EGYPT. 



263 



The following table exhibits the nationality, 

 number, and tonnage of the vessels passing 

 through the Suez Canal in the year 1874: 



The movement of shipping in the preceding 

 years was as follows : 



The total expenditures for the construction 

 of the canal and the first arrangements amount- 

 ed, up to the close of the year 1873, to 471,- 

 769,980 francs. The value of the buildings 

 and the inventory belonging to the company 

 was estimated in 1874 at 21,795,545 francs. 

 The income of the company was, in 1871, 13,- 

 276,000 francs ; in 1872, 18,325,000 ; in 1873, 

 24,831,127 ; in 1874, 26,726,145. The expendi- 

 tures were, in 1871, 15,918,000 francs ; in 



1872, 16,253,000; in 1873, 17,346,109 ; in 1874, 

 18,667,568. Surplus in 1872 (the first year 

 which showed a surplus), 2,071,279 francs; in 



1873, 7,485,077; in 1874, 8,059,577. 



The dispute about the frontier line between 

 Abyssinia and Egypt led, in 1875, to a new 

 war between the two countries. In August, 

 three men-of-war, with a force of troops and 

 marines aboard, were dispatched hastily to 

 that portion of the Egyptian coast bordering 

 on Abyssinia, to punish a body of Abyssinians 

 invading Egyptian territory. The Egyptian 

 force numbered about 2,000 men, armed with 

 the Eemington rifle, and commanded by Colo- 

 nel Arendrup, a Danish officer in the Egyptian 

 service, much esteemed for his military capa- 

 city. The troops were landed at Massowah, 

 at the entrance of the Red Sea, and ordered 

 to march into the interior. Eakel Bey, the 

 Governor of Massowah, and nephew of Nubar 

 Pasha, commanded the rear-guard, Colonel 

 Arendrup, the leader of the expedition, having 

 charge of the main body, while Count Zichy, 

 an Austrian officer, the nephew of the Austrian 

 embassador at Constantinople, who accompa- 

 nied the expedition as a volunteer, led the van. 

 They reached Gundet, ten days' march from 

 Massowah, without difficulty, and there they 

 received orders to march on Asawa, in the in- 

 terior of Abyssinia. On the way they en- 

 countered the whole Abyssinian army, stated 

 to consist of 30,000 men, armed, many of 



them, with the Snider rifle, and led by King 

 John in person, who was accompanied by his 

 English General Kirkham, an English non- 

 commissioned officer who fought under Gordon 

 in China, and subsequently, having come to 

 Abyssinia with the English, remained behind 

 after the taking of Magdala. The Egyptian 

 vanguard was first attacked. Colonel Aren- 

 drup pushed forward with two companies to 

 their assistance, but he could not make head 

 against the superior numbers, and fell back, 

 followed ,by the enemy. The fighting was 

 severe, and when with difficulty he reached 

 his main body he had only five men left. 

 Rakel Bey, in the rear, was attacked, and fell 

 fighting bravely at the head of his men. Then 

 Arendrup, with the remainder, formed in 

 square, and the Egyptians held their own as 

 long as their ammunition lasted. The enemy 

 was well armed and the carnage was great. 

 Finally Arendrup fell, shot dead in the breast ; 

 but, notwithstanding the loss of their leader, 

 the Egyptian troops stood firm, and at last, 

 when the cartridges were all expended, an 

 Arab colonel, though already wounded, led 

 them on against the enemy in the final bayo- 

 net charge, and was killed at the head of his 

 men. They were almost all shot down or cut 

 to pieces. 



The Abyssinians suffered severely, and, had 

 the numbers been at all equal, Egypt must 

 have won the day. As it was, they fought 

 without hope from early morn to afternoon, 

 and only a'mere handful was taken prisoners. 

 These, with unusual magnanimity, were sent 

 to Massowah to tell the tale by way of warn- 

 ing. Egypt suffered almost more by the loss of 

 officers than by the loss of troops. Rakel Bey 

 was one of the most promising of the younger 

 generation of Egyptian officials. He was a 

 man of education, and possessed of great cour- 

 age and determination. Colonel Arendrup was 

 a man of great capacity. He had a thorough 

 military training as an engineer i Denmark, 

 and, having come to winter in Egypt for his 

 health five years ago, he was induced to enter 

 the Egyptian service. His military training 

 and capacity at once secured him the* confi- 

 dence of the Government, who showed the 

 trust they placed in his powers by giving him 

 the command of the troops in this unfortunate 

 expedition. On receiving the news of the dis- 

 r aster, great efforts were at once made to con- 

 centrate all available troops at the seat of war. 

 Five thousand men left Suez, with some ele- 

 phants recently imported from India. Two 

 American generals, Loring and Reynolds, went 

 in command. 



A still greater loss for Egypt was the death 

 of Munzinger, the Governor-General of the 

 coasts of the Red Sea, who, on a march from 

 Tajurra to Cuhuosa, was, in November, led by 

 the treachery of his guides into an ambush, 

 surprised by hostile Gallas tribes, and slain with 

 about 140 of his men. (^MUNZESTGEK.) The re- 

 mainder of his forces, which consisted of about 



