New-York tribune., 1885-02-08
NOTHING YET FROM GORDON.
REPORTS THAT THE GENERAL IS DEAD.
CONDITION OF GENERAL STEWARDS FoRcE-MovE.

lIoNDoN, Ecu. I.-AOVlceS HOm UuDat, uatcu
February !, give gloomy statements about the con-
ditIon OF General Stewards army there The men
had been placed on threc-quarter rations. The
camels, however, had plenty of forage. shendy, on
the opposite bank of the Nile, and Metemneh, three
miles from Gubat, were occasionally shelled by
steamer. The troops were busiy employed In
cleaning the ground in front of the camp, and in
detached work at the adjoining villages. The main
earthworks erected for the protection OF
the camp from the river front had
already been greatly strengthened, and it
was calculated that they would be
completed that night. Several of the who had
been wounded in the desert battles had died Ia
camp since the arrival of the army at Gubat. The
others were doing well. The remainder or the Royal
artillery and Naval brigade with ten guns In
cluding one Gardner. had arrived. convoy had
been sent back to Gakdul Wells for more stores
and had taken forty of the wounded along Nearly
every night the pickets exchanged shots with un-
friendly Arabs
A second dispatch received from Stewards camp
at Gubat. whence it was forwarded on February 1,
states that Colonel Wilson had the island where
he was stranded go refugees whom he found along
the banks of the Nile near Khartoum. The Gubat
camp has been greatly strengthened.
Late advices show that the camp daily sends ont
foraging parties These patrol the Nile on steamer,
and take whatever forage and cattle they can pro-
cure. Whenever the owners of these supplies ap-
pear they paid in money for the cattle and for
age. With the single exception of the part OF
small tribe four miles south Of the camp and on the
opposite bank of the river, there natives IN
the vicinity Of the camp who profess frlendiness
for the British and offer them cattle for SALE But
even these fire after the English steamers when
they leave In order to deceive the hostile natives.
Before Colonel Wilson gave up the attempt to
reach Khartoum his little steamers sustained for
four hours the fire OF 1000 rihemen, eight Krupp
guns and eight machine guns. The Arabs showed
splendid practice handling the large guns. The
water the Nile is rapidly falling, and navigation
on the river above Metcmneh will soon become ini-
practicable The troops at Gubat are cheerful, but
their officers exhibit much fretfulness and disap-
pointment over the absence of rcinforcements and
of Lord Wolseley. The Arabs deny that General
Gordon has been made prisoner, aud state that he
was killed action having refused to give or take
quarter No trustworthy intelligence, however,
has yet been received as TO Gordons fate. The spy
service organized by Lord Wolseley, and now
directed by Colonel Wilson, has misied the con-
mander throughout the campaign.
TIE SITUATION AT METEMNEH
Dispatches from Korti to-day indicate q serions
state of affairs at the British position near Metem-
that courier who has just arrived from Gubat re-
ports Colonel Boscawen, the commander at that
place seriously ILL., and that the Mahdis forces are
preparing 10 attack the British camp. The Arabs
have several heavy guns which are being gradually
moved up so as to bear on the British camp, ana
other field pieces being manGuvred ior the
sun,e PURPOSE Natives report that tho Mahdi mas
90. .oSo mcn scattered between BerDer, shendy ana
Metemneh and that the force at the latter place Is
daily receiving reinforcements
The dispatches which have passed between Lord
Woseey and the Government have contained no
reference TO the employment Of Turkish troops in
the soudan, but the adyisabihty of negotiating
with Italy for help in the shape of troops has been
discussed No objection has been made TO the en-
ployment of Indian troops to assist the Brltlsh
forces IN Egypt and the opinion has been expressed
that several thousand of these troops might pro-
| ceed from Bombay 10 Suakim In five days. Inc
War Office and the Admiralty issued last night
| number of important orders looking to the relief OF
| the troops III the Soudan.
There is strong opinion at the War Office that
General Gordon was killed Ii is stated on good
authority that some time ago Generat Ooruoh
warned Lord Wolseley that he tGordon) was in
| danger of treachery. 1t was on this account that
| Lord Wolseley expedited small force across the
Bayuda Desert with orders to make all possible
| speed in reaching Khartoum.
| dispatch from Merawi says: 1.-The Black Watch
| and the Stallordshire regiments have passed the
| Bahami cataract. On their way they destroyoo
| the houses Of suleIman Wad Gainz, VINO perpe-
| trated the massacre of Colonel Stewart ana party
| The rebels abandoned the shakook Pass and much
| ammunition and grain was found there. The
| Cornwall Regiment is now passing the cataract.
| The TeLgrdph has received dispatch from ADu
| Kru on the Nile, place not far from Metelnheh'
| dated February !, saying: "Colonel wilson party
state that Khartoum fell on January ~. Inc
river banks above the sixth cataract were crowded
with Arabs. The Mahdi, in a letter calling upon
our officers to surrender implies that General Cor
don is alive General Stewart expects to be closely
| invested here"
| The Standard Times and Post have still received
| no telegrams from the front. 1t is feared that
| ample time has already elapsed since the 1au Oh
| Kbartoum to allow the rebels to 10 axe moVemehe
from Omdurman against the flank or rear 2i I .ne
Isolated garrisons of Abu klca and UnDasi iaj suJ
| n movement has been made 1t Will Do aDsDoiutty{
necessary to depend on the Nile steamers 10 iuini
| those garrisOns with supplies .., A.. na,v
| IL Is currently reported at Woolwltn thae hom
army corps of 10000 men will be sent 70 nj hp' he
toum by tho way of Abyssnla anu tnat |, ~ r twn or
| accompanied by q siege train manned py wv VIM
mepts Of which are now ready at Malta and Alex
| andria The fact that the Goyernnleht ~ mAIS NAN \;
inquiries concerning for i,os u rho ,dea
| that march through Abyssna is c9ntempiatgha, h.
Ii is considered that Colonel hgs' c%o wmo
ianSed by Lord Wolseley, has just arrived at
| Wooiwich.
GORDON REPORTED DEAD.
The Government has issued orders allowing 'no M.
| free transmission of news from the Soudah uh.n
Sunday night, after which new restrictions wiz DO
imposed Ou his way from Gubat to khartouin oh
January 20, Colonel Wilson was told Dy natives
along tho Nile that General Gordon had Deeh nRn'c
| ing hard fer fifteen days. On January ~ h"'i,o
reported that General Gordon was DEAD vi 'h'
return from Khartoum to Gubat severa ha'Nes io-