20 AUGUST 1898, Page 1

Owing to the interest still felt in the details of

the Spanish- American War, comparatively little attention is paid to the advance on the Nile. Yet the Sirdar, for reconnoitring pur- poses, has already steamed up the river as far as Shabluka, which is only fifty miles below Khartoum. He found the passage easy for gunboats, and the fortifications deserted. The full advance will doubtless begin in a very short time, and already a large part of the army is south of the Atbara camp. When once the force is completely under way, things will move very rapidly, and we should not be surprised if Khartoum were in our hands by September 10th.