The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-01-15
The Khediyes War in Abyssinia.
Charleston News and Courier.

Charleston News and Courier
Recent kilograms give some account
of the horrible fate of two thousand
Egyptian soldiers, who, with several
American and European officers, were
ambushed and slaughtered by the Abys-
sinians. Only one officer is said to
have escaped, and McKillop Pasha, an
ex-officer of the British navy who great
ly distinguished himself in the Crimean
war. is prisoner. This officer was
for many years captain of the port OF
Alexandria.
When the whole story of the dlsas-
ter shall be told, it will, no doubt, be
found that the unfortunate Gen. Aren-
drop. a Dane in command of the ex-
pedition, had nominally under him an
Egyptian officer of high rank, whose
mower was superior to that of the COM
manding officer, so-called, and who
placed every obstacle in the way OF a
successful prosecution of the campaign
bv ssChristian dog" Most probably
this person was 'Rauf' Pasha," who,
also. Is on the list of slain. This officer
was the nephew of Nubar Pasha, the
Khedive's minister of foreign affairs.
Such as that of Arendrop has been
the lot of every foreigner entrusted
with an Egyptian command. lt was
so with Sir Samuel Bakers expedition
for the suppression of the slave trade !;
and Gen. Loring, when placed in
command of Alexandria and ten thou
sand men, was fatty refused, by a
subaltern, headquarter guard OF ten
men.
The natural jealousy of the EgyP-
tians and their religious hatred OF for
eign officers, will most likely cause dis
aster to every Egyptian expedition sent
out. The regiments of the Egyptian
army consist of three battalions each,
of eighteen hundred men, differed by
a colonel, lieutenant colonel, three
majors, and the usual compliments OF
captains, lieutenants, etc. Of these
only two are ssofficers and gentlemen
according to the American idea OF
rank for majors wait on the table for
colonel and lieutenant colonel on state
occasions, and are treated with less
consideration than sergeant is in any
civilized service. The strength OF the
army is over forty thousand men,
ssfeliahs" or peasants pressed into
service against their will, and often
mutilating themselves to escape it.
They are perfect only in the formation
of squares, which they have regarded
as the whole science of war ever since
Napoleon repulsed the Mameluke cav
airy at the Pyramids. Their pay is a
miserable pittamce, given to them at
long and irregular intervals. There is
no paymaster's department, and the
money for the troops is supplied by
whatever department happens to be in
funds at the time, whether the custom
house, the Khedive's privy purse, or the
interior department. The food of the
troops is brown bread and dates meat
they rarely taste. Twenty American
officers and other foreigners are
attached to this force, and their labori-
Gus duties consists in DOMINIC brilliant
uniform on state occasions, sham bat
ties, etc., and in punctually attending
the opera Bouffe in Cairo. Any hon
est effort ON their part meets with op.
position from the natives; or the
credit of their plans is appropriated by
some ''true believer" if adopted, and
the only answer to complaints is the
Arabs comforting "Insh! Allah Git
pleases God.)
The danger of the new expedition to
be sent against the Abyssinians does
not lie in the forces of the enemy, but
in the court at Cairo and the inevita
BILE creature of theirs who will accom-
pany the expedition nominally as &
subordinate. with private instructions
in his pocket to cause the Christians to
fail at any price.