The Portland daily press., 1885-02-19
THE OLD WORLD.
A Warning From Ell Mahdi to England.
A Convoy of Sick and Wounded
Attacked by Arabs.
The French Fleet Defeats the Chinese
War Squadron.
The War in Egypt.

K LONDON, Feb. 1S.--Col. Sir Redvers Butler
telegrapns that the convoy of wounded in
charge of Gen. Talbot, while on the way from
Gubat to Gakdul, met force Of 5000 rebels
at point nine miles from Gubat, and slight
skirmish ensued, in which one British soldier
was killed. The rebels then proceeded to wards
Metsmneh. The fact that they relr aimed
fron attacking the English is believed to be
due to stringent orders to reinforce the garri-
son at Metemneh, without engaging the En-
glish on the way.
LONDON, Feb. 1S.--A despatch from Korti
says: Later information regarding Talbot's
convey of SICK and wounded from Gubat to
Abu Klea, has been received here. The skir-
mish with the Arabs en- route lasted an hour
and half, instead Of fifteen minutes, at
first reported. Five Of the British soldiers
were wounded. The convoy then proceeded
and reached Abu Klea in safety. The wound
ed are doing well bat Gen. Stewart is feverish.
A messenger from Khartoum says that the
Turkish Bashi Bazouks were traitors, and
were therefore killed when the place was cap
tured,
lt is reported that the Bassanisyes tribe in
tend to close the route between Korti and Oak
dul.
An Arabian paper publishes an extract from
letter from Ell Mahdi to Osman Digua, stat
ing that two attempts to cross the White Nile
and attack Khartoum in the rear were hwart-
ed by the depth of the water and the want of
boats. Therefore he is quietly awaiting at
Omdurman the arrival OF the English army.
He leaves to Osman Digna the defence Of the
route from Suakim, thus enabling them to cut
off the retreat of the English by either route.
The Daily News positively denies the state
mept that Hassan Bey, brother of the Khe-
dive, has been appointed Governor General
of the Soudan, and says he simply represents
the Mohammedan government in Egypt. The
News doubts the discretion of Hassan'5 mis-
sion to Korti, but trusts that Gen. Wolseley's
sagacity and experience will lead him to take
the needful measures
LONDON, Feb. 1S-A document is published
here, which purports to have been written by
an emissary of the Mahdi, who resides in En-
gland. 1t says In effect that the idea of peace
| is agreeable TO the Mahdi, provided it will be
| an advantage to the Mussulmans. The Mahdi
considers himself bound to follow in the foot
| steps of Mahomet, who frequently made trea-
| ties of peace with Christians aud OF her inf
| dels. The document warns England not to
| compel a general Moslem uprising, thus OPEN
i ing the gates to flood which would oyerwhelm
| she human race.
The Guards Set Gut for the Desert,
LONDON, Feb. 18.-The Duke of Cambridge,
Ccmmander-in-Chief of Her Maiesty's armies,
today inspected the Guards as the latter we're
| leaving for Suakim. The Duke of Cambridge
Ia an address to the Guards reminded them
that their discipline was of a high order, and
that England would expect q good report Of
their services in the new field to which they
were going. he hoped that, Notwithstanding
| buo 6of0I6 atLo0QahL on q campaign III
Egypt, the Guards would remember their duty
to their country and do it nobly. The Princess
of Wales and her daughters were present at
the review, and large crowds of people collect
| ed to give the Guards parting cheer.
More Hnfernnl Machines Found in London
LONDON, Feb. 18.-A canister filled with a
substance supposed to be dynamite, ana &c
wnicn was attached partly burned fuse waG
found to-day near the magistrates room at the
| Woolwich Police Court,
IOndon's Unemployed WOrIkIneu.
! Sir William Vernon Harcourt to-day re
| ceiyed q deputation of unemployed working
| men, who went to the Home Office to ask the
, | government for relief for the unemployed O.
London, not By aims, but by employment
Harcourt answered the deputation that tn,
government had no inclination to look unou
. The matter in any spirit of dry economy. ThI
4 government Home Secretary promised b.
would look into the matter closely and wouli