first brigade, under Colonel Kitchener, of three regiments of Soudanese, was on the right, and the second, under Colonel Holled Smith, consisting of Soudanese and two Egyptian regiments, were on the left. The cavalry, comprising the, 20th. Hussars, and Egyptian Mounted Infantry, numbering about three hundred men, with the 25th. and 41st. Regiments, were held in reserve about five hundred yards in the rear. The advance was made about seven o'clock, the British Infantry opening fire to cover the Soudanese, who rushed on the Arab entrenchments. They were received with a hot fire, and the enemy brought a heavy gun to bear on them, but the Soudanese dashed at the gun, and drove the Dervishes out of their trenches. At the same time the redoubts in spite of a determined resistance were carried, and the Arabs were completely routed, and pursued by the Hussars. H.M.S. "Starling" and the Egyptian steamers then shelled the wells. At half-past eight the fighting was over, and the enemy dispersed, with the loss of about four hundred men, all their matériel, and camp. The British casaulties were four men of the 20th. Hussars killed, and two officers and three men wounded. The loss of the Egyptians was also trifling.

TOSKI.

AUGUST 3RD., 1889.

THE Nile Expedition having been withdrawn, and the Soudan, with the exception of Suakin, practically abandoned by the British and Egyptians, the Dervishes resolved on an invasion of Egypt proper. In June 1889, an army of them, about fourteen thousand strong, crossed the frontier, and steadily advanced northwards. Near Wady Halfa they were met on the first of July, by an Egyptian force under Colonel

*The Soudan Medal, with the clasp "Gemaizah, 1888," was given to the officers, seamen, and marines of H.M.S. "Racer" and "Starling" who belonged to those vessels on December 20th., 1888, the date of the action.

Wodehouse, R.A., and, after a smart action, defeated with the loss of five hundred men.

This failed to stop their progress, but Wodehouse's column harrassed them by constant attacks during their advance of fifty miles in the Egyptian territory.

On the morning of August 3rd. they had pushed on to within six miles of Toski, a place about three miles from the Nile, occupied by Sir F. Grenfell, Sirdar, or Commanderin-Chief, of the Egyptian army. The General sent out his mounted troops, consisting of the 20th. Hussars, the Egyptian Cavalry, and the Camel Corps, to skirmish with the enemy, who rapidly advanced, their riflemen driving back the mounted troops, who slowly withdrew in the direction of Toski, keeping up an incessant fire. The enemy were drawn on step by step till two guns came up at a gallop, and opened fire on them with great effect, giving time for the infantry to arrive and take a position on a ridge of hills lying almost due east and west, completely checking the movement of the Dervishes northwards. Thus out-manoeuvred, they formed in order of battle on several small hills, which they covered with waving flags and thousands of spears glittering in the morning sun, their riflemen being extended in an attempt to turn the Egyptian right. A hot fire was kept up on both sides, but the enemy finding themselves enfiladed on their left, charged down the hill, and were literally mown down by the volleys poured into them. The first brigade was then ordered to advance direct on the hillocks held by the Arabs, and at the same time the second brigade advanced on the extreme left, and took their position in flank. The enemy for a time held their ground with the utmost bravery, and though driven from post to post, charged again and again in the most fearless manner. But they were beaten from the hills in disorder to the plain below, where they were repeatedly charged by the Hussars and the Egyptian Cavalry.

Their chief, Wadj-el-Njumi, and every Emir of importance but one was killed, and the Dervishes, completely overwhelmed, fled in confusion, closely pursued by both infantry and cavalry for some miles. The enemy's force was entirely broken up, upwards of fifteen hundred of them being killed, and nearly

three thousand spears and swords, one gun, one hundred and fifty rifles, a large quantity of ammunition, and over three thousand prisoners being taken.

The British loss was one private of the 20th. Hussars and sixteen Egyptians killed; and one hundred and thirty men wounded, including six British.

This action closes the long list of the generally useless, and almost profitless fields of bloodshed and slaughter which crimsoned the sands of Egypt and the Soudan.

THE NORTH-WEST CANADA MEDAL.

1885.

THIS medal was given by the British Government to the Canadian Militia, Volunteers, and Mounted Police, for the suppression of the rebellion of Louis Riel in the North-West of Canada, March to May, 1885. The obverse of the medal is the same as the medal for Egypt, and on the reverse are the words "North-West Canada, 1885," within a wreath of maple leaves. With the medal was given a clasp inscribed "Saskatchewan," to all those who had been under fire. The medal without the clasp, was given to the troops called out to suppress the revolt, but who were not present at any of the engagements. It was issued without names. Ribbon, dark blue, with two red stripes. No English troops

were engaged in the operations. The rebels were mostly French half-breeds and Indians. The force which suppressed them numbered about five thousand men, under the command of Major-General Sir F. D. Middleton. Battleford was besieged by the Indians, and relieved by a force under Colonel Otter, who routed the rebels with a loss of 150 killed and wounded. Riel entrenched himself at Batoche, where he was attacked and defeated by General Middleton on May 11th., and this action virtually ended the rebellion. Riel was afterwards tried and executed.

THE INDIAN GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL.

1891.

SINCE the pages of this work describing the actions for which the Indian General Service Medal and Clasps have been given, were written, three additional clasps have been granted, inscribed "Hazara, 1891," "N. E. Frontier, 1891" and "Hunza, 1891"-making a total of fifteen clasps issued to the present time (1892). Officers and men who already possessed the medal received the new clasps only; and a bronze medal and clasp of similar pattern was given to all authorised Government followers.

The force operating against the Hazara tribes, under Major-General Ellis, advanced from Derband, on March 12th., and defeated the tribesmen at Dilari on March 23rd. All active operations ceased by May 16th., and before the end of the month the tribes surrendered unconditionally, and their chiefs accepted the terms imposed on them by General Ellis. The 78th. Highlanders, and 23rd. Welsh Fusiliers, were the British regiments engaged in this affair.

The clasp inscribed "N. E. Frontier," was given to the native troops employed in the Manipur Expedition, between the dates of their advance from Tamu, March 28th.; Silchar, April 15th; and Kohimar, April 20th.; to May 7th., 1891; when the operations were ended, by the submission of the Rajah, and the punishment of the officials who had incited the attack on the British Resident.

The clasp for "Hunza, 1891," was granted to all troops employed in the Hunza-Nagar Expedition, between the 1st. and 22nd. of December, 1891, both dates inclusive.

The Hunzas are a nation of robbers and slave dealers, inhabiting an almost inaccessible country. The expedition against them was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel A. G. Durand, who, after some sharp fighting, stormed the strongly fortified fort of Nilt, on the Hunza river, December 2nd. In this service he was severely wounded. Only Indian troops were engaged in these operations.

MEDAL FOR LONG SERVICE AND

GOOD CONDUCT.

THIS Medal was first instituted by King William IV., on July 30th., 1830, for non-commissioned officers and men who had been discharged in receipt of gratuities, under the provisions of the Royal Warrant of November 14th., 1829. The men recommended must have served twenty-one years in the Infantry, Artillery, or Engineers, or twenty-four years in the Cavalry, with irreproachable characters. A gratuity not exceeding £5 for a European soldier, or £3 for a black soldier, is given to each recipient. On the obverse of the medal is a military trophy, with a shield bearing the royal arms, with a smaller shield in the centre bearing the arms of Hanover. The reverse has the inscription "For long service and good conduct." Ribbon crimson, suspended by a steel loop. The name and regiment of the recipient, with the date, were indented on the edge of the medal. After the accession of Queen Victoria the arms of Hanover were omitted on the medal, and some years subsequently, but before the Crimean War, the steel suspender was replaced by a silver clasp, similar to other medals.

By a Royal Warrant of January 16th., 1860, the medal, without gratuities, was in future to be given to such soldiers as might fulfil the conditions previously required, but who were precluded from becoming recipients of the medal with a gratuity, in consequence of the aggregate amount to be annually awarded having been already appropriated. No soldier is entitled to the medal unless he has specially distinguished himself, or has, at least, three good conduct badges. A record of the recipients of these medals is kept in the office of the Secretary of State for War.