As it was, no decisive battle was fought; the Mahdists, under Osman Digna, steadily retreated before the advance of the British. After the brilliant reconnoitring trip to Khartoum, and the shelling of the city by the two little gunboats, it was expected that something decisive was about to be done. But no advance has been made by the main army, and now it is positively stated that no further steps will be taken until January. People are wondering why the soldiers were sent to the Soudan, if they are only to camp on the banks of the Nile and contemplate the Mahdists from a distance. After building their railroad, and making such excellent preparations for a brilliant campaign, it seems astonishing that the troops should be allowed to sit down and wait, without striking a blow. It is, however, rumored that the English Government does not wish to spend more money pushing the campaign further, and that more troops are needed to bring the campaign to a successful termination. Whatever the reason, nothing more is likely to be done in the Soudan for the present. * * * * * The committee which was appointed to find out just how much it would cost to make armor-plate, has sent in a report which will be presented to Congress at the earliest opportunity. It appears that it will cost over three and a half million dollars to build an armor-plate factory capable of making the amount of armor required by the Government. It has not yet been decided whether the factory shall be built, but the Secretary of the Navy is going to advertise for offers to build it so that he can lay the whole matter before Congress at one time. The Carnegie and Bethlehem steel companies have not been idle while the Government has been making its inquiries. Krupp, the German gun-maker, has recently invented a process for manufacturing armor-plate which is said to make a plate that is still more durable and better than that manufactured by the Harvey process. The Carnegie and Bethlehem companies no sooner heard of the Krupp process, than they sent experts to examine it, and finding it to be all that was represented, they purchased the sole right to use the process in this country. The Government, of course, wants the best possible armor for its ships, and if the Krupp is the best, they must have Krupp armor-plate. The cleverness of these two firms has, however, made it impossible for the Government to manufacture this kind of armor for itself. If it is to be used, it must be bought from the Carnegie or Bethlehem people. The Secretary of the Navy does not approve of the Government spending so much money in building a factory of its own. It is said that when he lays the matter before Congress, he will recommend that the armor be bought of the Carnegie or Bethlehem firms. It is stated that he expects to get the armor for $425 a ton.