The Soudan Expedition.

Manawatu Times, Volume IX, Issue 1128, 8 December 1883, Page 3

The Soudan Expedition.

The news brougbt by the Suez mail throws a good deal of light upon the disaster to the Egyptian arms m the Soudan. It seems that tbe Arab tribes rose m the rear ofthe forces of Hicks Pasha (who, by the way, is an. American officer) as be marched from Kiiartoim. and that tbat commander decide'. 1 not to stop to clear his communication with bis base of supplies, but determined to push on, carrying what provisions he could with him,.. with a view of striking r. decisive iblow at the false prophet at E Obeid. As lii Obeid is situated n^aily 200 miles from the Nile, Hick, P.-.sha had to march overland away from water, snd Mr Donovan, the special correspondent of the Daily News, m a telegram dated 30th September, . describes* v '*fre i>J inarch as equivalent to " bulling tbe boats.' Tbe army piunged into the unknown, and w?s cut off from all communication with tbe 'outer world* Hicks •v'Pash* was -apprehensive df surprise, and had accustomed hia troops' to form, hollow . squares on the march, the field pieces m front of tbe faces, and the terrible Nordenfeldit machif c gun at the angles. We n»»w know that there was a Surprise, as Hir<ks Pasha expected, and that the hollow square was formed, but without avail. The troops were without water, and that they must have suffered before thoy broke on the third day may be judged by one of Mr O'Donovan's statements :—" The heat is intense ; the camels are dying daily." The n*en had to endure this heat and the fcyerish excitement of battle also, so that their sufferings'! must have been terrible. ', •. *.. *. ~ • ( ■. . , <. ■.