The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-07 00:00:00

A D E N.

" It is now just twenty years since this singular
setttemeut came into our possession, and for the
greatest part of this time we have enjoyed a mar-
vellous amount of immunity from annoyance from
the Arab tribes, considering the somewkit unsatis-
factory manner in which we squatted ;n their neigh-
bourhood. In June, 1840, the Arabs burst into
our cantonments, but were driven nff with loss, and
they have never since then attempted to beard the
lion in his den. In 1841 a very hostile spirit had
been evinced by them towards us, and daily they
began to stop the supplies, on the plea that as they
had now been deprived of all revenue from Men, -
it was but fair they should be Sun! ed to tesscz, a
duty on everything sent to u.. On the sth of
Octob a patty of 580 men of her Majesty's 17th,
commanded by Col. Pennicuik, under orders from,
the p agent, Captain Haines, proceeded into
the interior, and after a sweep of some forty miles,
during which several strongholds were destroyed,
returned to the camp, having succeeded in the ob-
jects they had then in view. Some yews after this,
a party of officers who had unwisely gone into the
interior to hunt, were attacked during the '
night, when one of them was murdered. The
matter was arranged without, so far as we re-
member, any resort to hostilities. For some years
past we were under the belief that our relations
with the interior had become so much improved,
and our commerce, consequent on the advancing
prosperity of Aden, hsd become so valuable to the
tribes themselves, that there seemed no risk of
misunderstandings. It has proved otherwise, how-
ever, and for some time back the conduct of the
Sultan of Lahedge had been so unsatisfactory, that
it seemed doubtful how long collision could be
avoided. About the beginning of March he caused
the supplies of the garrison to he cut off from the
interior, while he patrolled his people in apparent
bravado close up to our outworks. This was a
state of matters not to be endured, and accordingly
on the 18th of that month Brigadier Coghlan, the
Resident, ordered the following force to be got in
readiness two 9-pounder field pieces with 50
Burt pean Artillerymen, and 20 gun lascare, 70
non-commissioned rank and file Foet Artillery,
60 Sappers and Miners, 100 of her Majesty's 57th,
49 seamen of the Hun. Company's steamer Rphin-
stone, and 11 of the Aden troop—in all 650.
The officers were Brigadier-General Coghlan, com-
manding ; Captain Thacker, major of brigade ;
Lieut. Wilkins, executive engineer ; Lieut. Hayes,
sub-assistant commissary-general ; Lieuts. Hen-
derson, Paisley, and Billimore ; and Assistant-
Surgeon Rustomjee Byramjee. Artillery : Lieuts.
Greig and More, in charge of Engineers and
working party ; Captain Brown, commanding de-
tachment of her Majesty's 57th ; Lieutenant Sir
Robert Douglas, Lieutenant Trageit, and Assist.-
Surgeon Griffin, of that corps ; Major Lynch,
K.L.C., commanding a detachment of the 29th
Native Infantry ; Captain Edgerly, Lieutenant
Phillips, and Ensign Jopp. The seamen of
the Indian navy were under the charge of Lieu-
tenants Trollop and Yates, Midshipmen Camp-
bell and Creagh, wi h some other officers whose
names we are unable to decipher, but one of
whom had a severe contusion from a spent ball.
The force marched at 4 a.m., on the 18th of March.
The first object of attack was a stronghold, called
Sheik Oinan, a fort surrounded by a village, five
miles from Aden, and said to be occupied by 500
of the enemy. For the first two miles our advance
was unmolested. When day opened, a party of
the enemy was observed in our front, who seemed
to be conveying information to the reserve in their
rear. The guns were pushed forward from our
centre, supported by the Foot Artillery, the
Sappers, and seamen ; a detachment of the 57th
covered the right flank, that of the 29th the left,
both being in skirmishing order. The cavalry
were held in hand to be employed wherever their
services might be required. A fire was now opened
on us by the enemy, and was briskly replied to,
the Arabs remaining cool and firm. As the heat
was now getting oppressive, the force was ordered,
to push on, firing as they advanced. The artillery
throw shrapnell as often as opportunity occurred.
The enemy, now in considerable force, endeavoured
to get round both flanks and into the rear. Being
strongest on the right flank, Captain Thacker was
ordered to attack them with the Aden Horse, while
Maj rr Lynch strengthened his skirmishers on the
left. They moved forward in this order until the
enemy took refuge under the walls, when both
village and fort were briskly cannonaded by the
field guns. The order for assault was then given,
the post of honour being assigned to the seamen.
They rushed on at once, followed by a portion of
the 57th, when the place was ours. A small
mosque on the right of the town was placed in
charge of the remainclerof the Europeans. Tbebotlyof
the enemy hid by this time escap-d in the direc-
tion of Labecl7. The fort was now destroyed, but
during the whole of the day a harassing fire was
kept up from a distance by the Arabs. Early in the
afternoon terms were sent in to us by the Sultan of
Lahedge, and these conceding everything we de-
sired, were accepted, and the force returned to
Aden. They had now been 13 boors out, mostly
in the sun. The Brigadier had been always in front
with the skirmishers. We had killed from 30 to 40
of the enemy, without any death casualty on our
side, a circumstance due to the range of our Enfield
rifles and our guns. The roads from-this date have
been perfectly open, the communications with the
interior and provisions coming in as they were wont
to do. The whole arrangements seem to have been
excellently managed, and the results everything
tha: could ba desired."—Bombay standard.