Daily Republican., 1885-02-06
AN ENGLISH DtFEAT,
K HARTOU TAKEN BY THE
ARA ABIANS-WHERE EA BOUTS
OF GORDON UNKNOWN.

LONDON, February 6-Iptelligence
has just been rec.ived that Khartoum
9 been captured by the Arabian
rebels. The whereabouts of General
Gordon is unknown. He 10 probably
. prisoner in the hands Of the victors, =
The War Office has issued the follow
ing:
Telegr ans from General wolseley
announce that the fall of Khartoum
took place on January 20. He SAYS
Colonel Wilson arrived at Khartoum
on January %, and was greatly sur
prised to find that the enemy were in
possession of that place. He immedi.
ately started on his return down the
river, and proceeded under q heavy fire
from the rebels. When some miles
below the Shublaka Cataract, Colonel
Wilson g steamers were wrecked, but
he and his whole party managed to
reach an island in safety, where they
are secure. A steamer has gone to bring
them back to the British camp near
Metemneh.
When Sir Charles Wilson reached
Khartoum he found the Mahdi's forces
| occupied both the town and the citadel.
and tried to land to ascertain the fate OF
General Gordon, but this step he found
impossible. The enemy's guns were
turned upon him in full force. He was
therefore compelled to turn his back
upon the fallen city and return to
Gubat without finding out whether
General Gordon was dead or alive,
Military authorities are of the opin-
ion that General Gordon sent the great
or part of his troops down The Nile to
meet General Stewart's force, and 20
depleted tho garrison in the town and
citadel Of Kbartoum that an attack
from the enemy from Omderman was
rendered much easier.
LONDON, Feb. 5.-Colonel Wilson
had three steamers, two of which wore
wrecked In the Nile exactly half way
between Khartoum and Metemneh, The
third steamer, bearing Colonel Wort.
ley and his party, came on and brought
the news to the British camp near Ne
temneh,
The first news of the fall of Khartoum
received by General Wolsele was
brought by messenger, who left the
island where Colonel Wilson was strand
ed and came on foot to Pubat. Two
messengers were despatched to Korti
via Abu. Klea and Gakdul. They
reached their destination in safety,
owing to the fact that the news OF
Khartoum's fall had not reached the
desert. Intelligence of the disaster,
however, has since spread far and wide
Some tribes that have hitherto pro-
fessed friendship for England have de-
clared for the Mahdi.
The Arabs still hold Metemneh. The
garrison there received the news of the
fall of Khartoum with repeated salvos
of artillery. When Colonel Wilson's
fictilla approached Khartoum, IL was
compelled to run the gauntlet of
heavy fire from both banks. The
rebels had four Krupp guns on the
river banks at Halfujeh to lombard
the steamers. When the British force
reached Omdurmau, mum bers of rebels
continued the fusillade. Things look
ed worse when it was discovered that
the enemy was in possession of the
Island of Tutti, just outside the city.
The English still pushed ahead, but
were dismayed to find that the garrison
commenced firing upen them. No flags
were flying from the public buildings.
and the town appeared TO be in undis-
puted possession of the enemy. The
palace seemed to have been Quilted.
Finding 1t impossible to land in the
face of the overwhelming numbers of
the rebels, the British were obliged to
retire.
The rumors concerning the fate of
General Gordon are many and varied,
but all agree that the Mahdi captured
Khartoum by treachery. The most
reliable reports point to one Faraz
Pasha as the traitor. 1t Is said that he
being left in charge of the ramparts
opened the gates on January Goth and
admitted the enemy. Some rumors
state that the Mahdi, together with q
few leantines,is is cooped up in church.
Others sav General Gordon has been
seen wearing the Mahdi's uniform. The
majority agree, however, that General
Gordon has been killed.
1t is reported that Gen. Lord Wolse.
ley commenced an advance from Korti
to-day for the relief of the troops near
and that he sent orders to
Gen. Earle to hasten his advance
against Berber, in order to assist in the
relief of Metemneh. The objective
point of all Gen. Wolseley's movements
Is now Metemneh