THE SOUDAN WAR.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IX, Issue 2839, 28 February 1885, Page 2

THE SOUDAN WAR.

By Electric Telegraph—Copyright, (retjter's telegrams.) THE VOTE OF CENSURE. Received February SS, at 11 a.m. London, February 28. " In the Houso of Lords to-day tho Marquis of Salisbury proposed a rote of consure on the Government in connection with the Egyptian policy, declaring that the abandonment of tho Soudan would be dangerous to the safety of Egypt .and the British Empire. Tho debate on tho motion preceded for some hours, and was then adjourned. THE SYDNEY CONTINGENT. Received February 27, at 10 p.m. Sydney, February 27. Several further donations of LIOOO have been made to the patriotic fund. The arrangements for the despatch of the Soudan contingent are progressing i favorably.

(per press association.) 1 THE NEW ZEALAND WAR FEVER, Auckland, February 27. Up to the present 630 names of persons desirous of proceeding to the Soudan have been sent to Lieutenant A. D. Bennett. Those include 67 from the Thames, and 70 from the Kaipara district. Dunedin, Fobruary 27. Dr James Campbell, of Brunnerton, has offered his services as surgeon to the Dunedin contingent to the Soudan, and they have been accepted. He went through the Franco-Prussian war. Wellington, February 28. Mr Ballance does not favor the proposal to send men from New Zealand to the Soudan. The queston has, however, not yet beeft considered in Cabinet, but it is not at all probable that any offers will be accepted. Should it be decided to send a contingent, the Government will itself make a careful selection of both men and officers. ARABI'S OPINION OF THE MAHDI. The Constantinople correspondent of the Morning Post Btates that he has had the opportunity of talking at some length with a gentleman recently arrived from Ceylon. : and who during the last few months had , many and continuous opportunities of see- ■ ing and confering with Arabi Pasha., » This gentleman said:—"The victory of i the Mahdl would cause no surprise whatever to Arabi Pasha, who over and over I again repeated to me that his influence was very great, and that England ought to be prepared to see him march some day 5 or other on Cairo. Arabi Pasha told my ) friend that nothing had struck him so much as the complete ignorance of Europeans as to the power of Mahomedanism. 3 What Europeans were pleased to call 3 fanaticism was a spirit of self-sacrifice and devotion, combined with courage and organisation, which must make Europe tremble. It was that sentiment, and not his personal ambition, which had made ' him in the space of a few weeks master of - the situation in Egypt. His name had . become popular all over the Mahomedan a world, and as a proof of this Arabi Pasha showed my friend piles of volumes which 3 during his exile in Ceylon had been filled f by the most influential personages in India, who still continue going to Ceylon ? as on a pilgrimage, to confer with the promoter of tlje Egyptian rebellion, and 1 write their names and words expressing hope in a speedy triumph in books which are purposely kept in the house occupied (. by Arabi. . . . Ever since his arrival in Ceylon Arabi Pasha expressed the opinion that the Mahdi would triumph, as he knew better than Europeans appeared to do the spirit of the populations, I whose dread of being overpowered by Christian nations is indesoribable."