Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1180, 20 October 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. Published Every Evening. GISBORNE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1882.

The recent war in Egypt and bombardment of Alexandria compels reflection, and after carefully studying the various articles which have appeared, we can only say that we quite agree that whilst the fleet was in a most efficient state, the army was evidently mismanaged. In almost every portion of the Commissariat Department there appears to have been a state of what our American cousins term “demoralisation.” On all sides the equipment and tactics of the ships are praised by the pjuropean press, but equally, on all sides, is condemned the blunders made in connection with the army. Troops should have been in readiness to occupy Alexandria immediately after the bombardment of the city in order to preserve order, but it was not so. Eight weeks after the war had commenced, Sir Garnet WolI seley was unable to take the field—which means that England had no means of transport for 20,000 men. Then again, compressed forage was shipped for horses and mules, but no mules were purchased, and it was no easy task to secure them, the “simple muleteers,” as represented by the famous song, taking care not to supply the English army with these animals. The “ Melbourne Age,” writing some little time back on the subject, ! says in an exceedingly clever article : “ More I serious blunders still are reported day by day iin the Quartermaster’s service. One day we 1 hear of a steamer arriving in Alexandria with . nothing onboard ; another day a detachment ' of Marines is despatched without guns ; aud : a third ship brings guns without ammunition. .. Two-thirds of the mounted regiments ordered to the seat of war are heavy cavalry, who will be more encumbrance than help. We can hope that the skill of our generals and the courage and efficiency of our troops will make up for all disadvantages. Still, the mere fact that we have notso far been able to strike any heavy blow has undoubtedly told !to our disadvantage. Our first engagements | in the neighborhood of Alexandria were ■ claimed as victories by the Egyptians, because ' our troops, having done all that was intended, i retired into their entrenchments with some j slight loss, instead of pursuing the enemy. : Probably even the engagement at Kassaroin , will be represented by Arari as a recon- ! naissance in force, iu which he repelled a i charge of the Guards, and brought off his • men safely. If Sir Gaknkt Wolseley could have disposed of 10,000 troops at that time, we can hardly doubt that he would have followed up the enemy to the gates of Cairo. As it is, he will probably have to wait till the floods subside before he finishes the war.” Of course the war is now over, but we think that on all sides it must be admitted that gross and unpardonable negligence has occurred iu the arrangements in connection ' with the landing of the troops. England’s I naval prestige has been retained in the recent j struggle, but her military renown is some* I what sullied.