Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-14
WAR WITH RUSSIA
Is That What England Now
Has on Her Hands2
A Question John Bull is Asking
Himself.

An Engagement Between the British
Forces in India and the Tribesmen Of
Turkestan-The Latter Believed to Ne
Acting Under Instructions from the
Czar--what win the Final End BeS
LONDON, Dec. 14.-Is it to be war
with Russia? That is the question that
Englishmen are now asking themselves
where er that drum beats.
When the news of the fighting on the
Pamir frontier reached here Friday
night and was flashed around the world,
there was a responsive thrill of warlike
expectation among the queens subjects
from north to south, from east to west.
Has the long expected signal come at
lastP That is the question.
Later dispatches from Calcutta re-
ceived Saturday morning, confirm the
news of the capture of a fort near
Gilgit, the most advanced British
agency on the frontier near Pamir.
These later kilograms also confirm the
galantry of Captain Aylmer and Lieu
tenants Boisergon and Babcock, who
led the storming party. The interpreters
of the official code message, however,
made slight mistake as to the fort
captured.
The first message said that the tribes
men of Hunza and Magyar, supposed to
be instigated by Russian agents. were
threatening for the Chalt near Gilgit,
ou the Hunza branch of the Indus.
The second dispatch said that the fort
had been captured on Dec. by o force
under Colonel Durand, who, with Cap
tain Aylmer and Lieutenant Babock
were severely wounded; other officers,
including Lieutenant Corton, having
been slightly wounded. 1t now appears
that the place captured was Fort Nilt,
on the same river, and between Gilgit
and Fort Chalt; the second message
from Calcutta, in view of the fact that
the first telegram stated that Fort Chalt
was threatened, was naturally inter
preted to mean that it was the position
which had been captured. In this con-
nection, it was stated in these dispatches
Friday night was not quite clear on the
point referred to.
Russian money and Russian arms and
ammunition are said to have been found
upon some Of the prisoners and on the
dead
Colonel Durand, though suffering
severely from his wounds has prepared
and forwarded to the commander-in-
chief, report Of the operations and the
causes which led to them. 1t is under
Stood though the secret details of the
affair have not been made public that
Russian intrigues are undoubtedly at the
bottom of the affair. In proof OF this, it
is reiterated that Colonel Durand was
summoned in October last, to Simla,
where he had a series of conferences
with the viceroy of India, the Marquis
of Lansdowne, and measures to meet the
Russian movements were agreed upon.
Consequently reinforcements have
been pushed forward towards Gilgit
ever since October, but their progress
has been delayed by bad weather, and
worse roads.
Awful weather.
Some idea of the weather which pre-
walls in that part Of India can be gath
cred from the fact that Colonel Durand
and his staff returning from Simla to
Gilgit, passed through some terrific
during which they lost
their baggage and suffered most severe
ly, while the bullock train, which re-
Gently came down from Gilgit, lost fif-
teen drivers and over one hundred AMI
mails. Some of the passes which must
be traversed are $4,000 feet above the
level of the sea.
II is understood that q cabinet coun-
Gil to consider the situation will be held.
Additional communications between
Lord Salisbury and the Russian embas-
sador have taken place.
The Pamir Question.
In all circles the situation is regarded
as certain to lead up to Great Britains
upon prompt settlement Of
the Pamir question, and of most con-
siderable notifications of the demands
made by Russia liz connection with the
southern headwater boundary.
The scene of the conflict is about
I 400 miles, almost directly north Of the
Bombay on the frontier, between India
and Turkestan, and near the Indus river.
CONGRESS.