TELEGRAMS FROM HEADQUARTERS. 9 1 under Nur Angar, who has three Krupp guns, but very little ammunition for them. None of the shells fired from them exploded. At Shendy there is one Krupp gun and a small garrison." Then followed the account of the operations after Abu-Klea with the reconnaissance of Metammeh and the reason for not attacking it with the almost certainty of a further loss of men; and then—" I most deeply deplore the losses which we have experienced, but in every other respect the results of these operations, so ably and successfully conducted by Sir Herbert Stewart, are most satisfactory, and cannot fail to have great effect upon the future of this campaign.

I have had no letters of any importance from General Gordon. The most recent, dated December 29, contains merely one line, saying ' Khartum all right— could hold out for years.'

Sir R. Buller starts to-morrow to assume command along: the desert route to Gubat. We have plenty of troops, of ammunition, and of food. The Royal Irish Regiment begin their movement across the desert to-day, and the Royal West Kent Regiment will follow.

Sir Herbert Stewart writes in good spirits from on board one of the steamers, and the last report of him says he is doing well; but his wound is very severe, and I cannot expect him to be fit for any more work in this campaign.

The temporary deprivation of his services at this moment I reeard as a national loss. He is one of the ablest soldiers and most dashing commanders that I have ever known. I recommend him most strongly to the Queen for her Majesty's most favourable consideration."

Then followed a list of the killed and wounded, and the intimation that the wounded at Abu-Klea were doing well and would soon be fetched in to Korti.

These telegrams, which narrated the actual occurrences, did not carry with them to the public, nor even to those who had more particular knowledge of the campaign, the full impression of how serious the situation really was, nor, it must be said, did the commander, and those who acted under him, appear to realize the