New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-28
because a large number of the toreiGh-Dofh
have not vet been naturallzed.
ASpEcTS or TIE WAR.

ASPECTS or IHE " IN.
The British cavalry took possession OF the
Kossarin lock in the Sweet Water Canal on
Saturday. This marked an advance OF less
than four miles 1t is probable that several
davs of inaction will ensue, rs an adequate
system of forwarding supplies will have to be
orranped before there can be any decisive
oncrations. In every campaign the commits
soriat and transportation problems are among
the most harassing which the staff has to solve.
Often there will be the worst work In this
DEPARTMENT when in all other respects the
management of the campaign will be brilliant
The Abyssnian expedition was great feat,
of which England was justly proud, yet the
transportation of supplies was most wretch
edy managed. In the Crimea the defects OF
this branch of the service were even more
glaring Mr.. Chiders's schemes of army re-
form will not be worth the debates to which
they have led if the old blunders OF trans
portaton are repeated in the present campaign
The Turkish Government has Withdrawn us
opposition to the purchase of Syrian mules ana
large drOvcs can speedily be shipped 10 Is
MALTA. But Syrian mules were landed by the
thousand AT the base of supplies for the ADyS-
slnian expedition, ana there was nothing bnt
vexatlous delay and gross mismanagement.
General Wolseley has admitted in his dis
patches to the War Office that he had no
intention Of making so rapid an advance from
Ismailia. The water supply was partially cut
off. and he sent forward a strong column
TO remove the distractions; and then
encountering the enemy in force, he
resolved to push on and obtain
possession of the only lock in the Sweet
Water Canal. Unless the course of the chan
mel can be cfcctually diverted at Ia
gazig, the British army now have an
abundant supply of water for man ana
beast. Concerning the quality OF this water
there are conflicting reports. 1t Is generally
described as sweet but wholesome, but there are
grounds for believing that at certain seasons II
induces most distressing disease. a
medical member of the British Consulate
at Alexandria is quoted by one OF the
London journals as saying that three
fourths of the fcllahcen suffer from this
scourgc, which is caused 10y parasite that
is supposed to find its way into the human
system through the medium of minute mol
luscs swarming in the fresh-water canals.
The army may not be exposed to this plague
i'm its march through modern Goshen, but UNI
less unusual precautions are taken large
proportion of the rank and file are likely to
be invaded during the first month of the
campaign. The swcltcring heat will induce
thirst, and the soldiers will not use the filters,
even if they are provided with them. a free
water supply may prove source OF deadly
peril in IL climate to which they are unaccus-
toned.
The British ironclads are making the most
of the present opportunity for sun-practice.
Scarcely day passes without an exchange OF
shots between a man Of-waT and the fOltilica-
tons at Aboullir Arabs Outposts are fro
qucntly shellcd 10y an ironclad which runs in
close to the shore for the sake Of giving It's
gunncrs little practice. The shells are in
variab,y reported as bursting in the centre
of the cnemy's camp" and the reply being
"weall " and the sport rather tame the war
ship rctres to its former anchorage. The
ouiv effect of this random firing from single
vessels is to promote efficiency among
the artcrists of the fleet and, incidentally, to
kill a few Egyptians on shore. That the gun
ncrs need practice was cYinced during the
bombarlmcnt of Alexandria. The elevation OF
the heavy guns was so inaccurate and the gen
cral work of the fleet so poor that ten hours
were required for slcncing the land batteries !;
and when the ruins were examined after tie
bombarlmcnt it was aSccrtaincd that many OF
the guns had been knocked out of position by
their own recoi, and that owing to the dcfec-
tive fuses used by the gunners hundreds OF
shells had not exploded The effects OF the
bombardment were on the whole so unsatis-
factory that there has been no disposition to
repeat the experiment at Aboukir. The out
posts are favored with an occasional shell, and
there the practice ends.