The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-12
THE WAR IN ABYSSINIA.
Osman Digna's Presence in the
Suakin District Explained.
MENELIK AND THE DEEVysHES

Negotiations Proceeding for m Alliance
Between Old Time Foes to Resist the In
vaslon of Common Enemies-The Resuk
Awaited with Interest
MAssowAH. April 10-Colonel Stcvani
who has been ordered by General Baldis
sera to retire from Knssaln upon Agor
dat, teicgraphs that the dcrvishes who
nave lowered about Kassala are de1noral
12ed by Che attacks of the garrison of that
place. and have abandoned Tucruf anC
fed beyond the Atbara to Osobri, leaving
their wounded, In addition to mules and
quantity of grain. Tucruf was well for
titled and cntrenched and was able to
withstand IL reconnaissance in force i1sadt
by Colonel Stevani on April 3, who took
part Of the forts, hut was unable to an
tircly dislOdgc the dervishes.
So confident was he that he could carry
Tucruf with the forces Mt his command
that he asked leave Of General Baldisseaz
To attack Tucruf. But General Baldis
scra out Of abundant caution and IL
view of the situation, declined to Sanction
the attack, and ordered Stewart to lcav,
Kassala for Agordat
1t is not quite clear whether the der
wishes have abandoned Tucruf because
they agreed with Colonel Stewart that his
force could take it whenever they wanted
to, or whether their forts have been fur
Their harrasscd in spite Of General Baldis
sera's orders
There is food for abundant speculation
and interest in report received here thai
the Emperor Mcnelik, Italy's late success
full antagonist at Adowa, has sent u dele.
gate to negotiate with the dervishes An
alliance between the Abyssinians and der.
wishes would upset many calculations.
Menellk, negus or king of ShOa, and
Negus Mcgusti. or king of kings owe,
Abyssinia, is Christian, as are his sub
Jects. In times past they have been at
war with the Mohammcdan dervishcs, tc
whom they are of tho hated class of inf.
dels, and tho hatred between them par
partook of all the bitterness of religious
rancor and fanaticism. During tho for.
mer occupation by the English of the Sou.
dan Menclik proved himself q valuable
and reliable ally to them.
On this account it has been believed TIM,
Menelik and the Mahdi were not likely tc
enter into an alliance, although the der
wishes were expected to avail themselves
OF the reverse administered by the Abys
slnians upon the Italians to advance
against Kassala, as proved to be the case
But the political eXigencies of tho case
have overcome Mcnelik's religious antip
athies. If the report BIO true that he is ne.
gotiating with the dervishes to make com.
mon cause with them. They have in com
mon their antagonism to the Italians. and
England has avowed the purpose of the
Nile expedition to be to assist Italy against
the reverse she has suffered at the hands
of Meneik. The latter is quite rs DESTROYS
of harrassing the khcdive of Egypt rs is
the Mahdi
The progress of negotiations between
Menclili and the dervishes will, therefore.
be watched with some disquietude by all
the powers Interested
WADY HALFA, April 10.-The presence
of Osman DiGna in tho Suakin district.
while the khalifa Is concentrating all his
available forces on the Nile to oppose the
Egyptian advance, is thus explained: Os-
man Digna is responsible to the khalifa
for the security Of the Suakin district. He
first heard the news of the proposed Egyp-
tian expedition up the Nile while he was
assisting at the siege of Kassala by tie
dervishcs. He hurried Immediately to the
neighborhood of Suakin, supposing that
the expedition against Dongola would
start from there, rs expeditions have done
with similar purpose before He has
been in the neighborhood ever since, and
has had number Of flying encounters
with the natives.
Scouts from Erkowit report that at noon
on Wednesday Osman Digna attacked the
friendly Arabs, who were procuring sup
ply OF water at the wells \ fight ensued
and as n result the dervishes retired, lcav-
ing fourteen of their number dead.