GENERAL EARLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7310, 23 April 1885, Page 6

GENERAL EARLE.

THE POLITICAL CRISIS.—THE DECISION OF THE MINISTRY.

The Cabinet, after a protracted deliberation on February 28, decided that the vote of Parliament on the previous night did not call for their resignation. The morning papers are, however, we believe, correct in stating that many of the Ministers were in favour of an immediate resignation, but the opposite opinion prevailed.

• . . ; GORDON DEFYING THE MAHDI. The special correspondent of the Morning Post at Korti telegraphs : Information has reached the camp of the following interesting and singularly striking incident which occurred during the later stage of the defence of Khartoum by the lamented General Gordon. The Mahdi wrote an autograph letter to the beleaguered herd in the month of October, in which he exulted over the wreck of the gallant Stewart's steamer and his subsequent murder. In order to assure Gordon of the truth of the news, he forwarded a detail of all the books and papers found on board, and among the copies of several documents which he sent he repeated a return showing the state of the ammunition and supplies in the beleagured garrison at the time when Stewart started on his ill-fated journey. General Gordon's treatment of the Mahdi's communication was exceedingly characteristic. He wired from the Palace to the officer in charge of the guard at the gate to tell the bearer of the message to inform the Mahdi that it would have no effect upon him however many men he bad killed, or however much papers or information he had obtained, adding that the Mahdi might have gained the success of which he had boasted, but that the occurrence would not make a whit of difference to him, and he thus concluded his defiant reply I don't care what force you have. I am made of iron, and 1 intend to hold on here.' " THE MAHDI. Messengers from the neighbourhood of Omdurman report that notwithstanding the fall of Khartoum things are by no means going on well with the Mahdi at present. The amount of'plunder at Khartoum fell very short of what .he led his followers to believe, while the privations so long endured were rather inoreased than diminished by the addition of a portion of the Khartoum garrison. The Mahdists showed marked unwillingness to face the British again in the open field, The Mahdi, after the late battle, spread the news of victories and of the detraction of large numbers of English, but he cannot conceal the real state of' the case. He himself is said to be in constant fear of treachery from his chiefs, among whomthere is great dissension. At a distance, the reports of'.the fall of Khartoum have doubtless much increased the numbers of' his believers, but at, close quarters the disappointment of plunder, added to want and hunger, have produced a widely different result. NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENTS* The Soudan expedition will be & costly affair not only to the Government but to the newspapers. The third expedition,- under General Graham, to open the Snakim-Berber route, will entail the employment of another corps of " specials " by the London morning papers. The Daily Telegraph will be represented by the genial and witty Mr. Phil Robinnon. The Standard and Daily News have not yet fixed upon .their representa. tives. The Times will probably be represented by a military man. There are not many first-class specials now offering themselves for service with the supplementary force. This is probably due to the mortality among those who have already gone to the Soudan being discouragingly severe.

EAGER TOR THE FIELD. A spirit of emulation in the desire for a post of danger has caused a great struggle to be first in volunteering to serve under Lord Wolseley. Of the first . lot of officers who went out with him no less than 52 were members of , White's Club. Of the officers going with the I three battalions of Guards more than half are married men, and it must be remembered that an excessive average of mortality has ooourred among the leaders. ; HOW LORD ST. VINCENT DIED.

The relatives of the late Visoonnt St. Vincent have at length: received particulars as to how .that lamented officer ; oame by his death wound* • A kind , and . sympathetic letter frond the officer commanding the regiment to which Lord St. Vincent was attaohed thus describes it'" We were advancing in square towards the enemy's position at Abu Klea Wells on January 17, under a fire from the skirmishers in the bush, when St. Vincent, who was,. walking by my, side,, was , struck in the thigh by a bullet. He was at once picked up and . placed in a litter on a camel. He displayed the greatest courage and fortitude. . When the enemy charged the square his camel was, shot, and he fell under it and he. told me afterwards how fortunate this ; had. been, as he got protection while the action was progressing,' although he narrowly escaped being speared by some of the Arabs who had got inside the square. Be was left in the small fort made at Abu Klea. and I had every hope that he would recover from his wounds; he Was very brave and cheerful about himself, and I don t think Buffered very greatly, Change for the

worse took place on the 22nd, and he died on the 23rd, being sleepy and partly unconscious for the greater part of the time. : I cannot tell yon how deeply his loss is mourned by all his brother officers; '.but if ever a man was fit to die, it was he. ?: His fearless and conscientious discharge of his duty was very remarkable, and I never heard him say an unkind word to anyone ; he was a soldier to the backbone in the noblest sense."

> Now that detailed accounts of the battle of Kerbekam hare reached this country, it apEears thai!; poor General Earle met his. death y one of the last shots fired during the day. He was on the captured heights, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, when they came upon three Arabs > who still clung to the cover. Two of these bolted; the third stood and fired point-blank :at the General, who fell dead. ■ > '• '

GENERAL SIB H. STEWABT.

THE WAR IN THE SOUDAN.

f The late lamented General Sir Herbert Stewart was a grandson of the Hon. Edward Stewart (son of the seventh Earl of Galloway) by his marriage with Lady Katharine Chatteris, sister of the seventh Earl of Wemysß, Lady Stewart had only been married six years, and her husband had been in five wars during that short married life. Nevertheless, custom had not inured her to anxiety. Heaven alone has counted the tears of fore* boding shed before her worst feus were fulfilled.