New-York tribune., 1885-02-06
KUARTOUM IN REBEL HANDS.
GENERAL GORDON REPORTED KILLED

fast tables this morning IL wa. " ,...oh IN this |
The Chronicle which insisted .na' Oasoo The |,
80 created a tremendous sensation, put was 'o
unexnected that in many quarters IL was u.' |
c,edited. The excitement increased anu .ho Wv
hecame filed with rumors Of all sorts regaruns '1e
LATEST disaster to tho British forces III tio 0ou
The report spread with wonderful rapidlty anu w u
,no,sa crowds quickly gathered in front OF Iho wa
Office the new spaper offices and other ie"s
Though many professed 10 "i'D ..I
the report the conviction soon pecaiho soH'
that there must be some 1ouhua'ion
;, All doubts were removed, "hen'
a. Noon the War Office issued the following:
s,roIoorams from General Wolselev announce tha'
Tho fail of Kbartoum took place OH January ~. nc
,avs Colonel Wilson arrived at khartoum on
January 2S, and was greatly surprised W hiu ''"'
the enemy were in possession OF that piaco' hio i
n,sdately started on his return down the river anu
proceeded under heavy fire from the i0oo''
When some miles below the ShublaRa ca'ara0'
Colonel Wilson's steamers were wreckoo, ou' o
and his whole party managed to reach an ,Sianu ~
safety, where they are secure s'oanioi n' n
M hiring them back to the British camp he"r
uetemneb General Wolseley says he has no III
,ormation regarding the fate of General Uorn"h'
and does not know whether he is dead or ahVe'
This Intelligence was received by an anxious pup
lie with mingled feelings of sadness anu ihoisn"
lion Its reception in the provinces was OF sniiar
character 1t created great sensation IN the lrish
,arrisons nj Dublin. Mr.. Gladstone was greatly us
urbed by the news and started LOT Lohoon
Immediately upon its receipt lie was iohoWoo
nv Earl Granville and other members OF the
T,,,,ot Unon his arrival Mr.. Gladstone
orocseded at once to his official residence
N Downino- ST, and Immediately issued summons
N the members of his Cabinet requesting theii
,resepce at once. Mr. Gladstone appeared W oo
greatly aeitated and his action in calling inee'i"e
sf ,ba Cabinet was said to be for the purpose OF
rendering his resignation.
THE WAR FEELING RISING.
The War Office bulletin had the effect OF increas-
c the excitement created by the first publication OF
the news A constant stream of anxious people con-
stantlv poured into the War Office among them Deihg
Sir William Vernon -Harcourt. and Mr. Trevelyan
The War Office was bcseged with army oincers
tapdering their services for active duty III the
Soudan Numerous kilograms were received
from officers throughout the country asking ZOE
assignments to the rescue expedition, should the
Government conclude tc take such action.
Not since the passage of the Dardaneles by the
British deet in the TurcoRussian war mas
there been such wild excitement in this city. oh
street corner groups of excited people discuss
and speculate as to the result of this new disaster
in Egypt and the action of the Ministry in the
nresent emergency Is eagerly awaited. Many
nredict il will result in the fall OF the Gladstone
Government
In Paris the news of the Khartoum catastrophe
roatad an immense sensation. Lord Lyons had a
io,g interview with Prime Minister Ferry upon Its
receipt The jubilant gladness which ha' charac-
terized England in regard to Egypt ever since the
,velcome news Of General Stewards successful ar
rival in the nelghborhood of Metemneh was re-
eeiyed. has given way to universal depression ana
expressions of dsmay and foreboding come from
almost everybody. The removal of all doubt that
the Mahdi holds possession of Khartoum has driven
the excitement up to fever heat throughout
the British Isles The clubs and public resorts OF
every description thronged with crowds OF
peopIe eager to catch the last syllable OF intell
gence from the distant Egyptian desert. lhroneh
Feet-st and the Strand it was almost impossible 10
make ones way so crowded were these thorough
fares with throngs of curious and excited citizens
Most people take gloomy view OF the position OF
the British troops in the soudar
REPULsE OF SIR CHARLES WILSON
No Aacs were Gying from tue public. buildings
when Sir Charles Wilson reached khartoum The
town appeared to be in undsputed possession Oh the
rebels Sir Charles Wilson tried to land and ascer-
tain the fate of General Gordon. This he found was
impossible. The enemy's guns were turned upon
him aud in the face of overwhelming numbers the
British were forced to retire. Colonel Wilson had
between Khartoum and Metemneh The third
steamer. carrying Colonel Wortey and his party.
brought the news to the British camp near
Metemneh
The rumors concerning the fate of General Cor
don are many and varied, but all agree that the
Mahdi captured Khartoum by treachery The most
trustworthy reports point to one Faraz Pacha as
the traitor Ii is said that he being left in charge
of the rampars opened the gates on January &C. and
admitted the enemy. Some rumors state that the
Mahdi, with few Levantines, is coopcd up in
church. Others say that General Gordon has been
seen wearing the Mahdi's uniform. The majority
agree. however that General Gordon has been
killed.
GORDON DESERTED BY NATIVE TROOPS.
native reports that the Mahdi had 60,000 men
In the vicinity of Khartoum and that he introduced
a number of his emssaries into the city. These
emissaries mingled freely with tine native troops
under General Gordon, and by bIibes threats and
working on their religious feelings induced them to
mutiny Seven thousand of the garrison deserted
to the rebels, leaving General Gordon only $500
faithful soldiers. With this small force he at
tempted to hold the city against the MahdIs great
army but after severe fighting, in which large
number of the rebels killed, he was compelled
TO surrender.
The first news of the fall of Khsrtoum received by
General Wolseley was brought by messenger, who
left the island where Colonel Wilson stranded
and came on foot to Gubat Two messengers were
dispatched to Korti by the way of Abu Kea and
Gakdu They reached their destination 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 professed
friendship for England have declared for the Mahdi.
The Arabs still hold Metemneh When Colonel
Wilson's iotilla approached Khartoum it was com