, 1872-10-29
ENGLAND IN INDIA.

ksNN%A4tH t& aAAlNs
The Nestor or the British Army Gone.
From til. Louisville, Conr1er,Jou51aI
The detth Of Field Marshal General Sir George
Pollock carries ua back to period fresh in the
recollection of our fathers and grandfathers, but
known to us only in the pages OF history. It
recalls especially the days Of disaster and tri-
urnph when the empire Of England in India sus-
tanned shock 1uch as it had never felt before.
Exactly seventy years hare passed since George
Pollock entered the service OF the East India
Company as q subordinate oficer in the Bengal
attaining the rank OF Captain in 1906, Major in
1919: and Colonel in 1929. When he entered the
army IN India he VAS then in his 18th year. It
vas not long before his courage as well as his
capacity WIS tried. He vas present under Gen
Lake the battle Of Deeg, and at the seges Of
Deeg and Bhurtpoore, in 1905. In 1916
he volunteered to serve with the force under
General Wood against the Nepau1ese, where he
distinguished himself and having held some
staff appointments in the interval succeeding,
he wss ii 1921 appointed to the command Of tbs
army sent under Sir Archibald Campheu to
Burmah, where he gained great credit, and
for his services was made G. 3.
The ability which he had shown On the
courage, marked him out as the man to
aveage the terrible disaster, which befel the
British arms in Cnbul, under Lord Aucklsnd's
unfortunate administration.
test for the throne OF Afghanstan aroBe among
tho three brothers, Zemaun, Msh7nud, and
Saah S1jeh, which ended in the triumph OF the
second On his abdicarion, in 1925, and death
and tho empire fell into the hands
ot three brothers, Of whom the eldest,
Dost sIohdmned, ruled at Cabul. In 1888 Lord
auckland, then Governor General Of India, de-
groand that he had attacked the British ally,
Run5est Singh, manifested disposition gen
orally hostile to the English, and because Shah
SEjah. the lawful heir to the throne, had placed
himself andsr Britiah protection. The British
vas ii defended. Dost Mohammed
kpcvledge Shah sulah as King on condi-
tior thai be should be Prime Minister. These
t=.zas we're rejected, and the Britieh army
gcst, after some hard fighting before the fortress
OF ah;znec, which had fallen On the 21st Of July
Dost Mohammed surrendered to the English,
aud . pension Of tTo les Of rupees ts2o 00
the son of Dost Mohannaed, Akbar
Kbnn, was active in organizing q con-
spi1ncy against the British. At the begin
ming OF winter, when aid from India WAS inpos-
Matnaghten and Burnies. we're slain. Hunaiiat-
ing terms we're offered to Major Pottinger, aud
accepted. The invaders we're to leave the coun-
Try under an escort from Akbar Khan, the latter
agreeing to supply PROVISIONS on the route. On
boring about 500 soldiers, with their followers,
women. children, and servants, numbering
12.oD more, set out for the khyber Pass. Neith-
er Escort nor provisions vera furnished, the
troaehcFous Afghans linod the road and poured
dead1y FIRE into the shiVering mass, and when
they, reached the Khyber they found the heights
lined with Chllzyes, who completed the work
Of destruction Of all the army but one
est 81 En- Dr. The Bd9n % escaped tRe rbs e 1daabaa
fortress occupied by British troops within
the Afghan territory. Most Of the women
and children had taken rouge in Khoord Cabul
before the, Khyben had been reached Such
arma in the East, and all felt that the disgrace
must be oblitcrated at all hazards Lord Ellen
borroagh was sent out to 6upersede Lord
Auckland, and the war Of retaliation be-
gan. But affairs we're in d critical condi-
ton. -Four native regiments in the British
service we're lying at the foot Of the pass
n Z dangerously rnutinous spirit, not only
refusing to enter the dedle, but, through their
emisearies, endesvoring to excite other troops to
uphold them in their determination But all
these diacouragements we're gradually over
como by the tact and courage Of General Pol
lock, and On the 5th Of April, 1872 he advanced
to the attack Of the most formidable defle in the
world. Scaling the heights on both sides Of the
pass, the British troops drove the Afghans
from the sumrnits while the main body
forced 3 passage through the Khyber; Ally Nua-
Jed, the Fey to the p0slton Was carried Je11a1a-
bad, which had been calamity defended by Sir
Robert Sale, was relieved; Akbar Kahn routed,
and the British army again entered Cabool on
the 14th of September. The women and child
ren who had surrendered themselves to Akbar
Khan we're rescued, and, after remaining sufii-.
cient1y long to produce the moral effect required,
the British army slowly retraced its steps and
evacuntod Afghanistan, retaining possession,
however, Of the fearful and bloody Khyber.
. For these splendid services, General Pollock
was presented with q sword by the Government
Of India, created G. C. B., and received the
thanks OF both Houses of Parliament. In 1913,
he was appointed Envoy at Dude; in 1874, d
member of the Council of India; in 1916, he
was presented with the freedom Of the City Of
London in gold boz; in 1917, he was voted IN
annual pension Of s1,000 by the East India
Company received in 1850 medal for general
BerEiccs with four clasps Tor tho battle and
siege of Deeg, the Hepau1 war, and the
Burmese war, and in 1858 was made by the
Crown one OF the Directors Of the East India
Company. In 1861 he Uas made G. c. S. l., md
in 1870 9azetted to the breyet rank Of Field
MarahaL Oa the death Of Sir John Burgoyue
Dec. %, 1871, he Was installed Constable Of the
Towers Of London, and msde e baronet in
March Of this year. Thus full of yea1s and OF
hono1B, this Nestor OF the British army ia at
length gathered to bis fathers. His elder broth
er, Sir Frederick Pollock, Chief Baron Of the
Court OF Exchequer, died in 1870, ut the ripe age
OF 81.
ATennessee Belle in Italy.
AZ. III H.