River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-02-19

Korti dispatch says that Gubat Is strongly
fortified to resist possible siege A fort has
been constructed. triangular in shape, with
deep bitches in front Brushwood and wire
work outside viii impede the enemy in the
event of an attack
THE MAHDI's LETTER
The letter recently sent by the Mahdi to
English officers on Col. Wilson's steamer. con-
tanned postscript saying 1t was the Mahdi's
first and last letter to the English. and that
unless they submitted he would Kill all the
Kaffir dogs, The bearer OF the le tier, der
wish, urged the Egyptians on the steamer TO
join the MahdIs army, saying that God had
sent the Mahdi to convert the world, and
the Mahdi intended to march straight
to the steamboat On the day
after the steamer stranded Sunday
the Mahdfs emr landed on the island and
urged the British to surrender Sunday
evening Hamid Bey, two shippers and
seventeen natives deserted the steamer. The
steamer Sofia, with Lord Charles Beresford
on board, arrived on Tuesday During the
engagement With the enemy the Sofas
boiler was struck by a shell and great ex
plosion occurred, followed by the rush and
roar of steam. After a temporary patch had
been fixed on the boiler, the Sofia passed the
enemy's works under a heavy fire, towing
a nuggar containing Col Wilson's baggage.
The nuggar grounded 600 yards below the
fort The night wtas spent in trying to noat
her. Perfect silence was maintained on
board the steamer, which led the Arabs to
believe she had been abandoned, and they
stopped firing and commenced beating
drums Just before daybreak the enemy
saw sparks emerging from the funnel OF the
steamer, and they at once began to yell in
the tiercest manner and o;ssned a heavy fire
on the vessel. The steamer replied effect
lively, and soon passed out of range, 1T 10
estimated that the enemy numbered 900
They had three Krupp gums Col Wilson
loss on the island was two killed and twenty
cd Of bf M
wounded of the British The Soudanese
allies fought well until they heard of the fall
of KhartOum when they became demoral-
izod. The Mahd1 caused the massacre or all
of Gordon's men, together with their wives
and children. Gen Gordon was killed on
the morning of the 9th The garrison at
Gubat is exasperated over the news of the
massacre. The Daily News appears in
mourning for Gen. Gordon, and publishes the
following from Gakdul:
Natives who reached here from Khartoum say
Gen Gordon was killed while in the act of leav-
ing his house to rally the faithful troops. The
latter were cut down TO man, and for hours
the best part Of the town was scene OF merol-
less slaughter, not even women and children be-
ing spared. All notabes were killed except the
treacheIous pashas and their followers,
Gen Earles advance from BIrtl TO Berber
commenced yesterday. Gen. Wolseley, with
the British forces started from korti last
evening TO cross the desert to Gubat Only
portions of two regiments remain at kortL
The Bombay correspondent OF the Times
reports that an Indian brigade has been
definitely ordered to Suakim. 1t will con-
sist of 2, 100 infantry and 900 cavalrynen.
The morning papers have columns bordered
with black, as token of the grief which IS
universally felt over Gordon's fate, Some
papers confne the mourning emblems to the
editorial pages, but in most of them column
rules are reversed ON all the pages The
News says:
The age Of chivalry is revived again III Cor
dons history, and the whole world thrills with
passionate grief at this Christian warrior
death.
The Standard alone refuses to believe that
Gordon is dead, and clings to the shadow of
hope that he may be prisoner or may have
escaped south
ROME, Feb. 10-The Italian expedition
recently landed at Massowah has been ordered
to aid the English operations in the Soudan
1 by marching into the interior ana relieving
/ the garrisons at Kassala and SEMINAR. The
movement if successfully accomplished will
open line of communication to the coast
and to Khartoum parallel with the route
from Suakim to Berber
/ LONDON Feb 9.-Lord Wolseley telegraphs
| the war Office to-day from Korti as follows;
The advance guard of Gen. Earle's column.
! consisting of q squadron Of cavalry under CONS
inand of Col Butler, surprised large body o.
4 the Meenassir tribe under Wadgam, the murderer
! OF Col Stewart. encamped at Shakoah Nells.
The cavalry charged the encampment and the
enemy ned in every direction, leaving behind
them thirty killed and a large number OF camels,
1 cattle and many Remington rifles Col butler
4 captured six prisoners.
Great activity prevails in Chatham, Wool
! witch and Aldershot, preparations for sending
reinforcements to Egypt being rapidly
4 pushed The Twentieth Hussars and the
/ Third battalion of the Rife brigade are now
/ at Aldersh0t. The battalion of Scott's tusl4
j liers. battalion of ColGstream Guards, and
a squadron of the Fifth Lancers, have been
I ordered to proceed at once to Suaklm
I ITALY's PART.
+ VIENNA Feb lot is understood taat
/ Italy is contented to occupy Cairo, Alex
/ andria, Suez and portion OF lsmalia, so az
! to enable the troops of Ee ypt TO proceed az
/ once TO the frontier
EGYPTIAN FINANCE.
+ LONDON, Feb --Waddington, French
j ambassador, has presented to Earl Gran
+ vile amended counter proposals OF france
4 regarding Egyptian affairs The proposals
! embody increased demands on the part OF
i France They insist that an international
commission be appointed to investigate the
i finances of Egypt and that an International
! conference be called to meet ut Cairo TO
neutralize the Suez canal Advices from
Paris say the notifications OF the french
proposals We're made in such manner az
would, as far as possible avoid woundlng
/ the amour Dr0pre of the English
MAssowAH Feb "a great battle was
fought in the Galiabal country with large
/ force of Baggara rebels detached from
/ Senaar After severe struggle Jue bas@
garas were utterly routed, losing sou mer
and four emirs, one Of whom was nephew
of the Mahdi
Adylces from Gubat, dated Feb. l, give
gloomy statements about the condition
i Of Stewards forces These men have been
placed on three-quarters rations. These
i have been once supplemented with beans and
fresh meat The camels have had plenty OF
forage Shendy, on the opposite bank OF
Nile, and Metemneh. three miles from Gubat,
are occasionally shelled by steamer. The
troops arc busiiy employed in clearing the
ground in front of the camp and IN detached
work at the adjoining villages. The main
earthwork erected for the protection
OF the camp frona the river front has
already been greatly strengthened II
was calculated that they would be COM
pleted that night Several men wounded in
the desert battle have died in camp since
the arrival OF the army at Gubat The others
are doivg well The remainder of the Royal
/ artillery and naval brigade, with ten guns
including one Gardner, have arrived. Inc
convoy has sent back"to Gakdul wells fol
more stores, and have taken forty of the
wounded along. Nearly every night the
pickets exchange shots with unfriendIy
/ Arabs second dispatch received from
Stewards camp, at Gubat, states that Col
/ Wilson had on the island where he WA
stranded $50 refugees whom he found along
| the banks of the Nile near Khartoum. A
| dispatch to-day from Wolseeys head
1 quarters states that courers, accompanied
4 by an escort, now on their way across Une
/ Bayuda desert, are expected to arrive al
Korti tonight The couriers are conveying
| reports of Lord Beresfords attempts to res
cue Col. Wilson and party from the island IN
/ the Nile where they have been hemned IN by
i hostile Arabs.