KHARTOUM

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1912, 11 February 1885, Page 2

KHARTOUM

On the Khartoum telegraphin? from f • Shabadood, the special correspondent flg the "Morning Post" states that an Ara™ who left the Mahdi'a camp, says that, Khartoum is closely invested. One of tho principal tribal chiefs h on the east of the Blue Nile, while the Mahdi himself'" holds a position on the west bank of tho Whito Nile, beyond tho range of the guna at Onaerman, one of Gordons most important works erected for tho defence of Khartoum. Small parties of the enomy make daily attacks upon Khartoum, but arc invariably repulsed with heavy lobs. the Mahdi states that he will starve out,, the garrison, and Ayil}not;venture to storm,, the town. He no doubt fears that aV ; open attack would result in a great' slaughter of his followers. There aro five Europeans with the Mahdi, including Mr Vizetelly, the correspondent, and a Frenchman. Shendy and •Metammeh have submitted to Gordon. The rebels at Wady Garna have resolved to hido on the cliffs where the river is narrow, and to fire down on the passing boats or steamers. The opinion that -prevails here is that the Mahdi is wanting food,and that his men are daily deserting his standard. The chiefs of Kordofan and Darfur are now against him, and Ja tribes between Berber are reported to'tH ready to submit. The Arabs-from tfio East report that the- Mahdi has 15,000 men on the river at a distance of -sjs hours'march pf Khartoum,'on the west bank of the Nile, where the.Btoameis.oan* not approach owing to the Nile being now so low. They say that the Mahdi has challenged General Gordon to como out and fight, to which. Gordon replied that he would come out to meet, him in two months' time—moaning by tills that the British relieving forco would then be coming. Owing to tho extreme lowness of the river the steamers cannot bring provisions to Khartoum as before, but Gordon has plenty which he collected during the high Nile.