New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-01-24
THE BATTLE OF ABU KLEA'
NOPE DISASTROUS THAN WAS STATED.


GENERAL srEwART SAID TO BE sURRouNphp i'
rup pxsrRT-NEwsPAPER LETTERS WITHHELD
Io,nov Ian 23.--Private advices received III
,ovrdr;o from the front state that the reoeis are
stronolv entrenched at Metemneh, which posi- !"
.r, 6e necessary for the English forces 10 occupy
,'otore thew can proceed to Khartoum IL Is ,o
.od that numerous rebels have collected al Anu
Uaned and are prepared to resist General Earl
n';,oto ad dvces received late this afternoon from
vor,i assert that the rebels have surrouhdeo
General Stewart in the desert, where he mas taken
nm an entrenched position to await relhlolcc'Nen'
from General Wolseley. Deserters from tne reoo'
lines state that the Mahdrs officers cohsiuer .no
affair nj Abu Klea Wells drawn BATTLE INC
Arabs were neither routed nor pursued anu i.'i
back in an orderly manner. ana were ho' III 'n0
least demoralized by the outcome OF inc ens"s
,nsnt They recovered themselves quickly and
effectively that General Stewart dared he' ino.e'
and was compelled to entrench himself on the scene
of the conflict
The Government officials discredit the lniorma-
tion conveyed in the above private dispatches Inc
War Office has received no news concerning Generai
Stewards advance since the account OF the battle
on SATURDAY. This absence of news causes con-
eiderable anxiety The heads of the War Depart
ment met at noon to-day, with the Earl OF Morley
Under Secretary of State for War, presiding 10
consider the situation.
The officials at the War Office believe that Gen.
cral Wolseley may find it imperatlvey heceS-
sary to reinforce the troops now operating
against the Mahdi i'll the Soudan by
drafts of men from the British army OF
oceupation in Lower Egypt. At the same time they
are afraid to allow the army OF occupation 10 oe
seriously weakened. They are accordingly pre-
narino for the usportaiOn of troops from Malta
tIibraltar and the home depOts to Alexandria TO
take the place of those who may be sent 10 the
ganitv Fair asserts that General Lord Wolseley
had fall from camel some time ago and received
thereby a hurt. 1t was to recover from TINS that
lie was detained at koTti. -
The Times The telegraph, and The Standard have
mot vet received reports of the battle at ADu klea
although they had special correspondents IN tne
field. This fact increases the anxiety concerning
tie fate of General Stewart The belief has become
prevalent that the battle at the wells was more
severe than the Government is willing TO admit.
There IS al impression that the official reports were
colored at the War Office, and that the press dis
patches were intercepted by the press censors
because they contained information which would
throw an Objectionable light on the affair. AL. -
The Repubhque Frdncdse considers the battie De-
tween General Stewards troops and the Arab rebels
at Abu Klea Wells as an irremedable check 10 the
advance of the English on Khartoum, and says 1t
trembes tor the fate of General Stewards forge
special dispatch from Cairo says: report
was circulated here to-day to the effect that General
Stewards troops had been defeated and routed by
the Mahdps forces The report was generally be-
leyed by the natives. who assumed uch threaten
ing attitude that ball cartridges were served out to
the British soldiers of the garrison"
General Woseley telegraphs that no news is ex-
pected from Metemneh until Saturday Sunday.
: squadron of Hussars and Royal Artillery Will
start for Suakim tomorrow from Cairo.