The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-02-11
The Fall of KhartOum.


lished, the 9th instant, the following:
"Telegrams from General Woseley an
nounce that the fall OF Khartoum took
place on January Goth. He says Colonel
Wilson arrived at Khartoum on January
28th, and was greatly surprised to find that
the enemy were in possession of that place.
He Immediately started on his return down
the river and proceeded under heavy fire
from the rebels. When some miles below the
Shublaka cataract Colonel Wilson's steam
ers 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 General Wolseley says he has
no information regarding the fate of Cen
eral Gordon, and does not know whether he
is dead or alive"
INTERESTING PARTICULARS.
After General Stewart had established
himself on the Nile below Metemneh, Col
onel Wilson was dispatched up the Nile
with troops on board steamers to the assist
ance of General Gordon. He expresses 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. The first news of the fall
of Khartoum received by General Wolseley
was brought by a messenger, who left the
island where Colonel Wilson was stranded
and came on foot to Gubat Two messen-
gers were dispatched to Korti, via Abu Klea
and Gakdul. They reached their destina-
ton in safety, owing to the fact that the
news of Khartoums fall had not reached
the desert. Intelligence of the disaster,
however, has since spread far and wide.
Some of the tribes that have hitherto pro-
fessed friendship for England, have declared
for the Mahdi The Arabs still hold Me-
temneh. The garrison there received the
news of the fall of Khartoum with repeated
salvos of artillery. When Colonel Wilson's
flotila approached Khartoum, it was com
PEELED to run the gauntlet of heavy fire
from both banks. The rebels had four
Krupp guns on the river banks at Hafujeh
to lombard the steamers. When the Brit
ish force reached Omdurnam numbers of
rebels continued the fusilade. Things looked
worse when it was discovered that the en-
envy 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 upon
them. No flags were flying from the public
buildings, and the town appeared to be in
the undisputed possession of the enemy
Finding it impossible to land in the face of
overwhelming numbers, the British retired
A messenger from the Mahdi summoned
Colonel Wilson to surrender, and at the
same time stated that General Gordon was
wearing the Mahdi's uniform. 1t is the gen.
eral opinion in military circles that General
Gordon is dead. The fall of Khartoum has
decided wavering tribes to join the Mahdi's
standard, placing both banks of the Nile
under the control of the enemy. A messen-
ger from Ell Mahdi informed Colonel Wilson
that Gordon had adopted Ell Mahdi's uni
form. The statement is confirmed that
Faraz Pacha, one of Gordon's generals
treacherously made terms with Ell Mahdi
whereby the latter was enabled to capture
KhartOum The capture of the stronghold
has created grave fears, especially in army
circles, for the safety of General Stewart
and his army A number of military Off
GERS of repute even express the opinion that
unless re-enforcements are hurried, forward
to Korti, the fall of Khartoum may lead to
disasters to the forces under Lord Wolseey
and General Earle. Mr.. Wilfred Blunt says
it his opinion that the Mahdi, being humane
and well accustomed to the usages of war,
will treat General Gordon we'll AT the cab
met council it was decided to give General
Wolseley complete discretion as to the
course to be pursued in the Soudan. He
has been instructed to take all measures
necessary to the successful operation of the
campaign. The government will give him
any assistance he may need by dispatching
troops from Suakim to Berber General
Wolseley will make every effort possible to
save General Gordon, if alive.
IN LONDON.
The excitement over the fall of Khartoum
was intense. The clubs and public resorts
of every description were thronged with
crowds OF people, eager to catch the last syl-
liable Of intelligence from the distant Egyp-
tan desert. Through Fleet street and the
Strand it was almost impossible to make
ones way, so crowded were these thorough
fares with throngs of curious and excited
citizens. The liberal and conservative
papers generally express the opinion that
the sole responsibility for the fall of Khar-
toum rests with the ministry, who refused
to allow the relief expedition to start in
time. The papers can find room for moth
ing except the news of the disaster. There
are columns upon columns of the history of
the siege, and the effort to relieve the place
by means of Lord Wolseley's futile expedi-
ton up the river, and there are whole pages
devoted to letters and dispatches showing
the feeling of the country in regard to Cor
don's fate. The Pail Mall Gazette says:
Nobody can accuse our gallant troops of
losing single moment in their fearful race
against time in Fastening to the rescue of
the garrison at Khartoum. The RESPONSE
bility rests solely with the minister's who
refused to allow the Nile expedition to start,
in spite of warnings and entreaties, until it
was too late. The vote of parliament in
favor of the appropriation of fS00, 600 for the
relief OF General Gordon was deferred until
August 3. Even then, if the expedition had
been sanctioned forthwith, the precious day
would have been gained; but it was not
sanctioned until August ~, when the gov
eminent finally resolved that it must relieve
General Gordon. That period of probation
sacrificed Khartoum. Islam is now victori-
Gus. The revolt and fall of Khartoum will
permeate the arch of the world, and unless
the ministry display boldness and warness
equal to their former dilatoriness, a catas-
trOphe worse than that at Khartoum will
follow. England dare not fly before the
eastern foe. 1t would mean war and mu-
tiny from one end of Asia to the other.
She must REINFORCE her garrisons every
where, including India, even if it should be
necessary to call for volunteers to do the
work. General Earle must advance rapidly
to Berber and Metemneh The Suakim
garrison must be REINFORCED and the road to
Berber cleared. Every nerve must be
strained to prove that the Khartoum disas-
ter has stiffened the resolution to hold Eng
lands flag aloft in the face of every foe.
Our duty is not to finch, but to prepare for
eventualities, and relieve Metemneh by
water. We have failed to save Gordon; we
have now to save Stewart" The Times
says: No words of ours are adequate to
express our mingled feelings of dismay
CONSERVATION and indignant disgust which
have been universally evoked by this news
The present situation is the lamentable re-
suit of long course of disregard of the ele-
mentary maxims of craftsmanship. The
country is obliged to confess that every
thing has been done that could be done to
add to the risks of defeat. Advice has been
spurned, time wasted and opportunity lost
The splendid valor of our soldiers, which
offered the last chance for retrieving the
mistakes Of policy was handicapped by the
choice of line Of march which was at the
same time long and difficult, without means
of communication and without base o.
supDlies. By the loss of Khartoum. which