New-York tribune., 1885-01-25
GENERAL STEWART IN THE DESERT.
NO NEWS FROM HIM SINCE THE BATTLE.
A BATTLE WITH GENERAL EARLE LOOKED FOR


CONDITION OF THE ENGLISH FORCES.
LONDON, Jan. A.-The War Office has just
| made public a dispatch received this afternoon
from General Lord Wolseey at Korti. He says
he has heard nothing further from General Stewart
The reported capture of OmduamaD by Ell Mahdis
forces, Woseey says, lacks confirmation and is
! doubtful. General Earles column, thoroughly
provisioncd and equipped, comprising artillery,
cavalry and camel corps, started to-day from Ham,
dab for Berber. The march is to be made by way
of Abu Halncd. The enemy which in-
cludes the entire fighting force
of the Monassir tribe, under the command of
Wadgamr, who ordered the murder of Consul
Stewart, and the fighting of other tribes under
Moussa, are assembled IN war order at Ritz. This
Is thirty-fve miles above Hamdab. the starting
point of tO-day's expedition. General Wolseley
says that both Wadgamr and Moussa boast that
they determined to give battle. If so, an en-
gagement between these chiefs and General Earle
by Monday would seem inevitable General
Woseley states, however, that the soldiers
who go with General Earle are all
in the best of health and spirits. They
regard General Stewards battle of last Saturday as
glorious victory, proud of the achievements
of their comrades and anxious to meet the
rebels on their own account General Wolseley de-
cIares that the Arabs have been depressed by the
news of Stewards victory, and that its effect has
been so great and widespread that in his opinion 1t
may properly be considered doubtful if General
Earle will meet with any serious opposition before
reaching Berber.
Hobart Pacha, Marshal of the Turkish Empire,
| who sent by the Sultan to London with pres
ents for Queen Victoria and the Prince OF Wales,
has arrived in the city, In an interview to-day he
stated that his mission related to Egyptian AFFAIRS
and that he would assist Fehmi Pacha 10 his confer,
ence with Lord Granville. lie also SAID that he had
| msn ted he M va at IOulOnaud
much Impressed with what he saw
ENGLAND's ANSWER TO FRANCE.
PARIS Jan 2i-Premier Ferry to-day submitted
to the French Cabinet the answer of England to the
French counter proposals concerning the Egyptian
financial settlement. In this answer England re-
cedes somewhat from her former position upon the
question of the proposed new loan, and accepts
5000 900, the French figure proposed instead of
her own of f4,50OO00, as the amount
of the loan to be made on the Egyptian account
England also assents to the proposal TO have this
loan guaranteed by all or some of the Powers, in
stead of by England alone. Besides these conces-
sons England agrees to tax for two years upon
all coupons at per cent this tax 10 be subject to
an extension. if the Powers shonld so decide. ~
Ferry said that England was disposed 10 connect
the question of the free navigation OF the SueZ
Canal with the pending questions, which should be
kept independent.
GENERAL STONE On THE SITUATION.
GENERAL STEWART IN A PRECARIoUs POSITION
ARAB ADVANTAGES.
Stone Pacha, rs he is known in Egypt. General
Charles =. Stone. as he is known here. was incor-
rectly quoted on Thursday by The Mail and Express,
which said that he had refused the command of
the English instead of the Egyptian troops against
FL Mahd Also, instead of saying that 100000
troops would be required TO rout Ell Mahd, he said
that much smaller body, If well DIS
ciplined, could not only defeat him.
but could occupy and control tho entire
Soudan. When General Stone was asked by
TRIBUNE reporter yesterla what he thought of
the situation of General Stewart he said:
His situation must cause serious anxiety. The
affair Of January 10 simple repulse of a Wig
orols attack, and that repulse was purchased at
heavy cost in losing, according TO the official re-
port than eleven per cent of his force, and in
that loss a huge disproporton of very valuable
officers His enemy having retired in reason
ably good order, without being pushed,
can hardly have been badly demorallzed,
while his own men would hardly be IN condition for
very vigorous wofk in the immediate future worn
out as they must be by extraordinary eXertons and
heavily incumbered with wounded comrades, who
must require the attention of many of his efficient
soldiers Iregard his position as very critical, in
deed, as he has immense odds against him. and the
Soudanese have we'll learned the lesson that i'll a
hand-to-hand tight the spear is as gool as the bay
onet aud perhaps better, being longer than the
musket aud the bayonet. L cannot under
stand why General Wolseley so divided
his forces after having gone to the trouble of trans
porting so large force to the interior. Had the
whole force at his command moved from Korti on
Metemneh, it would have had a better chance;
but even that force could only have made the
movement in contempt of the qualities of
the rebels who were known to be so numerous.
The Arabs, in their movements in the desert have
n great advantage III their thorough knowledge OF
the country and of every place where water can be
found, while the British force Is compelled to
march from one known well to another. Embold- |
ened by partial success the Arabs will doubtless,
be active in preventing the march of renforcements
70 the relief of the little band under Stewart. The
chances are now against the British, yet there is
always very much to expect from the great courage
steadness and devotion to duty OF British troops,
and we may be certain that everything possible for
men to do in holding out will be done by General |
Stewards force and that whatever men can do in |
reaching and relieving him will be done by any |
force which General Lord Woseey may send to
Stewarts relief .,,.,,,
" There is nothing IN any dispatches when l
have seen which gives deilnlte idea M as 10 MS
present position woqa % sase as FAR of rn "e Waer ~
possible and then to cut him OIL from any water
supply Could they succeed in that the fate of the
troops would DO ScltIcu WltHlu low
hardly think that General Stewart reached Me-
temueh. and do not beiieye he would
quit one position when he had such necessary sup
Div without being certain of reaching another |
or securing his return. 1t is probable that if he
advanced he returned to the wells, where the
action of the 10th took place." -
"If General Stewart is entrenched Mt the wells
and General Wolseley at Korti, non the chances
of his destruction great"f . -
Arabs would do their best to prevent the arrival ot
reinforcements, and Stewart would be attacked 6y
such odds s TO make his escape almost impossible.
YET. much can be expected from the high qualities
of his troops" p,, -.