The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-01-23
HERZEGOVINA.
The Country IN Arms Against Aus
trian Rule.
SERIOUS ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN
GATSKO AND BILEK.

LONDON, Jan. 21.-A correspondent at Ra-
gusa sends dispatch respecting the formida-
Bile instruction which has broken out against
the Austrian rule in Herzegovina. Telegraph
ing on Thursday night, he says: Herzegovina
has risen. The focus of the lnsurrection lies in
the district which was the scene of the first mp
rising against the Turks in 1875. Insurgent
corps are forming in the mountains near Nevis
INFO, Gatsko, Gubinje, Focha, Bilek and Ire
binie The warlike clan Of Zubei, on the
border of Krivoscia, has harmed its home
steads and joined the insurgents under the
well known guerilla chief Vulkalovich, and
the villagers on the Herzegovina frontier near
Ragusa are following their example. The ris-
ing seems to have been simultaneously
planned, and is not without organization. The
insurgents do not lack resources, and the men
receive about seven pence and half pound Of
-four daily. The orthodox Mohammedan pop
ulation is fraternizng with the insurgents, and
the Mohammedan gendarmerie is deserving
en- masse, the national camps naturally taking
them in, with the farms and Announcements SO
thoughtfully distributed among them by the
Austrians. Even in the Catholic district of
Pasavo, the well known chief Musslch is re-
ported TO have made his appearance. On the
whole, he Mohammedap element prevails
among the insurgents. The Turkish hey at
Focha succeeded in raising in 48 hours picked
band of 240 men. The position of the isolated
Austrian posts In upper Herzegovina is very
prcarious, despite the feyerish activity of the
military authorities in despatchiDg reinforce
ments. At Daban from 10 to 20 soldiers were
cut to pieces. The boldness of the insurgents
may be judged from the fact that five soldiers
were cut down in the very suburbs OF Castel-
nouva. The air is naturally full of wild re-
ports, some of which need confirmation. $50
much is certain, that the situation, even on the
Dalmatian-He rzegovinian frontier, was SO criti-
cal that the garrison of Ragusa had to be sent
forward in the night to reinforce the endan-
gered posts. The movement is stated to be
thoroughly national ono. Ihe watchword OF
the insurgents is death to the stranger
A serious engagement was fought between
Gatsko and Bilek, the result of which the
Austrians are endeavoring to conceal. 1t is
reported that they were repused. A cores
pondent telegraphing yesterday afternoon says
that 1000 additional troops were shipped yes
terday at Trieste. Ragusa forms the base of
Austrian operations against the insurgents.
The plan of the campaign seems to be by driv-
ing military wedge forward TO the Montene-
grins' frontier near Bilek, to separate the Kri-
visian from the Herzegovina bands.
A Vienna dispatch says: The war depart
ment will not send any more bodies of troops
south, but will arrange for Strengthening the
regiments stationed in Bosnia, Herzegovina
aud Dalmatia, excepting those in the Linn dis
trict. General Gevanovich reports that
a coporal of the eleventh regiment, who
was in charge of an excise post north of Bilek,
was attacked on the 10th inst. by 1000 insur-
gents. He defended himself in a house for 80
hours, and, upon h9'WlthdraWal OF portion
of his aSsailants, fought his way through those
remaining and reached Koreto. He received
gold medal for his valor. A lieutenant col
onel, commanding body of Landwehr, march
ed on the Goth inst. into Bilek from Korito,
with a convoy of provisions and ammunition.
On the 10Th inst, while marching over the
mountain between the main road and the
Montenegrin frontier, his detachment was con-
tinuously engaged with insurgents. The latter
were repulsed on all sides. The huts they oc-
cupied were set on fire and the ammunition
march of the detachment, on the goth inst. in
surgents followed the rear guard, out did not
venture an attack. In eight encounters since
the 10Th, between Korito and Bilek. a lieuten-
ant and private were killed and five men
were wounded; one is missing. The insurgents
suffered heavily.
The disturbance has commenced to spread to
Bosnia. At Serajevoe the people are afraid to
go into tie streets unarmed.