MAIL NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4283, 22 September 1882, Page 2

MAIL NEWS.

Britain's Energy.

■' A World's London cable of the, lath ,. t August says:—" Whata ver difference of opinion may be entertained about the justice and wisdom of the British Gpvernment's policy in Egypt; it is admitted on all hands that its preparations for doing " any fighting which it may be called upon' to do by land or sea, are most" complete and effective. It is not too much to say that everybody, friend or foe,, at home or abroad, has been, taken by: surprise <by the energy which the Gladstone ; Adminis»,. r tration hr.B displayed in this'matter; Indeed, had there been the least reason to anticipate this some months ago, there would in all human probability have been 1/T no Egyptian crisis. - Mr Gladstone seems ' fully resolved to prove (to all Europe that it:will not do to jump to the conclusion that England will, not fight because the Liberals are in, power. He is certainly not taking any hal&measiires, but i.a doing-the business once for alh ~I am* a informed on very good authority that /; fully 40,000 men are now in Egypt or oh their way—-a far more complete and efficient force than was despatched to the Crimea, or than Wellington commanded at, Waterloo. The "peace party" evidently mean to show that when they do go to war they do it well. It is only fair to. v k state that, mean while all military critics on the Continent who usually name England's army and military system v but to blame them, express t'jeir surprise and admira* . tidn at the ease aed rapidity with which she ha placed a large army in the field, at the same time leaving defences at home. It is decidedly a feather in the cap of v Mr Childers, whose system of army reform, much ridiculed by the general public and treated with unconcealed prejudice by the mass of " old school." military men, has r proved a success, though subjected, to a.•=. severe test before it had been .fairly carried out; V.::':;.. '■' •"X;F.;.'~. i; )-'i ~iS-

'egyptun prisoners- ; as- v ■ • \ ...-■ ' tomshed. „; ;c ■ A correspondent from Alexandria says ':■■■ —The total number of prisoners taken by' us is 15—nine by the Kamleh; force, and• six by the Miliaha force. I went to-day> to! the military hospital and saw fire soldiers who were wounded, as well as many of those who suffered in the bom* : bardment. They seemed rather astonished . than grateful at their treatment;, and said that when wounded they tried. to hide . themselves, expectingno> help';frgmour* men. ;When they found they vTOe> discovered, they gave themselves up for lost. The officers told them not to be afraid, and* they w.ere lost in astonishment at the y fact that the soldiers carried them in what they called " diviaus," and walk«d slowly to avoid giving them pain. ;The English had given them food aud; water, and sent a doctor to them! ' One thing only was missing-~tobacco." We supplied j 5 thai deficiency, and then surprise turned ? to gratitude. One man I "thought deadi 7?) but lie moved his lips for tobacco. A lighted cigarette .was placed in : hia mouth, and it seemed to give him x^ life. This- man was.: a •bombardment victim! Dt Bell, of the Helicon, told me he reckoned his life by hours twenty days ago. • The attendant? said the man had-lived on water and occagional cigarettes. On leaving I asked if, when well, they would wish to return^-to Arabi. They said emphatically ".Nern." This. must be taken for what it is worth, but there might be worse policy than that of sending them back. *