Stanley In Great Peril

London, Dec. 15. - There seems to be little doubt that Stanloy and Emin Bey are captivas ia the bands of the Mahdi. Seneral Orenfell has recognized the letter which Osman Diurna inclosod as the original one which he had drafted for Lhe Khedive. The members of the Emin Bey relief committee, however, continue to doubt the genuiness of the Osman Digma letter, and suggest that the Khedive's letter may be a copy stolen at Cairo, but they think it more likely that Stanley sent on runners to Emin with letters and that these runners were captured. In any case they are hopeful that even if Emin is a captive Stanley is still free. It is rumored that Osman Digma in his letter expressed a willingness to surrender Emin Fasha and his white companion provided Egypt would agree to abandon Suakim. If this proposal is not accepted it is believed that both captives wlll be killed. Mr. Thompson, the African explorcr, writes that it is only too probable that the Mahdi has captured Emin Bey. He expresses unhesitatingly the conviction that Stanley never reached Emin, but was annihilated with his wholo party in th región to the west of the Albart Nyanza. In this región, he saya, there are dense forests and swamps, and Stanley and his followers must nava had to march almost in single file and to iight for their daily food. The absence of news, he says, is quito natural, beoauso there is no slave er trade routes by Wuioh an Arab merchant could orry new. Tho disaster was wholly due to the seleotlon oí the Congo route. Why that route was 8lected still requires an explanation.