The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-09

Copyright, 1885, by the Associated PressO
CAIRO, April BIN some mysterious
manner the news OF the Anglo.Egypt-
ian advance has been communicated to
the most distant quarters Of the Mo-
bammedan world and the departure of
pilgrims for Mecca has been suspended.
which means that the Khailfa Is calling
upon his warriors to muster to the
standard, and that the Jehad Choly
war, which he recently proclaimed
against Egypt is to be pushed with all
the desperate energy of the Dervish
leaders. He expects, II is currently re-
ported, to muster an army OF $4,000 men,
composed OF the best fighting men OF
the Soudan. at Omdurfnan. by Septem-
ber. when the Anglo Egyptian advance
wIli be met by the Khslifa In person
The Khalifa, writing tothe Sheik OF
Assoun under date Of December last,
said that he would resist to the death
any expedition coming from Egypt so
long as the British occupy the coun-
try"
The Khalifa concluded:
- am aware that the British desire
to have me assassinated, but have ta-
ken precautions that none OF the Euro
peau prisoners shall survive my muir
Base ofopsratIOns.
Though wady-EIalfa is the base Of the
Anglo-Egyptian operations, Akashah. a
place Of little Importance about 90 miles
south Of wady-Halfa, is the present
base OF operations. II Is to that point
that the light railroad has been pushed
for the conveyance Of men, supplies,
etc, and there, 1t Is believed, the hrst
lighting will occur, for telegraphic COM
munication with the van guard occupy
ing Akashah has already been twice cut
OF, and the Dervishes are believed 10
be gathering in force in the vicinity OF
that place, Hence the anxiety here.
AkaSheh was occupied by a small COLI
umn of troops. under Major Collin
son, without opposition, on March 20,
and from that time on reipforcements
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 strongly fortl-
fed.
the Anglo-Egyptian commander, that
in one Of the SuAkim campaigns he was
employed in consular work along the
coast OF Asia Minor, but when he heard
OF the fighting he left his post without
leave. was badly wounded in action by
a bullet lodging in his throat, and he
was conveyed to Cairo, where 1t was
proposed to try him by court martial,
but as he had behaved with great gall
lantry and his worst offense was fight
ing without permission, the matter was
dropped. He speaks Arabic perfectly.
The British troops which will take
part in the advance on Dongola Will, 1t
Is expected. number about 5000 men,
and. in addition, there will be about
5000 British troops, led by and trained
by British officers.
Two battalions Of the North Stafford-
shire regiment are already at Wady-
Halfa, where there are about 5000
Egyptian troops, and more arriving
every day.
The Advance.
Some prophets say that the advance
on Dongola will be commenced when
10000 men are concentrated at Akasheh,
but II this is the case, according to
general belief here, there will be an
other terrible disaster similar TO that
Of 1888 when Hicks Pasha, at the head
OF about 1900 Egyptian troops, was de-
coyed Into & defile and attacked by
overwhelming numbers. They formed
squares and fought bravely to the last,
but were massacred to a man. and the
Mahdists are now partly equipped With
the rifles and guns that then fell into
their hands
Some idea OF the neat manner IN
which troops and SUPPLIES are being
sent southward can be gathered from
the statement that Messrs. Cook, who
have contracted to do this work, recent
ly conveyed $500 men, fully armed and
equipped, by steamers and barges, from
BallIana to Assouan, a distance Of 300
miles, between o'clock on Saturday af-
ternoOn ana 6 o'clock the next Monday
morning,
strong volunteer camel corps is be-
ing formed from among recruits picked
up among the tribes OF friendly sheiks
and II will prove a very valuable body
for scouting purposes.
The steamers used in the military
transportation service on the Nile are
all stern wheelers similar to those in use
on inland rivers in the United States
and South and Central America. They
tow long strlngs OF barges, and in many
cases protected by Iron plntes and are
always escorted by troops.