The Indianapolis journal., 1884-02-13
Tewfk Bey, Preferring Death to Surrender,
Blew Up the FOrtifcatiOns and Rushed
Forth to Meet the Enemy.
Vigorous Preparations at Suakim for
Raising the Siege at TOkar.
Debate in the British Parliament on the
Question of Censuring the Ministry for
Its YaeiIlating Policy in Egypt.
THE FALL OF SINKAT.
A Gallant but Hopeless Fight Made by the
Garrison.

A Gallant but Hopeless Fight Made by the
Garrison.
LONDON, Feb. I2-The Cabinet has been sum-
moned in council to discuss The Egyptian ques
ton. Official dispatches confirm the report of
the fall of Sinkat. The Cabinet are painfully
impressed 1t is probable large reinforcements
of troops and marines will be Immediately dis
patched to Egypt. 1t is rumored now that Tokar
has fallen into the hands of the rebels.
The news of the capture reached Suakim this
morning. 1t was brought by friendly Arab
chief. The garrison made a sortie, and for
long time successfully repulsed the rebel attacks,
but at last the attacking forces gained an ad-
vantage, and completely destroyed the garrison,
except a few, who were made prisoners. The
fate OF the women and children is unknown. The
streets of Suakim present heartrending APP
pearance, being thronged with women, whose
weeping and wailing give unmistakable evidence
of their distress and forebodings.
Further advices of the fall of Sinkat state
that Tewfk Bey, preferring death to surrender
blew up the Notifications, spiked the guns, and
made sortie. His six hundred men were all
massacred Seven men of war belonging to the
channel squadron have been ordered to Egyptian
waters.
A correspondent telegraphs: ''At last the
heroic garrison at Sinkat has been butchered.
For fortnight they have been eating roots and
tree leaves. 1t was an enfeebled band indeed
which made the sortie to die admist the
rebel hordes. Tewfk Bey had harangued.
his men, saying that by fighting they might
save themselves, but by remaining they must
die from hunger in few days Flight was inn
possible The men thus animated with Tewfk
Bey's spirit destroyed the military
stores, exploded the magazine, filled
their pouches to the utmost with
cartridges and issued forth, six hundred strong,
against the rebels. Osman Digma's hordes
rushed to the attack. Tewfik Bey and his men
fought nobly. For long time they repulsed ev
cry attempt to break their ranks. Finally supe
rior numbers prevailed, and with tremendous
rush. the rebels burst through one of the sides
of the Egyptian square. A general massacre
ensued and not a soul escaped"
According to the latest reports, only four sick
men, unable to take part in the sortie, and
thirty women, were spared by the the
rebels. Before the sortie a rebel
sheikh approached Sinkat and summoned
Tewfk Bey to surrender saying his life would
be spared The garrison answered defantly, re-
Wiling the rebels. During the sortie the women
and children followed in the rear of the soldiers.
large number of rebels were killed The reb-
els are now massing in the vicinity of Sualim.
The Sinkat contingent having been lost, at
tack on Suakim is believed to be imminent.
The British Minister at Cairo telegraphs that
after the battle the rebels entered Sinkat and
put everyone to the sword.
A correspondent at Cairo says: 'The disaster
to Baker Pasha's army caused moth
ing like the sorrow which prevails
among Englshmen here over the massacre
at Sinkat There is a universal feeling of hu-
kat were killed almost within sight of the Brit
ish ships."