Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-23
HICKS PASHA'S DISCOMFIT
HIS ARMY CUT TO PIECES IN
THREE DAYS.

The Onslaught of Ell Mahdi's Forces
Irresistible-A German Artist the
Only SnrvivOr-The Enemy 10000
Strong-The Ex-Khedive Exposes the
Worthlessness of the Egyptian Force.
LONDON, Nov. pa dispatch dated
Cairo, at S:25 o'clock this morning. saws
that the army of Hicks Pasha has been
destroyed by the forces of Ell Mahdi. the
False Prophet. The intelligence of the
disaster was brought to Khartoum by
Coptlc officials. The fighting is said to
have continued from the Sd to the 5th
instant, and to have resulted in the CON-
plete annlhilation of the Egyptian troops.
1t is stated that a European artist was
the only person who escaped.
The forces of Ell Madhi comprised. il is
estimated, 10000 men, and included der
wishes, BedOuins, mulattOs and regulars.
The battle was fought near Ell Obeid. Ell
Madhi first sent forward deryishes. de-
clarlng that they would vanquish the
enemy by Divine aid. Subsequently the
regulars joined in the attack, and the en-
gagement became general. The army of
Hicks Pasha, which early in the battle
was divided into two bodies, was sub
sequently reunited and formed into
square, which the forces of the false
Prophet broke after three days desperate
lighting. A council of the Ministers has
been held, and it has been de-
clded to concentrate at Khartoum
what Egyptian troops remain at
Duem, Goba and other places in Soudan.
The force under Hicks Pasha comprised
20,OOO men. He had with him ten British
officers. Mr.. O'DOnovan, of the London
Ddtty NeloS, and an artist connected with
German illustrated paper, also accom-
panied his army. 1t is understood that
Slr Evelyn Barring has advised the Egyp-
tan Government to abandon Soudan and
establish a strong frontier line from
hhart0um, in the North SennOar Province.
to Suakim on the Red Sea. 1t is also
reported that the recent orders for the
evacuation of Egypt by the British troops
has been cOuntermanded.
Official accounts state that the force
under Hicks Pasha aggregated 1O, 800 men.
Ismall Pasha, the eX-KhediVe of Egypt,
IN an interview in London to-day with a
representative of the Pau Mall Gazette.
said that the disturbance in Soudan was
due to the weakness of the central gov
ernment at Cairo. Throughout Soudan,
he said, much power was exercised bv
renglous chiefs, who could he readily
controlled by cOnciliatory measures and
the allowance of small stipend, a prac-
tlce which had been unWisely discontiu-
ued. The sufferers by this discontinue
ton threw in their lot with the slavery
dealers, hence the present misfortune,
which might have been avoided if
the railway from Suakin to Ber-
Der, on the Nile, had been completed
to Soudan. The abandonment of that
scheme, he thought, was false economy.
He attributed the defeat of Hicks Pasha
to the constitution of his force. The
Egyptian soldiers, he said. needed more
than other soldiers flag, military music,
and the eclat of war. Without these thew
would not and could not fight. The army
included Arab Pasha's disbanded
soldiers who had been sent up like male
factors. How could Hicks Pasha. he
asked, fight with such material. The ex-
hhedlve was not surprised at the
calamity. He would not advise the SEMI
ing of English troops to SOudan, as such
course might involve greater evils.
1t is believed that the correspondent of
the London Graphic, who accompanied
Hicks Pasha, was killed.
LONDON, Nov. %, = A. M.-The Marquis
OF Salisbury in speaking at the banquet at
the Carlton Club last night, said that the
defeat of Hicks Pasha must end all
Thought OF the withdrawal of British
troops from Egypt. A number of French
papers express the opinion that the dis
aster In SOudan will lead to the perma-
nent English occupancy of Egypt.
A Caro- correspondent says that Cap
tam Hueston, who was with Hicks
Pashas forces, and escaped in the dis
gulse OF derViSh, says that on his way
from the battlefield he counted $50 surYi-
vorS of the engagement who We're wound
ed. Among these was the European ar
tist named Powers.