AN EGYPTIAN OPINION OF ENGLISH FIGHTING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1047, 23 December 1882, Page 3

AN EGYPTIAN OPINION OF ENGLISH FIGHTING.

A native officer present at the battle of Tel el-Kebir makes the following statement, which appears in the Times telegrams from Cairo, dated Oct. 2nd : 'On the ]2th we were informed that a general attack would bo made that Dight. We were under arms ;iud at our posts shortly after sunset. During the night scouts were sent out with orders to fire as a signal if any body of troops was approaching. They three times reported all quiet, We had given up all expectation of an attack ; wh were tired, and the officers were beginning to lie down, when three scouts were sent out as a labt reconnaisance. We had expected that the attack would begin at about 2000 yards. Our guns were sighted for this ran;>e. Arabi exhorted his officers to wait ten minutes for the result of this last reconnaissance ; but hardly had they left the camp when they tired the signal. Instead of 2000 yards ti-ey must have been 200 off. We fired, but most of our shots must have gone over their heads. Almost at the same moment, it seemed so qirck, they were scrambling orer r», first over our right, and than rolling over all clown the line like a wave, We never expected war like this. Our soldiers stood tire at a distance very well On the sth of August many were killed and they werD not afraid of shells ; but these men came close up to us, and the only vay to save life was to run away. The native soldier has never exercised this close way of fighting. No soldiers but the English could fight like that.'