroyed, together with an organ, almost new, and the
beautiful carved oak pulpit. Until a few years past the
church was insured in the sum of £5OO, but was now un.,
is lured.