Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-02-24
THE EGYPTIAN sTRueelE.
Gen. Gordon Implored Aid from the
British Government
Knowing II Was Impossible For His Gar.
rison to Hold Out Much Longer
without More Supplies.
LONDON. Feb. 23.

TOT the purpose OF reSculng MIN, but II was
he says, designed to rescue the garrison a
Khartoum.
On Sept. 18th, he wrote as follows:
How many times have 1 written, skiing fol
roinforcements, but my letters have never
been answered. The hearts of my gallan,
men, weary with this long waiting for assis.
tance and failure to receive any words of en-.
couragement, which would lead them to ex
pect help, shortly. While you eat and drink
and rest in good beds, we are fighting"
1t appears from letter dated Dec l4th, tina,
Gen. Gordon never said Il can hold out for
years." as has been published, but on the
contrary, had declared that food was scarce,
and that relief should be sent him at once.
The Daily News says that on Dec. l4th.
when Gen. Gordon declared that Khartoum
was all right, he sent a secret and confiden
tial dispatch saving that his troops were suf
fering from lack of provisions and that Gen.
Wolseley should come quickly by the wav of
Metemneh or Berber.
The Egyptian Blue Book, issued today.
contains a letter sent by Gen Gordon tu
Gen. Wolseley, in December. ltsays: have
five steamers and nine guns at Metemneh.
waiting your order.
| can hold out 40 days longer with ease.
After that it will be different. The loss OF
Col Stewart is terrible. | told him to give
vcu all the information possible. He had nv
journal from Jan. 81 to Sept. 10Th. The
Mahdi is eight miles from Khartoum SEN
mar is all right.
The garrison there is aware you are coming
NV journal from Sept. 10th to date is on
board of one of the steamers which you will
fin at Metemneh. | continue to have ocea-
sional fights with the Arabs.
I hap I
out scores of messengers in all directions
during the last eight months. Do not send
private letters to me. The risk is too great
Do not write me in cypher. have none and
it is of no use.
Take the road from Abu Klea to Metem-
neh. You need not fear the Mahdi. Both
the Greek and Australian consuls are safe
The Mahdi has captured letter from the
King of Abyssina TO me. Your expedition,
as understand is for the relief of the gar
rison of Khartoum. which | failed to accom-
plish. decline to admit that il is for the
rescue of me personally.
A letter from Gen. Cor lon. dated Sept.
9th, contains the following statements: 1--WE
have sufficient money and provisions here at
Khartoum to last four months. At the expi-
ration of that period we shall be much en-
barrassed. The garrison at Galahat and peo-
pie in that neighborhood are continually
fighting and the inhabitants are opposed to
the Mahdi.
Although we wrote you that it was impos-
sibie to send Col Stewart to Berber, on ac-
count of many things which had occurred
here, we afterwards saw fit to send him with
the French and English consus in small
steamer to Dongola, to communicate with the
British Commodore there, con
cprniuu ha Snu3on W. ,ot,;Iol ...o
large steamers to accompany them to Berber
to keep the way clear for them to pass BY
Berber towards Dongoa.
How many times have we written for rein
forcements and calling your serious attention
to the Soudan, and no answer comes Of
course you take no interest to suppress this
rebellion, the serious consequences of which
are the reverse of victories for you Neglect
thereof won't do.
Stewart starts in two DAYS The reason for
sending him is because you have been silent
all this while. You have neglected us We
have lost time without doing anv good. Ii
troops be sent us the rebellion will cease when
they reach Berber, and the inhabitants will
return to their former occupations. There
fore, it is hoped you will listen to all that
Stewart tells you, and regard it seriously
Send the troops we have asked for without
DELAY.
Gen. Gordon's messenger on Dec. l4th, in
formed Gen. Wolseley, that Khartoum was
besIeged on all three sides, and that fighting
was carried on day and night but that Ell
Mahdi's men could not take it except bv
starving out the garrison.
Gen. Gordon also instructed the messenger
sent from khartoum, Dec 14th. to Berber.
the following message to Lord Wolseley:
Dr;-
of troops. The enemy is numerous. We
still hold Omduram. The Maids works are
within rifle shot The Mahdi lives beyond
gun shot. The Mshdi, a month ago, attacked
Ondurman and disabled one of their guns.
Fighting was renewed on the south side three
days later. The rebels we're again repulsed.
Come quickly. Don't leave Berber in the
rear. Keep the enemy in your front. Don't
let rumors OF your approach spread"
Suakim telegram says, the arrival of the
British troops has alarmed Osman Dgua. no
is irving to gather large force at Tomaiz
Osman recently killed messengers from Toka,
bearing news that the Nurdir of Dongola, as
sisted by the Shukrial tribe, engaged in battle
with the Hs1eno~s who attacked frie ndly
tribes, that were supplying the English with
grain. Two thousand of the Hadenows are
reported killed by the Murdir and his allies
The Blue Book concerning Egypt. contains
a telegram received in September, which
gives a summary of the letters sent by Gen
Gordon on various dates from April 2lst to
July 3lst, 1884. In this Gen. Gordon says:
''Let the relief expedition follow the right
flank of the Nile, from Wady Halfat 20 Ber
Der, in hope of surprising Berber. If you
find it impossible to follow the Nile route,
take the Msssomah route. Iwould not leave
Kbsrtoum if could
On Aug. oath, Gen. Gordon wrote to to the
English commander at Massomah:
'We have five months provisions and hope
to get more. Our country's role has not been
very noble in Egypt or the Soudan.
The government have accepted the service,
of 60 New Castle engineer volunteers for the
Soudan expedition.
The latest advices from the Soudan stats
that hostile rebels reappeared at Abu Klea,
on the night of the 10Th, and were dispersed
by few rounds from Buller's Gardner guns
This intelligence which is conveyed in q dis
patch dated at Abu Klea, Feb. 20. contains ,
statement that Arabs taken prisoners by Gen
Butler, state that the Mahdi has returned 4
Khartoum.
SYDNEY, N. S. w., Feb. %.
The popular fund for the equipment of tn,
New South Wales contingent to the Soudar
expedition now exceeds e750,0OO.