Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-20
THE WAR ALONG THE NILE.
.PALLfxc BAoK TO Anu KbEA.
General faiisr Undessrmsnes whsfser "
Retreat 90 xorti or Advance On Berber-
The mahdi Comma.

Retr~ss 90 xorti or Advance an Berber-
The siahdi Comma.
A London special says: Reports from
Abu klea, dated on the evening Of the
18th instant, state that General Butler
announced his intention to evacuate his
position near Gubat and withdraw his
whole force to Abu Klea, which is bet
ter strategic position. After rendering
Gordon's two steamers useless by re-
moving their machinery, the whole force
started on the morning Of the 18th in
slant across the desert, and arrived at
Abu Klea next day without firing a
shot. The men are in cheerful frame
Of mind. They prefer walking to
camel-riding.
The Arabs who were massed IN and
around Metcmneh did not notice this
movement for several hours after Gubat
had been deserted. The British will
retire to Gakdul Wells, and may posi-
bly, continue the retreat to kortl, IN
order to concentrate the force there
under the command of General Wolse-
ley for a fresh advance. Lord Charles
Bercsford displaced the machinery OF
the steamers in such way as to make
il impossible for FL Mahdi's troops TO
use them, although leaving them capa-
BILE Of being repaired when the British
return. The total force at Abu kiea,
including the Egyptians and Sou
danese, now amounts to 1000 men,
with 500 camels. The water supply
is not sufficient for the men and camels.
IL is believed General Butler is await
ing orders to know whether to retire to
Gakdul or advance to Berber and JOIN
General Brackenbury's force. 1t Is
said that the Mahdi is travelling in state,
with 40, 900 to 60, 900 followers, toward
Mctemneh. The force that General
Talbot encountered was an advanced
detachment. On the 14th instant the
Mahdi, with his army, was twenty
miles from Gubat, and was marching
slowly. II is estimated that the rebels
lost eighty men killed during the Tai
bot skirmish.
The reason for the abandonment Of
Gubat was the advance made by Ell
Mahdi with 5000 men from Omdur-
man toward Gubat, and the retreat was
ordered when the main body of the
Arabs was twenty miles off; but an
advance guard Of 5000 men, with five
cannon, was within seven miles of the
British lines. General Sir Redvcrs
Butler had less than 1000 men, all
told, under his command.
The Duke of Cambridge, commander
in-chief, to-day inspected the Guards as
the latter were leaving for Suakim.
The Duke of Cambridge, in an address
to the Guards, reminded them that their
discipline was of high order, and that
England would expect good report OF
their services in the new field to which
they were going. He hoped that, not
withstanding the severe trials attendant
upon campaign in Egypt, the Guards
would remember their duty to their
country, and do it nobly. The Princess
of Wales and her daughters were pre-
sent at the review. and large crowds OF
people collected to give the Guards a
parting cheer.
The Plan Of the Campaign 90 be Changed
Movement of Troops.
lBy cable TO the Dispatch
LONDON. February l9.--lt is an
nOunced that in view of the fact that the
fall Of Khartoum and the death OF Gen
eral Gordon have rendered the main OBJ
ject of w olseley 'sexpeditiOnimpoSs
the Government has deemed it eXpcdl-
cnt to change the whole plan of cam
paign in the SOudan. General Brack-
enLury. who succeeded the late General
Earle. has been ordered to abandon his
advance on Berber and to concentrate
his troops at Korti. Colonel Butler.
who evacuated Gubat on the 18th i'll
slant and withdrew his forces to Abu
Klea. has also been ordered to fall back
on KOrti. All the available troops IN
General Wolseley's command will be
concentrated at that place ard at Deb
beh and Koro,ko. the main body being
at korti.
THE EVACUATION or KORTI PR0BA-
BILE.
LONDON, February l9.-lt is proba-
bic that General Wolscley may eyacu-
ate Korti and retire TO Dcbbeh, where
the desert routes from Omdurman. ri
0beid. and Dariour converge on the
Nile. Wolsclcy will there await help
from England. At Korti the General
could be surrounded. I'm the retire
ment all available supplies will be
swept up. and the whole army en-
trenched ct Debbeh could hold its own.
if necessary. until the rising of the Nile
occurs. DOngola. liaurek, and various
other points on the river between Deb
bch and lialia are held by weak
dctachmcntS of British troops. There
is line OF telegraph which pos
Sibly might be maintained, while
Stcam-amchcS OF the clear reaches
could keep up some sort of communlca-
ton with the second cataract. The
moral effect of this retirement will
naturally be rather serious, though ii
would be to a certain extent neutrallzcd
by action in unmiStakable strength
from Suakim. General WolSelcy will
probably return to Cairo to consult
with General Stephenson and Others
in regard to the present situation OF
affairs.
THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
Explanations Of the Governments Course In
Errnfian ffrnirs.