The herald., 1896-04-19
Anxiety Increases Regarding the
Matabele Uprising
WAR WITH THE TRANSVAAL
Indicated by the Extensive Prepara
tions Now Making
Tho Campaign In the Soudan Also Gives
Good Promise Of Becoming q 7atter
OF Grave Importance
Associated Press Special Wire.

est advices received from Buluwayo,
Matabeleland, prove beyond any doubt
that the town is in a most critical situa-
ton. 1t is surrounded in part by large
force of hostile MatabeleS, estimated to
number from $1,000 to $4,000; the gar
rison is not believed to number 1000 men
all told and over one-third of them are
either foraging, holding stragetic posi-
tions, scouting or trying to keep the
roads clear for the provisions and am
munition trains which are on the way
to relieve Buluwayo. Besides, it is re-
ported that large portion of the re-
mainder of the garrison left Buluwayo
yesterday to attack the Imbessu regi-
ment of Matabeles.
A dispatch from Buluwayo, dated
April 18th, says the rebels are increas-
ing in numbers in close proximity to the
force of the patrol established by the
English. Forty-two men attacked the
vanguard of the Matabeles at dawn and
drove them back to the main body. Two
of the horses belonging to the British
attacking party We're killed, however
According to reports received here, over
fifty of the natives were killed.
At noon the scouts again encountered
the Matabeles in the neighborhood of
the government house. Again i'll the
afternoon panic was caused in the
town by the discovery of 200 of the ma
tives hiding in the bush back of the
hospital, where they were detained by
the forces of the British. Adyices so far
as received do not indicate whether any
of the English or Matabeles were killed
or injured during any of these later con-
f1icts. The situation is, however. grow
ing more serious hourly and hot time
is expected soon.
The announcement made in the house
of commons yesterday by Mr.. Chamber
lain that the government intended to i'm
mediately strengthen the garrison in
South Africa has caused great satisfac-
ton here.
The Middlesex regiment, the first one
ordered to sail, has been especially
chosen as it fought at the Cape in 1879.
There was great elation at Aldershot
camp when the orders to prepare to en-
bark for South Africa reached the Mid
dleseX regiment. The soldiers gather ed
together and cheered repeatedly for the
queen and the country
1t is more than limited that the pres
ent-increasc is only the first install
ment of large reinforcement of troops
winch are to be sent to the Cape. Tie
conservative newspapers are suddenly
alive to the fact that the Cape of Good
Hope is of vital Importance to Great
britain, as being a sort of halfway
mouse to India, a most healthy station
etc, and they loudly demand that it be
converted into a military base on a large
scale. But what is really meant is that
Great Britain should prepare for war
with the Transvaal without loss of time.
The defeats of the Dervishes outside
or Suakim and around Tokar have
drawn attention to the fact that troops
from India, will shortly have to be landed
there. if the campaign against the Kha-
ina is to be properly conducted and the
Soudan recOnquered
The friendly tribes in the vicinity of
Suakim and Tokar are constantly har-
RAISING the Dervishes, and are keep
ing the latter continually on the move.
Wnlle avoiding any serious engage
ments;, The scouts report that Osman
Dlgna has retreated to Alabama and the
friendly chief. Omantitata, has reoccu-
pied the Agoa district.
1t is expected the news of the defeats
of the Dervishes will soon reach the Nile
ana nave salutary effect in the DON
COLA district.
There is much qualification in Eng
iand at the splendid showing made by
the Egyptian troops under British Of
11cers and they are said to be becom-
ing strong enough to be pitted against
the Dervishes with every chance of
victory. Indeed according to MANY
OF the war correspondents the Fella-
heen now appears to be equal to the
SoudaneSe as a soldier
The recent defeat of the Dervishes
has also had the important result of
compelling Osman Digna to evacu-
ate positions around Tokar from which
he has made forays upon the friendly
tribes and it has apparently caused
diversion in the Dongola district.
where the Dervishes have already
missed the first opportunity of har-
assing the Anglo Egyptian advance
guard.
A line of communication between As
kasheh and Wady Halfa is now Sc
cure and is patrolled on all sides by
friendly chiefs. A small party of
Dervishes fired into the camp at
Askasheh yesterday evening and van
ished in the night Immediately after
wards.
Some of Great Brtain's largest guns
will be employed for the first time
during the autumn campaign in the
Soudan. They carry highly explosive
shells ten miles and each shell is capa-
BILE of disabling 200 of the enemy These
guns have such rapid fire capacity
that before the first shell bursts three
Others are on their way in the same di-
rection. The government shell foundry
has been overwhelmed with orders for
the manufacture of projectiles, and pri-
vate contracts for 000O, 900 shells have
been given out.
The Chronicle publishes an interest
ing letter from Rome, in which is it
stated that the pope still governs his
great household with order and dill
gence, though there are stories OF the
occasional failure of his physical power.
But neither his diplomacy nor eccles-
iastical policy have lost their old keen
ness of perception.
Referring to the pope's prO-French
the correspondent remarks
that he does not believe that there is
question of the pope ever making his
headquarters at Avignon, though "at
an undated future there might be pope
at Baltimore" the correspondent as
serts.
His holiness. it appears, is now alb
sorbed in the idea of a reunion of the
Roman Anglican church.
There have been POI fresh cases of
smallpox at Gloucester. making total
of 1902 since the epidemic broke out on
account of the characterization ideas.
since dispelled, of the inhabitants of
that place.
The alleged terms of the secret treaty
between Russia and China We're re-
printed here today from a German
paper. and have created bad impress
soin, though it is evident that the state
rnents made are not wholly true Ac-
cording to the story. China permits
Russia in war time to use any of her