EL MAHDI'S SUCCESSES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3918, 9 February 1884, Page 6 (Supplement)

EL MAHDI'S SUCCESSES.

The following diary of events in the Soudan fur tho last eighteen months is taken from the Argus of the 12th instant,. It shows the grout success of the Mahdi, and the terrible losses he has inflicted upon tho Egyptian armic*, as well tis the widespread character of the rising : — June, — >ix thousand Egyptian soldiers under Yussuf Pasha, without provisions, were surrounded by the Mahdi's followers mid massacred. July— (about 100 miles from Klmrtoum) is destroyed, and the people ma.ssai.-red. August—Advance of the Mahdi ;'upon El Obeid, which is garrisoned by GOOO men. >c\)t. —TheMahdi attacks Don, and is defeated. The Mahdi was then within two hours' march from Obeid. Sept. B—He attacks tho town of Obeid, and is repulsed. Sept. B—Renews the attack with the same result. Sept. 14 —For the third time the garrison is attacked, but. the Mahdi is again repulsed with heavy losses. Oct. 24 — Two battalions of regular troops and 850 Bashi-Bazouks, reinforcements sent to Kordofan, were entirely destroyed. Nov. _■ — Feinforcements numbering 2500 men, sent from Khartoum to attack the enemy, are defeated. Ono thousand men killed, including the commander aud many officers. Jan,, 18-3—4000 Egyptian troops at Darfur, and 5000 at Obeid, cut off from communication. The relieving force at Khartoum is unable to attempt; a relief. Jan. 15—Obeid capitulates without conditions, and the False Prophet takes up his residence there. The black regiments enter into his service. Feb. 11—Tho neighborhood of iSuakim reported to be swarming with the followers of tho Mahdi. Feb. 2:3.—Abdel Kador, the new Egyptian commander, repulsed the False Prophet, who had been besieging Sennaar. Feb. 20—Abdel Kader entered Sennaar, where the inhabitants surrendered to him. March . I—General Hicks arrives at Berber. April 29— Hicks Pasha gave battle to a body of 5000 insurgents. The engagement lasted half an hour, and resulted in the defeat of the latter with heavy loss, 500 men being killed, including the False Prophet's Lieutcnant-Ccnoral and many wounded. The loss on the Egyptian side was only slight. The result of this engagement, was to clear the rebels out of the province of Sennaar. Sept. 10—Hicks Pasha, after preparing for the expedition, started with an army of 10,000 men to crush the False. Prophet at El Obeid. Ho has been appointed Com-mander-in-Chief in place of Abdel Kader. Hepfc. 30—Mr O'Donovan, writing to the Daily News, and dating from the entrenched camp 130 miles south-west of Khartoum, record? that the enemy is advancing as rapidly as possible to Obeid, in order to press on a decided action. The message describes the great precautions taken on the line of march to prevent surprise, and proceeds :—'Thero will be no comuiunication with the external world for the next', few weeks, as for the moment we practically, burn our ships.' His last message is dated from Sange Hamferid Camp, M 5 miles south-west of Khartoum, October 10, and is as follows : —' We have halted for the past three days, owing to the uncertainty of the water supply in front. Hero we aro entirely dependent, on surface pools. A reconnuisance of thirty miles forward yesterduy by Colonel Farquhar ascertained that the pools were barely sufficient for a rapid march to the ▼illag'e of Sarnkna, now deserted, where there are a few weeks. The enemy is still retiring, and sweeping the country bare of cattle. Nov. 10—500 Egyptian soldiers, accompanied by Commander Moncriuff, British Consul at Souakim, attacked on the march to Klmrtoum, and massacred, only fifteen escaping. Nov. 23 — v cws received of the total destruction of the expedition of Hicks Pasha. The officers' beads displayed at, El Obeid. Nov. -ft— Kiting in Darfur. The Egyptian Governor wounded and driven out. The Soudan declared to be in a blaze. Nov. 30—News received that half the reinforcements sent to Souakim had deserted. Dee. 2—An Egyptian force attacked outside of Souakim and massacred.