EUROPEAN NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7000, 24 April 1884, Page 6

EUROPEAN NEWS.

We extract the following item's of news from London papers received by the Tβ Anau yesterday, via Suez and Sydney, dated Maroh 14, seven days later than those brought by theTongariro :— ; . ~.„.

CAPTURE OF OSMAN DIGNA'S CAMP.

A telegraphic despatch'to the London Daily Telegraph, dated from Tamai, March 14, gives the following particulars of the attack on "Osman Digna's camp on the 12th.: —"Shortly after sunset last night the infantry were formed into single large square, the intervals all being olosed. General Graham ordered five shots from our nine-pounders to be fired into the enemy's central position. The range was 2000 yards. The shells burst over the enemies' heads, and apparently did execution; thereafter all was quiet for a time. About eleven o'clook Commander Rolfo, having got permisnion, stole out of the camp alone to observe the enemy. He returned about midnight, and reported having seen Arab pickets a mile and a-half in front. He passed two of their dead by pur sheila, and saw six men asleep. Creeping among the bushes to the top of the ridge, he was able to see the enemy's camp fires in the hollow close beaide' the walls. At a quarter to one in the morning several parties of Arabs, who had approached to within 1000 yards of our camp on the south-western and south-eastern sides, opened a sharp rifle fire npon the square. Their shells mostly were too high, but one or two animals were hit, and an ■ Egyptian driver received a slight wound. "On the first alarm our men were all on the alert, lying down with Martinis in their hands, ready to, receive the Arabs. The bright moonlight was favourable to us, as objects were visible for a considerable distance, and any sudden rush could have been quickly checked. On the first alarm an Egyptian camel driver jumped over the prickly mimosa bushes, which had been cut and piled two to three feet high, just outside the •tjuare. As he bolted past'the lines some of our man, thinking he was tme of the enemy, shot at him, and he fell dead, pierced with half-a-dozen bullets. Three of our fellows received accidental bayonet wounds from their comrades while rushing to the front, bnt within the square there was no commotion, even the Egyptian drivers; and carriers recognising that 1000 British bayonets interposed on. every side between them and the enemy. A Gardner gun was placed in poeition on onr left for use if needed, but the General's orders were for the men to lie quiet till the. foe came close, and no shot of any kind was fired from our ranks. The Arabs kept up a persistent fusillade till just before daybreak, killing one man, Private Sheddon, 65th, who was shot in the head while lying down, and inflicting a few alight casualties. About four in the morning Wyld and the Abyssinian scouts orept out towards the enemy's firing party on our left. They stated it was composed of 150 men, supported by others, and that the enemy appeared in force. The scouts were seen by the Arabs,- pursued, and fired at, but they got back without sustaining any loss. "The bivouac, was not altogether a pleasant one. On the first settling down in camp, the men started fires and made coffee, but the lights were ordered out at nine o'clock, and those who were without blankets, suffered from cold before the .morning. Many passed a sleepless night, the rifle-fire disturbing their repose. The enemy. made a point of aiming at the two hospital waggons, the high-rounded tops of which atood out conspicuous in the moonlight. Aβ a consequence, the doctors and General Graham's staff had many narrow escapes. Colonel Cleary juat escaped a bullet, which passed over him, striking the ground at his feet. At six o'clock in the morning, sunrise, the Gardner and one of the niue-pounders were turned upen the enemy, who were then within 1300 yards. The guns made excellent practice, speedily dispersing the Arabs, who retired to their main position near the Wells of Tamai. General Stewart arrived from Baker's zariba with his cavalry about half-past six, and at seven a few squadrons trotted off to our left to turn the right of the enemy's position. At one period of the battle the rush of the enemy was so strong that the side of the square was forced back npon the rear, and the non-combatants in the centre were crushed together so that they could scarcely move. Notwithstanding that the Gatling gun's fell into the possession of the rebels, confidence was never lost.. The Highlanders responding to the calls of their officers,-the guns were recaptured, and the i< aval Brigade charging splendidly, the Arabs at last began to retreat."

OSMAN DIGNA'S HEPLY TO ADMIRAL -~.._ HEWITT.

"In the name of the moat merciful God, the Lord be praised, &c. —From the whole o£ the bribes and their Sheikhs who have received your writings, snd those who did not receive writings, to the Commandant of theEngliah soldiers, whom God help to Islam. Amen, Then your letters have arrived with, us, and what you have informed ub in them —to come in—then know that the gracious God has sent his Mahdi snddenly who was expected, the looked-for messenger for the religions and against the infidels, so as to show the religion of God through him, and by him to kill those who hate him, which has happened. You have seen who have- gone -to him from the people and soldiers, who are countless. God killed '■ them, so look at the multitudes.'' Here follow verses of Koran. ".You who never know religion till after death hate God from the beginning. Then we are sure that God, and only God, sent the Mahdi, so as to take away your property, and you know this since the time of oar Lord Mahomet's coming. Fray to God, and be converted. There is nothing between Uβ but the sword, especially as the Mahdi has come to kill you and destroy you unless God wishes you to Islam. The Mahdi's sword be on your necka wherever you may escape, and God's iron lie round yonr neck wherever you may go. Do not think you are enough for ne, and the Turks are. only a;little better than yon. We will not leave "your heads unless you become Mussulmans, 'and listen to the Prophet and,laws of God, and God said in His dear book those who believe Him fight for Him, and those who do not believe in Him shall be killed." Here follow many verses fcom Koraa. referring to permission to kill infidels. " Therefore' God has waited for y&u for a. long time, and you have-thought that hewould always go on waiting for. you ; bat God said he would, wait for you as you were bad people ; but know that during the' time of the Mah'di he will not accept bribes from you, and also will hot' leave you in your - infidelity, so there is nothing for you but the sword, so that there will not, remain one of yon on the face of the earth, therefore Islam.'.' : Sealed by Sheikhs Of 21 tribes. rV ENGLAND AND EGYPT.. ." • The force of oiroumstances has at length compelled the Government (writes the London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald) to.'modify very considerably, if not positively to change, their Egyptian policy. An important declaration .made upon this subject by the Marquis of Hartington in the course of the debate on the Supplemental Estimates has been the main political event of the week, and, though the remarks of the nbble lord were not quite so full or so satisfactory as one conld have wished, they have 'caused, a very good impression both here and in Ecpyt. It was in speaking upon the subject of tE*e Red Sea littoral that Lord Hartington made his most important observations. With reference to this latter topic, the noble lord said that for several reasons it was. essentially important that Sonakim and the other ports on the Bed Sea should be held either by a civilised Power or by a Power under the ■ influence of civilisation. It -eras of importance to "British interests"—a phrase the uee of which was loudly cheered by the Opposition—that those ports should not "be in a position whioh would tempt any other European Ppweir to occupy them. There was, the noble lord went oh to say, other European Powers not , averse to the occupation of points on the Bed Sea, and, inasmuch as the Red Sea was on our line of communication with India, it was incumbent.upon us toseetbat no other European Power should be established at any of those points. Moreover, .it was only by exercising a control over the Red Sea the slave traffic could be most effectually checked. To the iStion on the part of the Opposition once moretomake a declaration of the M.msteml pbliov in Egypt proper, Lord Hartington m ? that t&it first duty, was to remain m the oonntry-until the establishment of a arm and-stable Admiriistratio that would inspire confidence both in the Egyptian People and in foreign Powers, .