THE WAR IN EGYPT

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2637, 19 September 1882, Page 3

THE WAR IN EGYPT

By Electric Telegraph—Coftright. [beuter's telegrams.] Received September 18th, 4 p.m. ALEXANDRIA, September 16. The whole of the British army is now going to Cairo. Sir Evelyn Wood, at the head of a detachment of troops, is now engaged in disarming the garrison at Kafradowar. All the principal colleagues of Arabi have been arrested. Abdellad, Arabi's commander at Damietta, who holds the town with a force of folly 5000 black troops, has refused to surrender to the British forces. September 17. The garrison at Fort Asian, near Kafradowar, has submitted, and the troops at AbouMr are also surrendering to the British forces* CONSTANTINOPLE, Sept. 16. A fresh difficulty has arisen in regard to the proposed Anglo-Turkish Convention. The point now in dispute is in regard to the relations of the British and Turkish commanders in Egypt. [" Aegus " Special, pee United Peess Association.] Received September 18th, 7.35. LONDON, September 17, 6.20 p.m. An Italian naval officer was captured at Benha in Egyptian uniform. Received September 18, 7.40 p.m. CAIRO, September 17, 10.30 pm. The Cavalry, under General Drury Lowe, entered this town last night after an exceedingly rapid march. The garrison at Delbera was surprised to-day by Sir Garnet Wolseley and H.R.H. tho Duke of Connaught with the Guards. The general satisfaction with the result of the British attack is immense. Arabi has submitted as a prisoner uncondi. ditionally. LONDON' August 21. Rear-Adniual Hosking, commanding at Port Said, reports that we made all our arrangements yesterday for the advance. Commander Edwards, with the boats of the squadron, during the night occupied the Oanal, taking possession dredges, barges, &c, and also occupied Esntara before daylight. Captain Fairfax oocupied Fort Said, and Captain Fitzroy, of the Invincible, held Ismailia. All went well, and there was no difficulty. Captain Fitzroy shelled the enemy out of Nefisch. Commander Earrs was slightly injured. Admiral Hewitt telegraphs from Suez at fonr o'clock this morning—" Yesterday Oapt. Hastings, in command of the seamen and marines, gunboats Seagull and Mosquito, assisted by 200 Highlander*, under Major Kelley, proceeded to Shalif by way of the Maritime Oanal, and found 600 of the enemy strongly entrenched behind the station. The English force landed and defeated them, taking forty-five prisoners, a small cannon, and a quantity of ammunition and stores. Our loss was two Highlanders drowned and two seamen wounded. The enemy's loss was 100 killed and wounded. An Ismailia despatch states, during the shelling of Nefi>eh, early on Sunday morning, several trains of troops arrived from Seakirk, but Arabi Fasha, who accompanied them, did not like the aspect of affairs, and ordered the withdrawal of the troops. The War Office bas received the following from General Wolseley, dated Ismailia, August 25th, evening :—"Pushed on again this morning at daybreak. The enemy had a strongly entrenched position at Mahala, and from the bold way in whioh they attaoked us yesterday I hoped they would stand their ground to-day. They withdrew their guns, however, last night. They had twelve in aotion yesterday. The force at my disposal this morning wss the First division and all the English oavalry, with sixteen guns. My intention was to pivot on my left, Bt a dam wo took yesterday, and swing round my right to take the enemy's position and drive them into the fresh water oanal. I sent the oavalry completely round their position to occupy the railway in their rear, and, if possible, capture their engines and rolling stock. This operation was very well oarried out. The enemy had a large camp at the Westhameh railway station, whioh we took, routing the enemy with considerable loss, taking five Erupp guns, seventy-five railway carriages, laden with provisions, and a large quantity of ammunition and rifles. Notwithstanding the fait of the horses being unfit for heavy *?crk and the long march whioh the reinforcements I ordered yesterday had to make, I have every reason to be satisfied with what has been done. Although I did not intend advancing beyond Mshali for some days, suoh has been the success of the oavalry to-day that I intend to-morrow to oooupy Kiißeaesin look, on the fresh water oanal. It is about two and a half miles west of Meichanneh statioa, and it is a position aoross the desert lying between Ismailia and the cultivated land of the Delta." August 25. General Wols&ley, in a despatoh to the War Office, recounts the engagement at Magfar on Thursday, in whioh he held his ground the whole day against 10,000 Egyptians. His forces numbered 2000 men. He says:—"l advanoed, forming before daybreak, with the Household Oavalry, two horae artillery guns, thirty mounted infantry, and 1000 men from the York and Lancaster regiments and marines. After some skirmishing we took possession of the dam whioh the enemy had constructed across the oanal between the villages of Maffar and Mohuta. During the operations two squadrons of the Household Oavalry charged the enemy and broke the infantry line very gallantly. I soon found the enemy were being largely reinforced from Tel-el-Eebir. We could see trains of them arriving. Tho p'ecision of the enemy's artillery fire was very good, bst fortunately they fired oommon ehalls nearly all day, and when they did fire shrapnel their fuse wire was budly adjusted. Onr casualties are slight. I shall attaok tho enemy's position at Holenke, and hopo to feke pos3eeaion of the quay they constructed there thiamorr-ing." Another report from Admiral Hewitt, datod Suez, August 21»t, 615 p.m., makes fhe enemy's loss in the fight at Shalif 166 kilk'd and 668 prisoners. ISMAILIA, August 26. The enemy's loss during the recent battle is 4000. The first shell fired by the enemy passed a few feet over General Wolselej'a head, and took off the leg of a horse ton yards behind him. The enemy throughout the fight deelined to come to olose quarto: s. The two gunners killed were struck by shrapnel near General Wobeley's position. The troops behaved well, and they were ell day without water or food. After marching ten miles through the heavy sand the enemj-'a oavalry swept around the British right flank, but did not come within striking distance. The Egyptian fire was too hot for the Li'e Guards to cross the open towards them. Tl e British Infantry pssßed the day lying dcvic behind banks and in ditches. After the

\ engagement General Wolseley rode to Ismailia, and returned late in the evening, iicinforoensents arrived daring night, but the goes not .until next morning, having had great difficulty to get through the sand. At daylight it was found to the great disappoint* meet of our men that the main body had withdrawn. The Egyptian artillery fought well, and fired much more accurately than they did at K»fradowar. The infantry were oontemptible, and the cavalry were little better. Many of both those arms were observed breaking from the ranks, and dispersing under our fire of shell.