The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-12
Battle Between the Frontier Tribesmen and q
Force of English Troops, in Which the
Latter Came Out Victorious.
Fort Chalt Recaptured, but Not With
out Loss TO the StOrming Party.
Several British Officers and Number Of Sc
poys Wounded and Seven Of the Latter
Killed--Fears Of War with Russia.
FIGHTING IN INDIA.
Battle on the Pa,nir Frontier Between British
Troops and Tribesmen.

Battle on the Patnlr DetWeen brltlen
Troops and Tribesmen.
SPECIAL TO the Indianapolis Journal.
LONDON, Dec. 11.-Ofiicial dispatches re-
ceiyed here this evening from Calcutta
state that there has been fighting between
the British forces and the tribesmen in the
vicinity OF Gilgit, near the Pamir frontier.
and not far from the new boundary line
recently claimed by Russia. In short, the
British troops are now face to face with
frontier tribesmen in arms, who are
claimed to be under Russian protection.
and most serious events may result from
this clash of arms.
At Gilgit there is a British agency gar
rlsoned by some Kashmires and Indian
Ghoorkas and battery of artillery. Ac-
cording to the first advices received from
the front the tribesmen of HunZa and
Nagar. two towns on the river Indus and
almost opposite to each other, have for
some time been threatening the Chalt fort,
held by a detachment of Kashmrcs. This
caused Colonel Durand, the British agent
at Gilgit. to make an advance upon the
Chalt fort for the purpose of relieving the
garrison. This advance of the British
troops was made early during the present
month, for on Nov 20 Colonel Du-
rand wired the commander-in-chief that
he should move upon the enemy
on Dec. 2 unless he was previously
attacked by the tribesmen. who were re-
ported to be assembling in large numbers.
and to have been instiCated in their action
by Russian agents Colonel Durand also
telegraphed, the same day. that he feared
xI~$o Hsnk okl1
though he had done every thing possible to
prevent it. The Nilt Hunza river flows
few miles from the fort threatened by the
lndo-Russian tribesmen.
A later dispatch tonight announces that
Fort Chalt was captured on Dec. 2, and
that seven Sepoys were killed and twenty
six wounded. Colonel Durand and Captain
Aylmer. ana Lieutenant Badcock were
seriously wounded. Several other officers,
including Lieutenant Gorton and others,
were slightly wounded
A GALLANT CAPTAIN.
Captain Aylmer and Lieutenants Boisa-
gon and Badcock. continued the dispatch,
displayed extraordinary Galiantry. Capt.
Aylmer most gallantly led storming
party. carrying q gun-cotton petard, and,
in the face of a shower of bullets. dashed
up to the iron-bound gate of the fort.
affixed the petard to 1t, lit the fuse. re-
treated a short distance and then had the
pleasure of hearing q deafening report.
The next moment the gallant Captain saw
that the petard had blown the gate of the
fort to pieces. Captain Aylmer and Lieuts.
BoisGgon and Badcock, followed by hand
full of Sepoys, then made dash into the
fort, and after some desperate lighting
captured field gun which had been used
effectively against the attacking party.
The British officers and Sepoys also capt
ured nine prisoners, the remainder of the
rebel tribesmen fleeing. leaving number
of dead inside and outside the fort.
The news of this engagement on the
Pamir frontier is not clear on one point,
that is what became of the original Has
mire garrison at the fort. 1t is presumed,
however. that the rebel tribesmen capt
ured the fort previous to the arrival Of the
British troops. ami that it has now been re-
taken. The first reports of the conflict
reached this city in time for them to spread
to the clubs and theaters. The result was
a feeling of considerable excitement. and
there were many old Indian officers who
gravely shook their heads upon hearing
the news, saying that it was the
most serious that had come from
India for many day. The younger OFF,
GERS, naturally, were elated and were loud
in their expressions of hope that the long
expected war with Russia was to come at
last, and that the British lion and the Rus
sian bear were TO engage In the long antici-
pated struggle for supremacy in the East
and for the possession of India, the rich
est prize in the East.
The excitement increased rapidly, and
the general opinion is at midnight, about
the clubs and such places, thar war with
Russia is looming up on the horizon IN
India. In any case it Is certain that the
whole Pamir question will now be raised
in deadly earnest.
EATER.-A constant exchange of dis
patches is going on between high officials
here. Some of the officials of the Indian
Office. who are apparently going to pass
the night in that building refuse To fur
nish any other information to inQulrers
than tha already gwen above. One officer
of high rank who has recently returned
from India was more communicative, and
frankly said there could now be no doubt
that afiaIIs on the frontier of the Pamir
district had reached most delicate and
dangerous stage The claims made by Rus
sia. he said. must be greatly modified be-
fore even q basis for negotiations can be
established between the three nations con-
n.