, 1885-02-07

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| will aid in the defeat Of Mahdi and will
secure the release Of Gen. Gordon, il
alive or wreak vengeance upon the Arabs
if slain. The telegraph line between
London and Korti is entirely occupied
with dispatches between the cabinet and
Lord Wolseley.
Wolseley to Have Full Power.
LONDON, Feb. ct is understood that
the cabinet council to-day decided to give
Lord Wolseley carte blanche to take any
measures he deems necessary for the res
cue Of Gen. Gordon, if alive, and make
use of such military operations as he con-
siders advisable to regain the ground lost
in Soudan by the fall of Khartoum.
Among the alternatives suggested to
Wolseley are the immediate recapture of
Khartoum and the employment. if neces-
sary, of Indian troops to reopen the Der
Der route.
Col Wortley was in charge Of only one
Of Col. Wilson's three steamers, which
succeeded in reaching Tubat from Khar-
toum, the two others having been
wrecked. He furnishes detailed reports
Of the movement Of the expedition. This
shows the three steamers in command Of
Col. Wilson reached Khartoum, Jan. Is,
following the course Of the White Nile.
Reaching Khartoum it was found to be
utterly impossible to land troops. Then
follows a description Of the firing by the
| rebels and the return Of the steamers as
given in yesterdays Associated Press re-
ports. Continuing, Col. Wortley says
THE government house Of Khartoum APP
peared to be wrecked. One man was
killed and five wounded during the attack
on the steamers. Col. Wilson's steamer
was wrecked four miles above the enemy's
position, below the bottom of Shublaka
cataract. The second steamer was wrecked
Jan. 80. We reached Gubat in small
boats the same day that Khartoum fell.
Jan. &c. Gen. Gordon's fate is still in
doubt, and the reports in regard to him
are conflicting. 1t is the general opinion,
however, that he was killed. Some say
he is with the Greeks in their church al
Khartoum. The fall of Khartoum has
decided the Shukriyeh tribes to join i
Mahdi. which places both banks of the
Nile under the control of the enemy
The natives greatly fear the English anC
the advance of Gen. Earle's column il
awaited with anxiety by them. The ia
tives say FL Mahdi is hard pressed fo
supplies and that he had great difficulty
in persuading the emirs to attack us. A
messenger from FL Mahdi reached Col
Wilson, Jan. 30. He said Gen. Gordol
had adopted ri Mahdi's uniform. TIL
courier brought the following messag
from El Mahdi:
II call upon you to surrender. 1 shal
not write again. If you do not becom
Mohammedans l will wipe you off tn
face Of the earth"
The statement is confirmed that Fara
Pasha treacherously made terms with \
|, Mahdi, whereby the latter was enable
to capture Khartoum. Gen. Wolsele
sends the following dispatch:
'sTalbot's convoy reached Gubat safely
The enemy at Metemneh has been entir,
ly inactive since Jan. %. The rebel fore
there is estimated between 1000 an
. 1900, Of whom $50 are horsemen, an
500 have rifles; our men are in goo
+ health. The wounded are doing vel
. The Kabbabish tribes are still carryin
messages and supplies for us to Gakdl
z wells. A messenger sent to ascertain Il
n fate of Gen. Gordon"
The announcement is confirmed hat
: a cabinet council to-day it was decided
give Gen. Wolseley complete discretic
! as to the course to be pursued in Soudal
h He has been instructed to take all mea
ures necessary to the successful operate
of the campaign The government W
give him any assistance he may need ]
dispatching troops from Suakim to Be
: Der. Gen. Wolseley will make eve
effort possible to save Gordon if alive.
The widest rumors are afoat in Loi