A Dash At Dervishes

lyNDON, Dec. au- The British attack upon A'an lines b efore Suakim was opened by SU1 Gen. Francia Grenfell at 7:S0 Thursday tnorning. It was finished iu half an hour, but was a desperate and bloody contest. Gen. Granfell had 4,000 men under bis command. So complete were all the preparations aud so udmirably had the forces been arranged for the attack tbai when the order was givon to charge the men responded with alacrity and moved forward upou the enemy's works with shouts of exultation. Shoulder to shoulder they pressed on unflinchingly till they reacbed the redoubts, though exposed to a raking flre, which left many gaps in their ranks. The enemy was equally ready to resist the onset of the British and fought like tigers to repel the invaders, who poured over the redoubts like an irresistible flood. It was a brilliant contest ou both sides, and the spectacle was an inspiring one tbroughout the brief time it continued. At such close range, was the fighting that it was practically a hand-to-hand battle with bayonets and small arms. h was aoon seen, however, tbai the contest was not an equaJ ono. Despite their brare and steadfast resistance to the örst onset of the storming forces the Arabs began gradnally to weaken and fall back, and finally fled in confusión. A later dispatch froui Suakim says the battle was ïel-el-Kebir over again, although there was more resistance on the part of the enemy. The superior armament equipment and discipline of the British troops told the momeut they came ia contact with the Arabs. The British lost twelve killed and wounded, and tbeir Egyptian auxiliaries forty, incluaiug two officers wounded. The Arab loss is estimated at 400 killed and wounded. The Egyptians fought well and captured all the Arab cannons.