ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE EGYPTIAN DISASTER IN THE SOUDAN.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3859, 29 November 1883, Page 3

ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE EGYPTIAN DISASTER IN THE SOUDAN.

LORD DERBY ON FEDERATION

AND ANNEXATION,

POSITION OF AFFAIRS IN EGYPT

THE BLACK FLAGS ATTACK A FRENCH GUNBOAT.— SANGUINARY ENGAGEMENT.

PROCLAMATION BY THE EMPEROR

OF CHINA

LONDON

November 23

Through tho treachery of a guide the Egyptian army was induced to enter a rooky, Avoodcd, and Avaterless defile, where, falling into an ambuscade, Hicks Pasha Avas unable to use his guns. He maintained his position for three" days, but on the fourth, his forces, exhausted by thirst, avci-o entirely destroyed, with tho exception of 50 taken prisoners.' The Governor of the Soudan Avas killed. All the army's guns, munitions, and camels avci-o captured. The rebels lost heavily during the engagement. The town of Kordofan lias been lost, and the entire Soudan district is a.blaze. Tho various garrisons in tho Soudan, numbering about 4000 men, are retiring on Khartoun, avlictc the populace are said to bo disloyal. In his intervicAv Avitli tho AgentsGeneral, Lord Derby appeared indisposed to offer any suggestions to guide the Conference, and firmly maintained the position taken up iv his last dispatch. He declines to recommend any form of federation, but stated that he was prepared to acquiesce in any decision Avhich the colonies might arrive at on the subject. When asked whether ho Avould recognise federal action by the colonies for tho annexation of New Guinea if they Avould guarantee £10,000 por annum towards the expenses, he declined to make any promise, but he created an impression that a protectorate Avould be established over New Guinea. He expressed doubts as to Avhethcr the French Government had any real intention of letting convicts loose on the Pacific Islands. Sir Dillon Holland Mr T. Archer sharply combattcd the views expressed by the Secretary for the Colonies. November 24. The evacuation of Cairo by Sir Evelyn -Wood's troops Las been postponed- and if El Mahdi advances into Egypt it is expected that an Anglo-Indian force Avill be brought together to resist him. At present Egypt is in an unsafe condition beyond the second cataract. It is considered possible tli.it the Porte may demand of tho Khediva to restore order in the Soudan. The tone of tho French Press is jubilant over the disaster in Egypt. November 25. The Black Flags attacked the French gunboat Caralrime off the citadel at Handyoung, and would have captured her had not the gunboat Lynx come to the rescue. Tho loss of the assailants Avas heavy, and tho French lost forty men. The French garrison afterwards embarked on tho Lynx to Avait reinforcements. No Chinese regulars Avere engaged in the affair. November 2G. The Emperor of China has proclaimed Annum a vassal State, and also that the seizure by the French was illegal. Ho has ordered the defence of Bacninh, the position Avhich the French aro about to attack. M. Ferry proposes the appointment of a Joint Commission to determine and define the neutral zone in Tonquin.