, 1896-10-21

rectangular mud-waIIed tort, with its double
tier of loopholes, at herman, which was DIS
covered before sunrise on Saturday, ana
promptly occupied without u struggle. APP
parsntly because it was a still stronger posi-
ton, the Dervishes retired across the river TO
Hat1r, on the west bank, and Wad ell BiShara,
their commander made up his mind to tght.ln
the foreground were groves OF palm ana
acacia, behind which the enemy's camp ex-
tended for a mile, with strong earth-Works
aud loop-llolod mud walls. A smart engage
ment which occupied all the morning hours
of Saturday ended in a complete victory.
Three of the gunboats, under the direction u
Commander C0lyille, who, we regret to hnd,
was slightly wounded in the conflict, forced
their way up stream and engaged the DervlSh
forts. After four hours fighting the fire of
the enemy as silenced, Iafir was evacuated
and the steamers, with the exception OF the
lei Teb, which had struck on a rock at the
south end of HanneK Cataract, pursued their
course in the din ection Of Eel Ordeh, or New
Dongola. Later news seems to Indicate that
they reached the town, drove out the inhabi-
tants, seizel all the public granaries at Belt
el.Gawa, on the eastern bank, and are at pre-
sent holding q position which the retreating
and Dervish forces, struggling back from
Hahir. will find it impossible to retake.
South Of Hatfir the large island of Argo lies,
but the whole character of the Nile is alter
ed. From Wady Halfa to the Third Oata-
ract there is one long series Of rapids. After
Hannek the river for some distance affords
but few Obstacles, and the desert is 10 longer
hilly, but u wide sandy plain, covered with
an almost perpetual mirage, Ell Ordeh or
Dongola would he reached by river in two or
three hours from the island of ArgO, so that
there is every reason to suppose that the
capital of Lower Nubia now belongs to Egypt.
Indeed, according to q rumour current IN
Cairo, the town has also been occupied by
the Staffordshile Regiment, which, if true,
would prove that the advance guard OF the
army has already covered the distance from
Hafir aud supported the victorious gunboats
by O successful and rapid march along the
bank. Inasmucl as Sir Il. Kitchener trans
ported his force to the western shore immedi-
ately after the conclusion of the engagement
at Hafir, there is nothing intrinsically i'm
probable in this Brilliant .executed piece
Of work. What is, at all events, clear is
that the, admirable arrangements made by
the Sirdar, the combined caution and
boldness Of his advance, and the cleverly
designed cooperation of attacks both by
river and by land, have earned the re-
ward which is their due, and been crown
ed with complete success. After DOngola
the process Of operations becomes more
doubtful. If, however, it is ultimately
deoided-as. indeed, seems the natural md
inevitable course-to push on to khartoum,
there is nothing, 50 far as we can tell at
present, to prevent the speedy accomplish
ment Of all the objects Of the expedition.
The Dervishes will have to fight, of course,
for the simple reason that their food supplies
are becoming exhausted, and they have no
alternative except to starve i'll the Desert
but recent experience appears to show that
their powers Of resistance are not great, and
that their warllke spirit has in large measure
evaporated. The conquest Of the SOudau
seems to lie within the Sirdar's grasp.