DEFEAT OF HICKS PASHA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1674, 22 December 1883, Page 27

DEFEAT OF HICKS PASHA.

Cairo, November 22. The army.of Hicks Pasha has been destroyed by the forces of El Mahdi, the False Prophet. Intelligence of the disaster was brought to Khartoum " by a Coptic official, who says the fighting was continued from the 3rd to the sth inst., and resulted in the complete annihilation of the Egyptian troops. It is said that a European artist is the only_ person who escaped. The forces of El Mahdi comprised, it is estimated, 30,000 men [The cable gave the numbers as 300,000.], and included dervishes, Bedouins, and regulars. The battle was fought near El Obed. El Mahdi first sent forward dervishes, declaring that they would vanquish the enemy by Divine aid. Subsequently the regulars joined in* the attack, and later the engagement became general. The army of Hicks Pasha, which early in the battle divided into two bodies, subsequently reunited and formed a square, which the forces of the False Prophet broke after three days' desperate fighting. A council of Ministers hafc been hold, and it was- decided to concentrate at Khartoum what Egyptian- forces remain at Duemen Goba and other places in the Soudan. The force under Hicks Pasha comprised 15,000 men. He had with him 10 British officers. O'Donovan, of the London Daily News, and an artist connected with a German illustrated paper, also accompanied the army. ! Sir Evelyn Wood haa advised the Egyptian Government to abandon the Soudan, and establish 4 strong frontier line from Khartoum to Souakim, on the Red Sea. It is reported that the recent orders' for the evacuation of Egypt by British troops have been countermanded.

Captain Hulston, who was with Hicks Pasha's forces, and escaped in the disguise of a dervisb, says on the way from the battlefield he counted 950 wounded survivors of the engagement, and among them a European artist named Power. Hicks Pasha bad divided his army, sending half to' El Obed to demand the surrender of that place. He waited the arrival of El Mahdi, who was advancing from the southteast. El Mahdi,' however,, met half of Hicks Pasha's army advancing to Hi' Obed, and attacked it. Hearing firing. Hicks Pasha * came up with his whole force and formed ft hollow square, El Mahdi brought up fresh regulars, who, it is supposed, were soldiers captured when El Obed fell,' and who agreed to take service 'under El Mahdi, these numbered 3000. The square of Hicks Pasha's men was then broken, and his army annihilated. The English officers with the Egyptian army fought gallantly. An Englishman who escaped is thought to be O'Donovan or Frank Vizetelly, of the 'London 1 Graphic. Hicks Pasha had ' 1000 soldiers' and 1000 camp , followers, and His Arabs numbered 10,000. • The Marquis of Salisbury, Breaking at a banquet of the' Carleton Club, said the defeat of < Hicks ' Pasha must end all thoughts of the withdrawal 1 of British troops from Egybt. The .French papers ' express the opinion that the disaster will lead to the permanent English occupation of Egypt. L6ndon, November 23.

The Times has a Khartoum dispatch, dated November 20, which says one of the most trustworthy sheik's 'in the service of the Government, * who arrived at Daiveri yesterday, reports that 1100 men, including Hicks Pasha and his entire staff, were annihilated in a defile! at Kashagat, whither they were led by a£rJ3a(>fae"rQUs f guide on the morning of November 1. Hicks Pa&ha and . his entire army marched frc,m Malhas. The guide led them to a rocky 1 wooded defile, -which was without water, and where an ambuscade had been prepared by the rebels, who were armed with riflcß and' artillery. Hicks Pasha was unable to use his guns for three days, while the army defended itself, but on the fourth day it was annihilated to a, man. Vizetelly, artist, and 50 soldiers who were outside came in, and were taken prisoners. They were carried to El Obed. The rebels captured 36 Krupp, Nordenfeldt, and mountain guns, all the flags, munitions of war, and camels.