Connecticut western news., 1885-02-11
LATEST NEWS NOTES.
Happenings of Interest to All,
 At Home and Abroad.
THE WAR IN EGYPT,
KhartOum in the Hands of the Rebels
 Gordon Captured.

KhartOum in the Hands of the Rebels
 Gordon Captured.
 The English War Office has received dis patch from Lord Wolseley, which is believed to be genuine, to the effect that Khartoum is in the hands of the Mahdi. An officer who was sent by Colonel Wilson (General Stewards successor), with dispatches to General Gordon, was intercepted near the city, and found that the Mahdi's troops were undoubtedly in possession. He could not as certain what had become of General Gordon, whether he was alive or dead.
 Later reports say A dispatch has been re- csiyed at the War Office from General Lord Wolseley, dated at Korti in which he states that 8 native courier from Metemneh had ar rived at his headquarters with the startling in- formation that Col. Wilson had returned from Khartoum, to which place he had been dis patched with a small force, on the steamer found at Metemneh upon its capture, and re- ported that Khartoum had been captured by the enemy and that General Gordon had been made prisoner of war. Colonel Wilson said that all along his retreat from the ill-fated city he was constantly harassed and subjected to a heavy fire from the enemy's guns. Many without doing any serious damage. Every thing went comparatively we'll until l within a short distance of Metemneh, when his vessel ran ashore on one of the many islands andswas totally wrecked. Colonel Will son states that Khartoum fell on the 26th ult., l and he arrived of the city two days after it's He expressed the belief that the capture of | the city was brought about by the treachery of some of the natives that General Gordon had pressed into his service.
 Colonel Wilson, with his little force at last accounts, was stili on the island on which he was wrecked, awaiting steamer to take them to Metemneh.
 "The courier reports" adds General Vol. seley ''that the fall of Khartoum has caused a feeling of gloom throughout General Stewart's camp, and that fears were freely expressed that unless achievements soon arrived theil fate would in all probability be soon sealed. ' Gen. Wolseley announces thtt the fall oi Khartoum took place on Jan. 26. He says i Col. Wilson arrived at Khartoum on Jan. 28 and was greatly surprised to find that the enemy were in possession of thai place. He immediately started on his return | down the river and proceeded under 8 heavy fire from the rebels. When some miles | below the Shublaka Cataract Col. Wilson's steamers were wrecked, but he and his wholC | party managed to reach au island in safety | where they are secure. steamer has gone tc bring them back to the British camp neal | Metemneh
 native reports that the Mahdi had 60, 00( | men in the vicinity of Khartoum and that he | introduced number of his emisSaries into the | 1neSo 6unHSarleS ITeely WlEL | the native troops under Gen. Gordon, and by | bribes threats and working on their religious feelings induced them to mutiny. Seven | thousand of the garrison deserted to the reb els, leaving Gen. Gordon only 2,500 faithfu l soldiers. With this small force he attempted
 to hold inc city against the Mahdis grea | army, but after severe fighting, in which { large number of the rebels were killed, he wa!
 compelled to surrender.
 The War Office ill England is besieged witl
 army officers rendering their services for sc | tive duty in the Soudan. Numerous tel
 egrams are being received from officers I throughout the country, asking for assign
 ments to the rescue expedition, should thu | Government conclude to take such action.
 The capture of Khartoum has created grave
 fears, especially in army circles, for the safet.
 of Gen. Stewart and his army. number o
 military officers of repute even express tn | opinion that unless endorsements are hurried
 forward to Korti the fall of Khartoum ma.
 lead to disasters to the forces under Lort
 Wolseley and Gen. Earle
 Military authorities are of the opinion tha
 Gen. Gordon sent the greater part of his troop | down the Nile to meet Gen. Stewards force ! and so depleted the garrison in the town ant | citadel of Khartoum that an attack by th | enemy from Umderrman was rendered mucl
 easier. Lord Wolse'ey telegraphs that he doe
 not consider the British position at Gubat il
 any immediate danger
 | The messenger WHO l6Ib Ln0 WIbI | Colonel Wilson was stranded, and came on foo
 to Gubat said that when Col. Wilson reache, | Khartoum he found that the Mahdi's force | occupied both the town and the citadel. H
 tried to land and ascertain the fate of Gen
 Gordon, but this step he found impossible
 The enemy'ssguns were turned upon him Il l full force. He was, therefore, compelled t l turn his back upon the falea city and return
 to Gubat without finding out whether Gen | Gordon was dead or alive
 | COL. WoRTLEY's REPORT.
 Colonel Wortley, in charge of the only on | of Colonel Wilson's three steamers which sue ceeded in reaching Gubat from Khartoum- the two others having been wrecked in tn
 Nile between the two places-furnishes | detailed report of the movements of tn
 expedition. This shows that the thre
 steamers in command of Colonel Wilso
 reached Khartoum January 28, following tn
 course of the White Nile. On reaching Khal
 toum it was found to be utterly impossible t
 land the troops. Then follows descriptio
 of the firing by the rebels and the return
 the steamers. Continuing, Colonel Wortle
 says: "The Government House at KhartouI
 appeared to be wrecked. One man was kille
 and five others wounded during the attack O
 the steamers. Colonel Wilson's steamer wa
 wrecked four miles above the enemy's position
 below the bottom of the Shublaka Catarac | The second steamer was wrecked January 2S
 We reached Gubat in small boats the sam |
 certain. General Gordon's fate is still i doubt, the reports in regard to hir
 being conflicting. It is the general opinion however, that he was killed. Some say he with the Greeks in their church at khartoun | The fall of Khartoum has decided the Shukri
 yeh tribes to join the forces of l ! ! Mahdi, which places both banks of tn Nile under the control of the enemy. The nf tives greatly fear the English, and the advanc
 of General Earle's column is awaited with an, ] iety by them. The natives say Fl Mahdi hard pressed for supplies, and tht
 he had great difficulty in persuadin , the Emirs to attack us. A messenger from 3 Mahdi reached Colonel Wilson January 2 He said General Gordon had adopted e Mahdi's uniform. The courier brought the fo } lowing message from Fl Mahdi: I call upo
 you to surrender. shall not write again. you do not become Mohammedans will vii a you off the face of the eartb.' The statemel ? is confirmed that Farsz Pacha treacherous | made terms with Fl Mahdi whereby the latt,