§ BARON HENRY DE WORMSI should like to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he has received any telegrams from Lord Wolseley as to the safety of General Gordon?
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONMessages have been received from Lord Wolseley to Sir Evelyn Baring. I do not think, as they have been received en clair, there is any reason why they should not be placed before the House; but the information they contain is not of great importance, but it tends to show that Lord Wolseley knew nothing of the unfavourable reports with reference to General Gordon. The telegrams are as follows:—
Sir Evelyn Baring, Cairo, 10 A.M. (noon), Nov. 4 1884.—Following from Wolseley, dated Dongola, yesterday:—Kitchener telegraphs to Wilson:—Message begins:—I saw a man named Ibrahim Wad Beel, who recently came from the Arabs some distance south. He has sent a letter to the Mudir. He said all was quiet, and when Gordon received our messengers he fired salutes and had parades. He appeared unwilling to give information. I suppose you know that both English and French Consuls were with Stewart. Greek Consul Nicola supposed to have remained behind in the boats, and to be safe.—Message ends. Kitchener again telegraphed yesterday:—Message begins: Hadji Abdullah arrived from Wady Gamr, and says that a man from Shendy reports that Hashem-el-Moos has formed a post there, and has been fighting with Jaalin. The Mahdi, with a large force, came to Omdurman, and asked Gordon to surrender. Gordon replied that he would hold Khartoum for 12 years. The Mahdi then retired without fighting to El-Goz Elmek, one day south of Khartoum and half-a-day from the river, and gave out that he would not fight for two months. Many left him. Sid-el-Hassan has sent word 910 from Kassala to Gordon that he will soon come and help him. He is an important man. Sheikh Sala, son of Hussein Pasha Khalifa, in pay of Government at Korosko, has opened the Murad wells and sent a letter to Robatat, offering peace if they will come in. Mahomed-el-Khair is still in Berber as Emir, but the people are afraid. Road from here to Khartoum not open except by Metammah, and there the Mahdi's men come in at night.—Wolseley's telegram ends. I think that the place called El-Goz Elmek in this telegram is the same as that called Emmek on the map.