River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-08-17
THE EGYPTIAN WAR.
Occupation of the Suez Canal by q
krltish-OtheP News from the Fro

that 'sthe enemy were driven in from
all their advanced posts and compelled
to bring into action all their troops
available in front of their principl
lines of entrenchm ents at Kafr-el-
Dwar-namely, four hattalions of in
fantry, a force of cavalry and several
| guns. The latter were completely
| silenced by the accurate fire of the
| forty-pounder. The Egyptian infantry
held their ground with considerable
! steadiness. The marines on the rail-
road, who were under the immediate
control of Gen. Alison, pushed the
enemy back upon their second lire of
intrenchments toward Kari. ell war.
The marines, supported by the South
Staffordshire regiment and rifles. suf
fered somewhat, but behaved with the
greatest GOODNESS and steadiness under
a heavy fire. The object Of the British
operations, which was TO compel the
enemy to display what force and what
guns they had in front of the main
position, was completely attained. This
was ascertained by nightfall, when the
British were slowly and steadily with
drawn. No accurate account of the
killed and wounded is yet obtainahle.
The enemy's loss is unknown. A
large number of the wounded fell into
the hands of the British. Many dead
were seen. A considerable number of
the enemy were made prisoners.
THE sUEZ CANAL.
1t is reported at Ismalia that Arab
Pasha has ordered four thousand
troops to approach the canal. The
Spanish frigate Carmen had arrived at
Port Said and was about to enter the
canal. The British were preparing
reservoirs at SueZ to insure a plentiful
supply of water.
1t is stated that the khedive has
authorized the English admiral at
Port Said to take what steps he thinks
necessary in the canal, and has confer
red ON him the title of Governor of
the Isthmus. The Suez canal COM
pany passed q special resolution de-
claring that as the khedive could not
authorize the making of the Suez
canal without the sanction Of the SUI
tan, he las no power to interfere with
it.
IN THE CAMPS.
Face to face are the armies of the
Egyptians and the British, and an &C
ton is impending. The Egyptians,
should they be defeated, have Cairo
and the Libyan desert to fly to- The
British, with Alexandria at their back
and an Alexandria, moreover, which
is covered by the guns of one of the
strongest fleets that ever went forth to
do battle with an antagonist-have a
tolerably secure place Of retreat IN the
event of any disaster Detailing their
/, arms. The routine of the British sol
) dier's life in the time of warfare is SIM
liar to that of the American. In the
morning he must fall into the ranks at
bugle call and answer to his name.
Later he has to take his turn at guard
or picket duty. He may have to fall
into patrolling party or take part in
Reconnaissance; then when he has
nothing more to do, he May lounge
about among the tents, smoking his
clay pipe or chatting with comrade.
The scene differs strangely in the camp
of the Egyptians. There the majority
of the soldiers are dressed in a mongrel
European fashion, with the tarboosh
or fez as the most conspicuous national
characteristic of their uniform; but
there is minority whose picturesque
costumes are distinctly Oriental. The
Bedouin, with his gaudily-colored ker-
chief wrapped about his head, leaving
ends that float upon his shoulders, his
long, white, mantle-like garments. and
his sandalled feet; the Soudanese, with
white turbans, flowing raiment,
and baggy trousers; the Abyssinian
adventurer, who dresses as he pleases,
, much as his brother the Nubian does
all form singular contrast with the
quietly uniformed soldiers of the "reg
| uIar'F force. On the eve of battle these
soldiers show different scene in camp
: from that which their antagonists pre-
sent. Sitting cross-legged in front of
their tents, which are but pieces of
thin canvas stretched on crOss-sticks,
and are so low that their occupants
have to enter them by crawling, they
assemble in groups and pass around
the chibouque or narghileh, the bub-
bling sound of which as the smoke
passes through the water is almost the
only sound that is heard except the
neighing or the stamping Of the horses
that are picketed by the heels behind
the camps irregular lines.
An officer gallops along and warns
them to be ready, They rise hastily to
their feet, crawl into their tents for
their arms, and hustle up together
!! before they finally fall into line. But
they do it all with very little noise 1t
,, is possible to find not a noisy but a
hilarious group but this is generally
: where chosen few of the black-faced
and laughter-loving faithful from the
Soudan have surrounded story-teller,
whose variations of the deeds of genii
or the merry tricks among mortals of
lesser supernatural worthless alternately
excite their deep-voiccd wonder or their
spontaneous, child like mirth. A British
soldier seeing an Arab or Egyptian
camp, and noting the recumbent posi-
, ton and stoical manner of the majority
of its occupants, might imagine that
such people as these had no energy for
fighting but he would be egregiously
f mistaken A French traveller, who
J recently closely observed the Egyptian
! army and all its incongr uous elements
of pure fel abeen-Copts, Berbers,
Nubians, western Christians, Turks.
Abyssinians, and Soudanese--came to
this conclusion: They are admirably
trained, drilled and disciplined under
| bl0 VI an S-ASCCAAbSiJ ANY,
staff of American and other foreign
officials, and the result is that "a finer
looking soldier than an Egyptian sol
der can be seen nowhere" Such IS a
brief sketch of the troops that are now
waiting" Arabi's men are strongly
posted in the vicinity of Ramleh; but
his strongest position is on the narrow
neck of land which stretches from the
Aboukir lake to the northern verge of
Mareotis. With broad country be-
hind him, railway, and plenty of
water in the Manmoudish canal. Arab
Bay ought to be able to make stub
born resistance to any British force at
empting to move along the neck and
drive him from his position. A con-
spicuous feature of that neck of land
is that it is filed with marshy ground,
which will seriously interfere with the
free movements both Of British cav
airy and artillery. The ground Arab
has CHOSEN is, on the contr airy, firm
enough to permit of very effective
maneuvering.
sKIRAISH.
ALEXANDRIA, Aug. 100 p. m.-The
guns of the ironclad Temeraire, lying
opposite Ramleh, caved the ground be-
tween the British lines and ouposts of
the enemy. The Temeraire just be-
gan firing. In consequence OF the out
| noo4S ara mo limo q forward move