SIRDAR SHOT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18236, 21 November 1924, Page 9

SIRDAR SHOT.

OUTRAGE IN CAIRO. SIR LEE STACK SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. ASSAILANTS GET AWAY. (BT CABLE—PRtSS ASSOCUTIOJf—COPTMOKt) \aVSTEAUAS AND S.J. ASSOCIATION.) CAIRO, November 19. Major-General Sir Lee Stack. Governor-General of the Soudan and Sirdar of the Egyptian Army, accompanied by an aide-de-camp, was returning from the War Office when ho was tired at with a revolver and seriously wounded. The assailants secreted themselves in a door around the eorner, and as the party came into the main street the attack was launched. A bomb was first thrown, but did not explode. Then tho assailants repeatedly lired automatic pistols, hitting Sir Lee Stack in the stomach, a hand, and a foot, the aide-de-camp in tho chest, and the chauffeur in an arm and a leg. A policeman pursued and brought down thrco of the assailants with two shots.

Two Englishmen in a motor-cycle and side-ear were also fired on, but escaped, after noting the number of a taxi waiting in a side street, in which tho aggressors escaped. Zaghlul Pasha (Primo Minister) and other Ministers, heading a deputation from the Chamber of Deputies, immediately called at the Roaidcncy to express profound horror and sympathy. Later.

Major-General Sir Leo Stack is still lying in a serious condition at the Residency, where ho was brought after tho outrage. It is not known yet if his condition will permit his removal to hospital. Neither his aido-tle-camp nor his chauffeur is in a serious condition.

The Prime Minister (Zaghlul Pasha) stated that ho was vigorously prosecuting an enquiry. The chauffeur of the assailants' car had been arrestod, and Zaghlul stated that ho hoped this would lead to the arrest of the criminals,' for whose apprehension £IO,OOO was being offered.

The High Commissioner (Lord Allenby), Mr Asquith, and others, wore lunching at • tho Residency when the wounded men were brought in, causing consternation. Sir Lee Stack's chauffeur, despite his wounds, drove at full speed to tho Eesidency. [Major-General Sir • Loe Stack has j been Governor-General of the Soudan and Sirdar of the Egyptian Army since 1919. He is 50 years old and joined the Egyptian Army in 1899, retiring in 1910. He became. Soudan Agent and Director of Military Intelligence in 1908, and was Civil Secretary to the Soudan Government from 1913 to 1916. Prom 1917 to 1,919 he was acting in tho offices where his position was afterwards confirmed in his present appointment. Since early in 1922, 'Egypt-has been recognised as an independent sovereign State;. but the British Government reserved for future discussion the questions of security of communications in Egypt, dofence, protection of foreign interests and of minorities, and the Soudan. The recent visit to London of Zaghlul Pasha aimed to persuade Britain to withdraw all troops from Egypt. Tho ■ Soudan is administered jointly by Britain and Egypt, In August of this year there were antMteitish disturbances there,- duo to the machinations of Egyptian agitators.] CONDITION MORE HOPEFUL. PLUCKY AUSTRALIAN CHAUFFEUR. (AUSTBALIAN AM> H.Z. CABLB ASSOCIATION.) (Eeceived November 20th, 7.40 p.m.) CAIEO, November 19. The Sirdar has been operated on. A bullet lodged under the lungs, and the stomach is full of blood. Transfusion proceeded with the patient's condition more hopeful. The intestines are not perforated, and tho transfusion has dono good. It is now thought that eight assailants are involved. The chauffeur of tho Sirdar's car in an Australian, who ia receiving many tributes for driving the car to tho Eesidency after being twice wounded.

THE NEWS IN LONDON. CAIRO PARALYSED WITH HORROR. (AUSTSAUAJf ACT X.S. CIBUS ASBOCIAKOB.) (Eeceived November 20th, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, November 20. Tho news from Cairo is regarded as momentous. The Foreign Office is- awaiting tho fullest information frjm LordAlleuby before taking action. ' Lady Drummond-Hay, "Daily Express" correspondent in Cairo, telegraphs: "The city is paralysed with horror. Everyone realises the unspeakably grave significance of tho crime; even the extremists aro cursing tho folly of it."