General Buller's Retirement on Gakdul and Korti.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 74, 6 April 1885, Page 2

General Buller's Retirement on Gakdul and Korti.

New Yoek, March I.—A cable special from I^mJoq of Iffihni.iry 9.8 onye t—There is on intense fooling of relief throughout England at tho now assured safety of General Butler's troops. Speoiol telegrams have been received in London to-night from Charles Williams, correspondent of the London " Chronicle," which prove that the escape of the British column from annihilation was almost miraculous. The courage of the men, their splendid behaviour in time of~oxtreme danger, and their perfect discipline, werff the elements which safely carried Buller's army back to Gakdul. General Wolseley has decided to hold both Korti and Gakdul. Ho believes that by adopting these tactics ho con prevent the Mahdi from attempting to advance on Korti by way of Abou Klea, and oven were the latter inclined to attempt such a move—which is, howover, doubted—with the best wells in tho English hands, it is thought the Mahdi will deem it impossible to water and feed any large force marching across the desert. English foraging parties almost daily disi cover in the hills small wells, hitherto unknown except to the natives. These wells are either held or destroyed in order to paralyse an attempted advance over Stewart's desert route by the Mahdi during the coming summer. Korti, March B.—General Wood has ordered the complete evacuation of Gakdul by March 4th. Lord Beresford's naval brigade is here. They heard, en route, that tho whole of the Hassanyieh tribe intended to harass the English retreat. The Mudir of Dongola has started for Merawi.