THE OEISIS IN EGYPT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1064, 15 September 1882, Page 3

THE OEISIS IN EGYPT.

( Prom our contemporaries ) London, September 7. i.ord Dufferin has defrred the signing of the convention with Turkey, aa he takes oh jectinn to several phrases used by the Sultan in the proclamation deo'aring Arahi a rebel. The enemy’s regular infantry number 45,000. the cavalry 1900, and the puns 150 In addition, there is a force of Bedouins numbering 30.(W0 men. The MareoMs Lake is flooding, owing to the canal cut by British forces. The Naval Brigade have joined Sir Garnet Wolseley. Dervish Pasha and Baker Pasha have gone from Crete. The first, detachment of Turkish troops consist of 3000 men. Dysentry is spreading among the troops S ptenibe 9. A despatch has been received to-day tom Sir Garnet Wolodcy, timed noon, regarding the engagement fmig.it this morning near Kassassin. Sir Garnet reports that the enemy in great force were observed reconnoitring the British outposts at ‘aybreak. The order was at mice given tor them to he attacked, and after a somewhat brief engagement thev were tepn'sed with very heavy loss, and four gnus were captured The loss o” our si !e was slight. After their defeat 'he enemy retired to their lines at Tel el Kcbir, their artillcrv meanwhile firing at long ra-gea upon the B itis’i force. The kilter have since rct nned to Kassvsin, where the head quarters of (ho enemy now are. Lord Dnffcrin distrcsls the wording nf tho cnnvnntinn aa suggen'ol by T 'rk-y. aa wed as certain phrnn a : n the proclamation calling on Ara'd to sn> render ; mil hefn-e sp"dng hn has re r erod the matter to the Homo Government.

Arahi’s force at Ted el Kebir seem to be acquiring courage. They have now taken possession of and occupied a village near our position at Kassassin.' It is reported tnat a number of Irish officers have joined the rebel forces. Reinfoi cements for the seat of war are to embark on Tuesday. September 10. Thirteen thousand Egyptians, with twelve guns f • med the attacking force on K issas sin. The Briti-h force took a large number of piisnneis, and advanced within range of Tel-el Kebir, but withdrew in the afternoon. In Ihe engagement on Saturday the contingent from the enemy’s garrison at Salakein, numbering 1500 men. with a battery of Kriipu guns, attempted to outflank thBritish forces at Kassassin, but were rou cd after an exceedingly stubborn contest, during which our forces managed to capture a green ttandard. The total casualties on the British side numbered 64. The firing censed at 3 o’clock Arabi’s forces retreated on Tukehu, and reached it in a perfectly orderly manner. Their casualties were heavy, but there was no panic on the route. The B itish loss was eighty. The Kolakuk contingent, with their bat tery of Krupp guns, attacked our right flank in a spleudi i manner. A rain's best forces were employed in the engagement. A mutiny is rampant in Arabi’s camp at Ka f radowar. Four offic is who have de serted have reached the British lines. Baker Pasha and Dervish Pasha, with tie Turkish troops, have been ordered not to advance from their camp at Port Said until the convention between England and Tur key is absolutely signed. Arahi is expelling all the Turkish am' Circassians from his camps. Constantinople, September 8 The Turkish troops who were despatched to Crete a shore time back are now preparing to embark at Smla Bay for Port Said, in accordance, with the Anglo-Turkish Convention Alexandria, September 6. News has been received from Kassassin that a party of the enemy’s cavalry recon noitred the British camp there to-day. Upon their being observed, a brisk fire wa opened upon them from the English outposts. The cavalry returned the fire, and a fusillade was kept up for some time. The enemy, however, ultimately retired. A British convey, while proceeding ti Rainses, was attacked near that place to-day by a strong force of Bedouins. The guarattending the convoy repelled the attack with vigour, and the Bedouins were repulsed and made off. September 8. At an early hour this morning Arahi me naoed the British position at Kassa-sin with a strong force. He opened fire with his field pieces upon the entrenchments, and a heavy cannonade was maintained on both sides fm <orae time. At 1 o’clock the British were advancing ond the enemy fal'ing back. Subsequently the enemy made an attack on both flanks of the British position sun ultaneously, and sharp fighting took place at noon. The enemy suffered a severe repulse, The fighting was, however, con tinned. The main body of the troops, under Si' Garnet VVolaeley, is now at Marcota, and in rapidly pushing to the front. An attempt was made last night by a party of Arabs to surprise t ;e British gani son here ami obtain possession i f the city. Nothing, however, came of Ihe affair. Sir Garnet Wnlseley has 17,00.1 men advancing to the front. Aral i’s f-ont extends from the Edkaron Desert to South of the Canal, and his defensive works are f.p midahle An Arab mob to-day attache 1 and over powered the guard and forcibly removed the holies of the murderers of .Messrs Dobson ami Richardson, who were publicly hanged here yesterday. September 9. News is to hand that a detachment of English cavalry have left Kassassin and ad vanned to within a mile of ! e’ el-Kebir. The enemy’s position was reconnoitred and sketched, and the cavalry then retired, no opposition being met with. London, September 11 An official dispatch from Egypt, dated last evening, has been published In it SitGarnet VVolseley reports that all has been quiet ia the neighbourhood of Kassaroin since Saturday afternoon Sir Garnet further states that Arabi’s fo-ce employed during the engagement which took place on that day numbered fully 15,000 men. all armed. They male a plucky and determined stand against the British troops, and their losses amounted to several hundreds. The exact extent of the enemy’s casualties could not be ascertained. The offi i d statement of the Bri’is’a loss gives two killed and 54 wounded. The Egyptian forces have advanced on both sides of the Canal, driving the Benv.al Lancers before them. The enemy have also been shelling Kassaroin with 30 guns. A stampede has occurred amongst the animals in camp, resulting in some damage. General Lowe’s cavalry, of the first division, succeeded in defeating a very dangerous flanking movement attempted by the enemy, who advanced in spite of the artillery fire, until the 60th Rifl s, Royal Marines, and 84th Regiment advanced, when they retreated in good order. The Soudan troops bore the brunt of the battle, and lost 2‘lo men. Armoured locomotive trains were engaged on both sides. A force of Bedouins on Saturday surprised and forced an entrance into F. irt Mex, but were quickly driven out at the point of the bayonet. Lord Granville, in a decisive communication to the Pcrte, insists that the Turkish troops shall he embarked at some port on the Suez Canal to he determined by Sir Garnet Wolseley. It is reported that Arahi has diverted the course of Freshwater Canal to Ismailia, by constructing moats to lead the water to Tel-el-Kebir Too Highland regiments are being hurried to the front, hut hundreds are disabled bp snn stroke, and deaths are numerous. Sir Garnet >Vols ß ley has abandons 1 Ismaili.a as his headquarters and base of operations. and is pushing on to Cabo. The Khedive has, in deference to the forcible remonstra ces of Sir. E. Malet,, the British Consul-general at Alexandria, consented to abolish the practice of torture Had the Highland regiments reached the front in time a dash on Tel el-Kehir would have been made on Saturday, hut in their absence it was not deemed prudent to follow the enemy into their stronghold.