, 1882-10-07

morning a powerless captive was on Fri
day again master of Egypt; and the Bri-
rish Ministry, on Wednesday preparing
reinforcements, is to-day heavily burdened
with the difficulties of disposing of a con
quest. The British people, which half
expected defeat, look on phlegmatically,
not disposed to illuminate, but, neyerthe-
less, with an inner conviction that the
stars in their courses have this time recog-
missed British merit as it deserved.
Before six on the morning of Saturday,
Arab, having received information that
the advanced guard at Kassassin Lock
was weak, made an attack in force. lie
moved out hiS whole army, opened fire
with thirty guns upon the camp; and waen
the British turned ont, attempted to make
Il flank attack with his cavalry, while the
infantry rushed the Railway. The
Household Brigade, however, outlanked
the horsemen, and the main body OF the
infantry, said to have been 1000 strong,
were driven back by the Royal Marines,
t he Kings Rifles. and the York and Ian
caster Regiment. BY eleven o'clock the
action was over, with trihin& loss on either
side. The skirmish was in itself unimpor-
tant, but it showed that the enemy were
not prepared to face the Europeans in the
open at any odds whatever, and spread
among the soldiers q contempt for their
adversarieS which a few days after pro-
duced most important results. The re
pulse may, moreover, have greatly shaken
the confidence of the EgyptianS. Sir
Garnet Wolseley was earnestly pressed to
follow up the success, but he refused, and
was, of course, greatly criticised at home.
He occupied himself with bringing up his
troops from Ismailia, and on Tuesday
found himself with 1000 bay0Hets, 2,000
sabres, and GO guns, and ample munitions
ready at the front.
On Tuesday, therefore, the stroke was
struck. The Army was ordered to march
by night to Tel.el-Kebir, and commence
the attack at daylight. The men rested
and slept two hours half way, on the sand
hills, and then ut five o'clock, still undiS-
covered, advanced to the attack. They
were at last perceived, and a heavy fire
was poured on the advancing lines; but
the enemy, surprised and alarmed, aimed
both shells and bullets too high, and the
loss was comparatiyely triding. The men
advanced steadily. without firing, and With
Il rush flung thomsclYcs-the Highland
Brigade and the Royal Irish lcaQjng-into
the entertainments, which contained, Sir
Garnet W0lSeley believes, 10000 men,
besides Bedouins. The Egyptians fought
in places like brave men, once checking
the Highlanders; but they were Yer
whelmed by the superior physique eli their
adyerSarieS, and within twenty minutes
were hying to the right and left. Those
to the right were attacked by the cavalry,
those to the LET'S by the Indian Contingent,
and the slaughter became considerable.
About 1000 are supposed to have been
killed, 5000 surrendered, and the remain
der, fingiug away their arms, spread over
the open country. The actual engagement
was over IN h~alf-an-hour, and 60 guns,
70 great tents, and endless arms and pro
visions fell into British hands. We had
lost, so far as yet ascertained, in killed 81,
of whom IL were officers; and i'll wounded
342, Of whom % were officers.
That rush ended the war. Arabj fled
early to Cairo by train, arrived there alone,
and went to his own house. His men
deserted and helpless, never attempted to
rally, and Sir Garnet kept up a fierce pur-
suit. The Indian Contingent occupied
Zagazig, the Cavalry seized Beliefs, and
Sir Garnet Wolselcy himself, with the
Guards, started for Cairo. He halted at
Benha, only to hear that Arab had been
arrested by the police, and that the re-
naming military, 10000 in number, had
decided to place the city at his disposal.
Cairo was Immediately occupied by Gene
raj Lowe, and thus, within forty-eight
e E+lo HDo1 Or1ar tO march the