The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-12
ENGLAND AND THE soUDAN.
No Positive Proof of Gordon's Daath-Plans
for

for the Suakim Campaign.
LONDON, Feb. 1L-General Wolseley tele-
graphs the government that scouts sent to Khar-
toum have returned, and confirm the report of
the killing of General Gordon, and the atroci-
ties committed in Khartoum by the Mahdis
men.
The War Office refuses to officially confirm the
dispatch which states that Gen. Woseley has
telegraphed the government that scouts sent to
Khartoum, to ascertain the fate of Gen. Gordon,
have returned with proof of his death.
General Gordon, before his departure on his
mission to the Soudan, told personal friend
who now makes the story public, that he enter
tanned presentment that he would never re-
turn from Khartoum. Gordon said the present
iment was distinct and intense, and he could not
push it off. Throughout his entire life he said
he had always been strongly and correctly af-
fected by presentiments. During his military
career in China he was guided by
them, but never even in the most
critical moments of that eventful
period had ne ever expected death His friend
also asserts that, in pursuance of his belief in
the presentiment which covered him with it's
shadow before he started for Khartoum, Gen
cIdi 0oIuoH ACTUALLY UeSCOWeu upon HIS CLOS0u
friends all his trinkets and mementos.
The following official announcement was
made to-day: lord Rosebery is appointed
Lord of the Privy Seal, and First Commissioner of
public works. Lord Rosebery and Mr. Shaw
Lefevre, Postmaster general, will occupy seats
in the Cabinet General Graham is appointed
to the command of the Suakim- Berber exped-
tion. General Fremantle will command the
guards, with General Greayes as chief of staff. !"
woLsELEYs PLANS APPROVED.
The Cabinet to-day approved General Wolse-
ley's plan for an early advance from Suakim to
Berber A narrow gauge railroad will be laid to
Ariab 130 miles west of Suakim, where an in
, trenched camp will be formed, with central de-
pot Leaving Ariab, the army will proceed by
forced marches to Berber. 1t is calculated the
march will begin about the third week in March,
and it is hoped Berber will be reached in six
weeks. Ariab where the intrenched camp will
be formed, is on the road from Suakim to Ber-
Der, and is described Smiling oasis" where
there is good pasturage and plenty of water.
There is still Slight hope for Gordon's life
The accounts of the newspaper correspondents
come from common native source, and there
General Gordon were Hanzal, the Austrian vice
consul, and twenty Greeks and Levantine mer-
chants. The firm at Alexandria for whom the
Greeks have been acting as agents do not be-
lieve the story Of the massacre at Khartoum
1t is known that the Mahdi holds fifty Greeks
prisoners in his camp or at ell Obeid, and that
they we'll treated. In reply to inquiries,
Gen. Wolseley telegraphed that he has no more
authentic news than that brought to Korti by
Colonel Wilson. .- ----.---~---z--
The contingent from India to take part in the
Suakim -Berber expedition has been raised to
5000 men. General Hudson, not General Rob
erts, will command. This expedition is ex-
pected to arrive at Suakim several days before
the Guards reach there. The entire force for
the expedition is due at Suakin within three
weeks.
Many surgeons are volunteering to go to the
Soudan and aid the medical corps. A number
of female hospital nurses will accompany the ex-
pedition. A majority of the nurses selected for
service wear medals presented for efficient work
in the former Egyptian campaigns.
Up to midnight on Wednesday the govern
ment had no official advices confirming the re-
port of General Gordon's death.
European newspapers, without exception, de-
plore the death of General Gordon as an inter
national calamity.
The Paris Figaro says that the Mahdis min
lister of war is NJ Verett. He was formerly a
captain in the French army, but joined the
Mahdi in 1882, and taught the Arabs how to
break squares when formed by troops in battle.