Milford chronicle., 1885-04-17
THE INDIAN WAR.
Capture Of an Afghan strnfeRlcal Position
by the Russian Troops.

/ A
ofa battle between the Russian and Afghan
outposts.
Further advices state that, as IT appears, the
Russian General KOmaroff felt bound to attack
the Afghans on March 80, his excuse being
that they had provoked him. Consequently
he moved upon their fortified position, near
| the Kushk River, and defeated them. The
Afghan loss was 500 men killed and wounded,
all their art llery, two standards, and camp
equipage. British officers were present, but
did not participate in the fight. They were
borne off by the flying Afghans.
The Afghan camp at Murghaub, on the
Murghaub River, has been captured by the
Russians after brief but sanguinary battle.
Five hundred Afghans were killed. The Rus
Eian loss was fifty killed and wounded.
The camp contained large quantity OF
arms, ammunition and military stores, all OF
which fell into the hands Of She Russians.
A later dispatch from Meshed SAYS that the
British officers who viewed the battle as pas
sive spectators upon realizing that the Al
ghans were defeated asked the Russian COM
mander to take them under his protection,
because they feared that the Afghans in their
frenzy would massacre them. This. the Rus
sian general attempted to do, but he was
thwarled by the Afghans, who carried the
Englishmen to point beyond his reach.
The news Of the engagement on the Afghan
frontier between the Russian and Afghan out
posts has caused the greatest excitement in
London. The people are incensed at the
duplicity Of Russia in pretending TO be anxious
for peace while her object, they say was
merely to gain time.
The streets are crowded this morning
with an excited populace, rushing hither
and thither in search of the latest in
formation. The newspaper Offices are
besieged, and the streets are almost inn
passableat points where bulletins are displayed.
The fight on the frontier is generally re-
ceivud as the first step by Russia in long
contemplated contest for supremacy in Asia,
and it is believed that bloody and desperate
war between Russia and England is now ineY-
table.
cles is semi i-panicky.
ST. PETERSBURG April 1O.-The Official
Messenger published the following; General
Komaroff reports that in consequence of provo
cative and manifestly hostile proceedings Of
the Afghans he was compelled to attack them
on the 30th ult. on both banks Of the kushk
River. The result was the defeat of the
Afghans, with the loss Of 500 men, all their
artillery, two standards and their entire camp
and provisions. The Russian loss was one Off
Ger and ten soldiers killed and three subal-
terms and twenty-nine soldiers wounded.
When the fighting ended Gen. kOmaroff
returned across the river to the position
he had formerly occupied. Gen. Koma-
roff also reports that some British Off
GERS who had been eye-witnesses, but
not participants in the engagement, ap-
pealed to the Russians for protection when
they saw that the Afghans weTe beaten. But
unfortunately, he says, convoy which he inn
mediately dispatched to the relief OF these
officers was unable TO oyertake the Afghan
cavalry, who carried the British away with
them in their flight.
Instructions have been telegraphed to Sir
Peter Lumsdt n to proceed instantly with all the
forces at his command to occupy Robat Pass,
the approaches to which have already been
fortified by the Afghans, under the direction
OF the British Royal Engineers. Robat Pass is
As miles north of Herat and through it lies
the only practicable road for large military
force to Herat. Sir Peter Lumsden has with
him about 200 British and natives and the
Ameer's forces capable Of concentration at
this point number between 1000 and 1900
men. Tee pass is 900 fee high, and the noun
tains are impracticable for even a small force. !
Col. Ridgway highly eulogizes the gallantry
of the Afghan troops during the action. He
says they fought under every disadvantage, |
and the fact that they held their ground as
long and as stubborny as they did in the face !
of terrible slaughter and almost certain defeat,
shows them to be possessed Of splendid cour- |
age. They were taken by surprise, being at |
tackled in the absence of any declaration OF |
war and on ground which they believed was |
admitted to he theirs. They were vastly out |
having only l,5OO men, with poor ]
while the Ru slams had 5000 we'll I
armed regulars, besides force Of Turcomans. |
The London Standard has received the fol- |
lowing from its correspondent with Sir Peter !
Lumsden's force ''Ihe accounts Of the Af- |
CHAN losses in the recent engagement are con-
hicting. 1t is asserted that some hundreds of |
Afghans were literally massacl ed. Sir Peter
Lumsden has broken camp at Guiran and is
on 1irpul a station on the Heri-
ltud, near Kusan. The force was oyel taken
on the march by severe snOWstOim, which
caused several deaths and great suffering
among the retinue."
"a g thaa-s>- II no lIlsLN tlt'5ts'5- Ar -
decorations and rewards have alreaus- 0een
conferred by telegraph on the Russian officers
and soldiers who took part in the battle with
the Afghans.
Various rumors are afOat to the effect that
some English officers were killed in the Russo
Afghan engagement, and that the Afghans
have risen against the English.
Russia's Defence.
Gen. Komaroff7s dispatch is published off
cially in st. Petersburg. He says:
''On the 25h of March our detachment ap-
preached Dashkepri. When near the bridge
we saw an intrenchment occupied by Afghans.
In order to avoid conflict stationed my troops
five versts Ga little over three miles) flom the
Afghan position. Negotiations with Captain (
on the 26th. When the Afghans
became convinced that we had no intention of
attacking them they daily drew nearor to our
amp. On the nth they dispatched against
company Of ours, covering accommodating
party, three companies, with gun, and
ome cavalry. Next day, their audacity
md arrogance increasing, they occu-
pied high and commanding position on the
eft flank Of our camp, n ade intrenchments,
ind placed a cavalry post in the rear Of our line
md picket within gunshot Of our fort. On
he 29th L sent the Afghan commander an en-
'rgetc summons to eyaeuate the left bank OF
he kushk and the right bank Of the Murg-
lab as far as the mouth Of the Kushk.
lie replied that, acting on tie advice Of the
english, he would not retire beyond the Kushk.
then sent him private letter, couched in
micable terms On the 30ih, in order to sup
,Ort my demand, l marched with my detach-
nent against the Afghan position, still expect
ng pacific issue, but fire from the Afghan
rtillery and an attack Of their cavalry COM
,elled me to accept combat
WHAT THE WAR IS ABOUT.
England, as everybody knows, has an i'm
nense empire in Iudia. Russia has Of late
ears been pushing her conquests in the direc-
ion Of India, and about two years ago, when
he Russians seized the oasis Of Merv and got
ontrol of the great Turcoman desert, they
anne right up against hat has always been
Cgarded as one Of the bulwarks Of India-Af-
hanistan. Then England became alarmed.
Look at map of Asia and you will see that
Il along the northern edge Of India like wall
I defence, runs the gigantic chain of the
iimalayas, the greatest mountains in the
'Orld. At the northwestern corner Of India
his range Of mountains splits up, and turp-
lg toward the southeast, spreads out into a
lumber of diverging ranges which cover
fghanistan, the backbone of the system
cling the colossal Hindoo Koosh Mountains.
his rugged country of Afghanisian, therefore,
)rms a sort Of natural breastwork for India
)ward the northwest, the direction from
hich an invasion by Russia would come, and
} England has for years kept a sharp over
ght Of things in Afghanistan. In the north
estern cornerof Afghanistan lies the fortified