Evening star., 1896-04-08
Maturing Preparations for the Sou
dan Campaign.
ANXIETY At CAIRO over TIE ADVANCE
The Kha|ifa to Raise an Army of
Fifty Thousand Men.
WILL "REsIsT TO THE DEATH"

budget of news from the front increases
the anxiety here in unofficial circles as to
the fate of the vanguard of the Anglo
Egyptian forces operating up the Nile as a
preliminary to the advance in force upon
Dongola, for which troops are being rapidly
concentrated at Wady-Halfa.
The news of the movement southwark of
the troops has spread With that wonderful
rapidity which has frequently been noticed
as one of the features of campaigning in
the Soudan. While the British intelligence
department experiences the greatest diff
Guilty in obtaining information regarding
the movements Of the dervishes the latter,
apparently having spies in all quarters,
succeed in transmitting important news
with lghtning-like rapidity from one part
of the country to the other. Thus, in some
mysterious manner, the news of the Anglo
Egyptian advance has been communicated
to the most distant quarters Of the Moham-
medaD world. and the departure of pilgrims
for Mecca has been suspended, which means
that the khalifa is calling upon his war
riors to muster to the standard, and that
the jehad (holy war; which he recently pro-
claimed agai,.st Egypt is to be pushed with
all the desperate energy of the dervish
leaders.
Preparing for the War.
The khalifa has decreed that the tribes
Immediately collect and forward to Omdur-
man heavy war tax, that the pick of the
warriors be hurried to that camp and that
all preparations be made for long cam
paign.
He expects it is currently reported, to
muster an army of $1,000 men, composed of
the best fighting men Of the Soddan, at
Omdurman by September, when the Anglo
Egyptian advance will be met by the
khalifa in person. The latter has recalled
the dervish armies from Fashoda and
Darfur.
The khalifa, writing to the sheik of AS
souan under date of December last, said
that he was always ready to submit to the
authority of the khedive of Egypt as the
representative of the sultan, but that he
would resist to the death any expedition
coming from Egypt SO long as the British
occupy the country"
The khalifa concluded:
Il am aware that the British desire to
have me assassinated, but I have taken
precautions that none of the European
prisoners shall survive my murder"
The Bcsc of Operations.
Though Wady-Halfa is really the base of
the Anglo-Egyptian operations, Akasheh,
place Of little Importance, about ninety
miles south Of Wady-Halfa, is the present
base of operations. 1t is to that point that
the light railroad Is being pushed for the
conveyance of men, supplies. &C., and there,
it is believed, the first fighting will occur,
for telegrapEic communication with the
vanguard occupying Akasheh has already
been twice cut off and the dervishes are
believed to be gathering in force in the
vicinity of that place. Hence the anxiety
here.
Akasheh was occupied by small column
of troops, under Major Collinson. without
opposition, on March 20. and from that
time on reinfOrcements and stores have
been pushed forward by rail where possible
and by river boats when the railroad could
not be used Akasheh is now being strong
ly fortified.
The British troops which will take part
in the advance on Dongola will, it is expect
ed, number about 5000 men, and, in addi-
tion, there will be about 1900 Egyptian
troops, led by and trained by British ofIi-
GERS.
Advance on DonSOIa.
Some prophets say that the advance on
Dongola will begin when 10000 men are
concentrated at Akasheh, but if this is the
case, according to general belief here, there
will be another terrible disaster similar to
that Of 1888, when Hicks Pasha, at the
head Of about 11,0OO Egyptian troops, was
decoyed into deile and attacked by over
whelming numbers. They formed squares
and fought bravely to the last, but were
massacred to man, and the Mahdists are
now partly equipped with the rifles and
guns which then fell into their hands
The work of dispatching troops to the
front Is carried on in the most admirable
manner, with the greatest ease and regu-
larity and without Fitch of any kind.
The work of Gordon Bey, who, in charge
Of the citadel, had the furnishing, equip
ping and transporting of these troops has
been greatly commended. The employees of
the citadel have been working night and
day since military operations were decided
and have tlfrpa6
over seven thousand pack-saddles for cam
els up to date.
Major H. A. Macdonald will shortly re-
lieve Colonel Hunter of the command of
Akasheh, in order that the latter may re-
turn to Wady-Halfa for short time.
Transportation Up the Nile.
Some idea of the neat manner In which
troops and supplies are being sent south
ward can be gathered from the statement
that Messrs. Cook, who have contracted to
do this work. recently conveyed $500 men,
fully armed and equipped, by steamers and
barges, from Balliana to Assouan, dis
tance Of 800 miles, between o'clock on
Saturday, afternoon and & o'clock the next
Monday morning.
A strong volunteer camel corps is being
formed from among recruits picked up
from the tribes Of friendly Shekehs, and it
will prove very valuable body for scout
ing purposes.
Inc steamers uSeQ IN the military trans
portation service on the Nile are all stern
wheelers, similar TO those in use in inland
rivers in the United States and South and
Central America. They tow long strings of
bargeS, are In many cases protected by
iron plates and are always escorted by
troops.
The camel corps at Wady-Halfa is now
over 1000 strong, and there is a strong
force of cavalry and artillery at the same
place.
Scouting is being carried on night and
day about Akasheh and other threatened
places. and the intelligence department
is kept busy sending out spies and receive
ing the incoming leports from these val
liable agents Of campaigning force in
the Soudan.
Some SOudan Distances.
The distance up the Nile via Sarras and
Ginnis to Hanneck, near the Third Cata-
ract, is about $50 miles, and from Hanneck
past Old and New Dongola to Debbeh (Don-
gola) is about 100 miles more, say 800 miles
in all.
>Berber, by the desert route, is about 200
miles from Debbeh, and from Berber to
Khartoum, near Omdurman, is about 200
miles more, SO. II Khartoum Is really the
objective point OF the Anglo-Egyptian ad
vance, there are 100 miles Of hard travel
and harder fighting to be overcome before