EGYPT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 27, 30 June 1885, Page 2

EGYPT.

A' special* message, dated May. 24thy aays the withdrawal of; 'British troops frQia the Soudan h'aahttd the expected effect of revivin/ : and" immensely strengthening' the.--p6.irer of Osrqacu-Digqa^^— among the/Hed Sea littoral tribes, which .- ■ : _ ■havp v^een,^ wavering m, their choice be( : twoen' the allegiance "id the ' Mahdi • or Qreit Britain. Tliey now declare for the ~ fonnar, and with tliem have gone thousands of Ara.b3 who had declared their - 'friendship for England. Many hundreds had abdcondeil from : the; BHtieh- camp; itself, and carried with them arms with -

which they were Ruppiiod. Th« Britisl evacuated"Handub, on May 2411), under ; galling fire, part of which came froii: their own riiles m the hands of tin treacherous enemy. An armoured train at Sualrim surprised a body of rebels on the 24th tearing up the rails of the new railway, and opened fire on them, killing several hundred. The Guards stopped at Alexandria while en route from Suakim to England, have gone into camp to await further orders. • Emissaries from El Mahdi now daily enter Suakim. The sick soldiers m Simkim are increasing m numbers. The In- . dian troops suffer terribly, and the rebel ! forces arc beginning to renew their attacks on Suakim. More tnbes, hitherto f riendly to the English, are wavering m their fealty. El Mahdi has sent ten suns and a supply of arms and ammunition to Oainan Digna. The English troopt will leave Assouan about the middle of June for Cairo at the rate of 1200 a week. The rebels have occupied Korti, and it is expected they will advance upon Dongola when the English are gone.