FALL OF KHARTOUM.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1523, 18 March 1885, Page 2

FALL OF KHARTOUM.

The War Office insivd the foUowing telegram at 12.30 p.m. on Feb. 5 ,^— " Telegrams from General Wdlseley announce that the fall of Khartoum took plane on Januair 26. He says Coloriel Wilson arrived at Khartoum on January 2S, and wag greatly surprised to find the enemy in possession of that place. He immediately started on his return down the river."

Despatches received from Korti state that the Natives report the Mahdi has 60,000 men in the vicinity of Khartoum, and that he introduced a number of emissaries into the city, who mingled with the native troops nnder Gordon, and by bribes, threats, and working on their religions feelings, induced them to mutiny. Seven thousand of the garrison deserted to the rebels, leaving Gordon only 2500 faithful soldiers. With this small force- he attempted to hold the city against the Mahdi's great army, but after severe fighting, in which a large number, of the rebels were killed, lie was compelled to surrender. When Sir Charles Wilson reached Khartoum he found the Mahdi's forces occupied both town and citadel. He tried to land and ascertain the. fate of Gordon , nut this be found impossible. The enemy's gurts were turned upon him in full force, and he was therefore compelled to turn his back upon the fallen city and return te GnJiat, without finding out whether Gordeu was dead or alive. " '

The first news of the fall «f Khartoum received by General Wolseley was l>ronght hy a messenger who left the islands* here olonel Wilson was stranded, and came on foot to Gnbat. Two messengers were despatched to Korti, via Abu-Klea and Oakdul. They reich^d their destination, which is •probably owing -o the fact that ; he news of Khartnnra'sfajlwasnot known in the distinct luturtigenee of the disaster, however, has since spread far and wide, and some tri'>ea that have hitherto professed friendship for England have declared for the. Mahdi

Colonel Wilton had three steamers, two of which were' "wrecked in the Nile; e^Aeiiiy half-way hfctween Khar vtennj tiritT M&eftSneH, anrf the third steamer, carrying Colonel Mortly the news to the British camp, near Mete-

tnneh.

The Arabs still hold Metemneh. The garrison them received the news of the. fall of Khartoum with repeated salvos of artillery.

When Colonel Wilsog'a flotilla approached Khartoum, it was compelled to run the gauntlet of a heavy fire from both branches. The n-bels had four Krnpp guns on the river banks at Halfoy;), to I orabard the stentners. When the British force i*eached Ond»*rman, numbers of the rebels continued the fusiiade. Things looked woiye when it was discovered that the enemy was in possession ef the Island of Tutti, just outside the city. The English still pushed ahead, hut w<*rt> dismayed to find the garrison had commenced firing upon them. No 6ags were flying from the public buildings, and the town appeared in undisputed possession of the enemy. The palace seemed gutted. Finding it was impossible to land in face of the overwhelming number* of rebels, the British were obliged to retire.

-Bumors eoneemiug tire fate" "trf-Got- ~ti don are many and varied, but all agree fi that the Mahdi captured Khartoum liy v treachery. The most reliable[reports v point to one Faraz Pasha as a traitor, s It is said he. wa3 l«-ft in charg* of the t ramparts, and opened the gates on t j anuary 26 and admitted the enemy, s<J|ne rumorg state that Gordon, toati^ tßr with a few Levantines, is up in a churdi; others say Q or< j on was seen wearing the Mahdi'a uniform. Tli« majority agn-ed, howevet. f t j, afc Gnr.ion is kille<l. a despatch from Cairo on F«l»rnary 5 gays, news had reached there that 2000 men had been massacred at Khartouni. The military opinion at Cairo j s that the whole form of the British army should be directed towards the capture of Berber, while 15,000 reinforcements from England or India should land at Suakun to secure their retreat and enable them to chastise the rebels. Theexcitementin London, on receipt of the news of the. capture of Khartoum was tremendous. The war office was besieged with army officers tendering service for active doty, and telegrams .^ fmm o£pretbro^ houl y nt f 0 the regcue expeditlon O shor,r d Government &^&nde to takn such action. The papft-s w«ro fnrio\is in their atta-kson tne Ministry, and declared that th« sole responsibility for thedisaster rested with them, as they refused to allow the relief expedition to start hi time. A councill at the War Office in the evening decided to despatrh 8000 troops *° S"akiill i™'"^*;^ f f"™ Jave »>een sent to Pbrtj,.nonth to l*gm fitting on troopships General StepnenBon telegraphs that 5000 men be needetl to c|ear the road to Berber, as the news of the fall of Khartoum will induce t j le central tribes t© join Osman Dign», General Stephenson also advises that the strength of the troops in Upper and Lower Egypt benaintamed, and reinforceinents be drawn ' from England and India. General Wolseley has renewed his demand for au expedition to Suakim of 8000 men, under General Greaves.

A council at the War Office in the evening decided to despatch 3000 troops