THE CRISIS IN EGYPT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1062, 25 August 1882, Page 3

THE CRISIS IN EGYPT.

( From our contemporaries ) Alexandria, August 17, At the council of war held yesterday it was decided to forthwith make an attack upon Ourabi’® position. An advance will be made from Aboukir, and not, as first intended, from Eamleh. A considerable force of British troops will embark here on Saturday for Aboukir Bay, and on tbe following day the ports there will be attacked before the landing of the troops is proceeded with. The advance Jfrom Aboukir, instead of from Eamleh, is in order that the assault shall be made on the enemy’s flank, in order to divert an attack on the front. The greater portion of the British expeditionary force has bow arrived here, and it is expected that the remainder will be landed within a few days. August 18 According to latest authentic information which has come to hand, Sir Garnet Wolseley will personally command the force which is being despatched to land at Abonkir. Major- general Hamley will command the second division and will co-operafe with Sir Garnet at Ramleh, the junction of the two forces ultimately being effected at Kafradewar. The whole of the British fleet in Egyptian waters, with two exceptions, will be engaged in tie bombardment of Aboukir, which commences on Sunday, Three regiments of British troops remain here as a garrison for the city. August 19. Admiral Sii B. Seymour does not accompany the fleet, biff remains in Alexandria. A continuous and heavy cannonade has been distinctly heard since this afternoon in the direction of the Mahmou-lieh Canal, but til- cause of the firing is as yet unknown. j Ourabi occupies a very formidable and strongly-entrenched position at Kaf-adowar. Ho is known to ki ve 100 guns mounted there, and heavy loss is anticipated in the coming attack. The escort of a gunboat through tho Canal is now optional to vessels. The experiment of issuing rations of frozen Australian mutton to the British force en route for Egypt has proved most successful. The Sultan, it is believed, is relying on the support of Russia, and evinces a disposition to land Turkish troops in Egypt in defiance of England. Major-general Macpherson. C.8., Y C., has arrived at Aden with the first detachment of Indian trseps. August 20. The British fleet and transports which left here yesterday did not stop at Aboukir, but passed on and proceeded to Port Said. Ou arrival there a body of soldiers was landed, and all the Natives in the place were disarmed, No resistance was offered by the latter. This ruse having bren successfully accomplished, it is now probable that the fleet and transports will proceed to-day to Aboukir, and forthwith commence an assault on the forts there. All traffic through the Suez Canal baa been temporarily stopped by order of Sir Garnet Wolseley, It is now known that the cannonade which was heard yesterday in the direction of the Mahmuodieh Canal was the outcome of a skirmish which occurred between General Hamloy’s advanced guard and Arabi’s outposts beyond Kafradowar. The aotii n was not of a serious character, and the casualties on both sides were slight. Port Said has now been occupied by the British force, and detachments of troops have been despatched to occupy Ismaila and also Koutira, a station on the Canal 23 miles from Port Said. The Khedive’s governor at the latter place has been reinstated inhis positionand placed under British protection. Further particulars to hand regarding the ski rmish which took place yesterday between General Hamley’s force and the enemy show that the latter offered but slight resistance. During the engagement the enemy’s guns at Nefich for a time shelled the British positions. All is, however, now quiet in the neighbourhood. In the skirmish which took place near Port Said between some Egyptians and a body of British sailors, Commander H. G. Kane, of H.M.S. Northumberland, who was in command of the landing party, was slightly wounded. Port Said, Kantara, and Ismaila are now occupied by detachments of sailors and marines from the fleet. The Egyptian position at Nefich was taken during the recent engagement, and is now held by the British force. The Suez Canal is guarded by British gunboats, in order to prevent any attack upon the Canal or upon passing ships by Arabi’s troops The ships which arrived at Port Said last night have now entered the Canal, it is

believed with the pltjcob of landing troops at Ismaila, whence they will march upon Cairo. The stoppage of traffic in the Canal by order of Sir Garnet Wolseley'was adopted ns a temporary precaution, pending the passage of the fleet pa t the Aboukir forts without an attack being made. London, August 20. The Envoys at the Conference have sioned a Canal Protocol, and a naval commission will meet at Fort Said to execte it A short skirmish between the outposts occurred at Eamleh this afternoon The enemy attacked steadily ; but the British, who were unprepared, withdrew. The ironclad railway was then despatched down the line and cannonaded the enemy severely. Tradesmen are returning to Cairo There are seventeen transports and five men-of-war at Port Said. All Arabi’s dhows have been disarmed. During the night the open quarter has been entrenched, and the telegraph line to Suez secured. Kantara and Ismaila have been occupied. The enemy have been routed in a skirmish at Kafach. The Serapis, troopship, and the gunboats have left Alexandria to reinforce the Aboukir expedi ion. The Black Watch and other reinforcements have arrived at Alexandria. Alexandria, August 21. It is now definately known that it is intended to despatch a British force via Isruailia to Cairo. The object of the movement is to take Arabi in the rear, and cut off the enemy’s retreat from the projected attack of the fr mt of Arabi’s position. British troops will proceed from Ismailia along the fresh-water canal running from that place to Belfes, and then march to the interior. The British fleet and transports have as yet made no movement from Port Said, and it is not known when the attack on Abourkir will take place, A body of seamen, 200 in number, from H.M. ships Seagull and Mosquito, attacked the sea forts commanding the southern end of the Suez Canal. The fort at Chalout, an important position, commanding, the deep cutting through which the Canal passes, was carried by assault, and is now held by the British. August 22. Further details are to hand regarding the recent engagement between the landing party from the H.M S. Seagull and Mosquito and the Egyptians who were entrenched at Chalouf. It is now known that the enemy offered a stubborn resistance, and suffered a heavy loss. One hundred and sixty-five were killed aud 62 made prisoners. It is currently reported he that the enemy are abandoning their entrenched position at Kafradowar. No authentic information is, however, yet to hand. The prohibition to the working of the Suez C mal which was issued by Sir Garnet Wolseley has now been withdrawn. The Company have resumed operations, and the Canal is again open for traffic. The Canal was occupied by the British on Saturday night, prior to the arrival of the Alexandria force. Thousands of camels are being collected at Suez for transport purposes. Barron do Lesseps has issued a strong protest against the British occupation of the Canal, The English Press advise’his arrest A fresh canal to supply the city of Alexandria with water will be cut by the British, ami the present one, which was damage 1 by Arabi, will bo repaired. The following items are to hand by the San Francisco mail regarding the Egyptian difficulty; . Port Said, July 28. This place is full of men-of-war. There is no interruption to traffic on the Canal, but the public feeling is one of indignation at the conduct of Baron Do Lessons in opposing measures for the safety ofj Port Said and the Canal. He is believed to be in direct communication with On raid Pasha. The Europeans, including the French subjects not under De Lesseps’ thumb, are contemplating sending a communication to the Foreign Office at Paris complaining of his intrigues. De Lesseps continues to oppose every plan for assuring the Canal’s safety. He said the Khedive was simply a prisoner in the hands of the English, and England’s sole idea was to obtain complete control of tho Canal. Yesterday he telegraphed to Ourabi Pasha saying he had just sent a dispatch to M. de Freycinet telling him the Khedive and the agents of the Powers were incorrectly informed as to tho situation here; that the Canal was in no danger ; that he had prevented the landing of French and British forces ; and if the Minister would make him the representative of Prance here he would ensure tho safety of European life and property, and secure the Canal. Ourabi replied that he would provide for the safety of the Canal so long as England respected its neutrality. London, 24. Ourabi Pasha wrote the following letter to Mr. Gladstone a few days before the bombardment of Alexandria, hut Mr. Gladstone did not receive is until after Admiral Seymour had done his work s—“ The Koran commands us to resist if war is waged against us. Hence England may rest assured that the first gun she fires against Egypt will absolve the Egyptians from all treaties. Their control will cease, the property of all Europeans will bo confiscated, the Canal destroyed, and the Jehad will be preached in Syria, Arabia, and India. The first blow with which England strikes Egypt will cause blood to flow through all Ada and Africa, the responsibility ef which will be on the head of England, Egypt is still ready to be the fast 1 fritnd of England, and to keep her road to India, hut she must keep within tho limits iof her jurisdiction. England may rest assured that we are determined to die for our country,"

INTERPROVINGIAL. An attempt was made "in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, at Curislohuroli, to get a man lined on the ground that the Licensing Bunch had granted him a accuse for an unsuitable house, aud therefore the license under which he had been selling liquor was void. The Bench declined to interfere with the Licensing Committee, to whom, they said, the application ought to have been made. Sir George Grey has telegraphed to a gentleman, at Auckland, signifying his intention of presenting his valuable library to the citizens of Auckland, the Mayor and Corporation for the time being to act as trustees. There are some very rare volumes in the collection, which are valued at from £IOOO to £2OOO eaioh. Last Monday, the family of George Howard, of Kilmore street, Christchurch, partook of bullock’s liver and suet-dump-lings for dinner. They were all subsequently taken 111, and a girl three years old died this morning. Diphtheria is becoming very prevalent in North Canterbury. A slight shock of earthquake was experienced at Rangiora on the 21st inst. The Christchurch Star states that poaching of trout and American salmon is extensively carried on in the Waimakariri, where nets are often found, and that the fish are readily sold at high prices in Christchurch.