New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-04-01
TRAPPED IN A PASS.
NEARLY 500 NATIVE INDIAN TROOPS IN THE
BRITISH SERVICE SHOT DOWN.


AssAM-ESERGETIc ACTION BY THE
vIcERoY OF INpIA-THE MANI
PUR MASSACRE.
Calcutta, March 31.--Official dispatches received
here by the Government officers confirm the re-
port of the massacre of Goorkhas at Manipur, in
the Province of Assam, where about 470 of these
native soldiers were slain by hostile tribesmen OF
Assam after two days desperate fighting. The
fate OF the British officers who were in command
Of the Goorkhas, and of Chief Commissioner
James w. Quiuton who was conducting the nego-
tatiops at the durbar for the arrest of prominent
chief who had been instrumental in deposing the
Rajah Of Manipur, is still uncertain; but the
yiceroy of India, the Marquis Of Lansdowne, De-
leves that all the officers and officials have either
met death at the hands of the rebelious tribesmen
of Assam or are held as prisoners
In addition to the disaster at Manipur, IL is be-
lieved that force of British troops composed OF
q detachment Of 200 soldiers of the Bengal IN
fantry and about eighty Goorkhas, who were
marching from Shillong to Manipur IN order 10
reinforce the AID and 44th GoorShas Light IN
fantry, which composed the escort Of Cher Com
missioner Quinton, have also been attacked ana
have shared the fate of their comrades at Manpur'
The Bepcal Infantry detachment and the eighty
through a difficult and dangerous pass were SET
unon nv the Assamese and, though they fought
calamity against heavy Odds the rebel trioesmen,
from the advantageous positions which they oc-
cun,ed On the sides of the pass and ahead ana De-
b;nd the British force poured such destructive
Ave- into the ranks of the Bengalese and Goorkhas
tho. the latter are said to have been killed 10 a
man. ..
THE yiceroy is hurrying troops into the Province
NJ Assam in order to punish the bostlles. heni-
forcements of troops also being sent into states
=. ,roximitv IN Assam. in order TO prevent any
o.s,bls d,sorder or warliSe outbreak which, II Is
thouobt. might follow the spreading of the news
NJ the massacre Of British troops at Aampur'
Smla. March 3l-Further particulars received
,rom the scene of the Manipur massacre snow
that the insurgent tribes have captured NUMBER
of nrisopers including the Ralali OF MahlpW' "oSe
Seposition by powerful chieftaln o1 Assam was
the cause of oil the present trouble Inc III
sureents have also captured Cmef commissioner
Orinton + ST. G. Grimwood the British Political
Agent at Manipur; and Colonel SKcne' VINO was
IN command of the detachments from the 4Zd
and 44th Goorkhas. which defended the camp 0,
the Commissioner pitched between Kohima anu
Narinur Mrs Grimwood, the wife of the Politlcai
4rent. two assistant commissioners ana ore "a
,ba oascers of the Goorlxhas escaped In une
ai,ec+5on of Silehar when the insurgents ihaue
,he,r final charge upon the camp and broke 'nIouSH
the ranks of the Goorl<has. owing 10 'he ia''oi ~
having exhausted their supply Oh ainNi"riI ''oi
dnrinr the forty-eight hours hShuns "'
followed the midnight assault upon Ihelr eai,,p @
The fate of the remaining Officers Is sun sun en- Mani
Four regiments have already starue4 @ Iod ~ thn
nur with the object of etlecting the release & VI eo
i,rlsoners and punlshlng tie IeoeIHouS nontS
These regiments lnclude two nnd +,ie I'd ljen-
in
cal Infantry Several mountain battcTies vi ar
filIery and force OF cavalry are aAso DIE ,p
ma red 10 take the field in Assam Iniuepia.e;hfS ;f
H. General opinion seems TO be chat the mill
tary authorities will have TO punish tne llsur rscn.
tribes severely and promptly IN 1tuet dolo,y iU anv
besitencv or display Of weakness upon the part
of the british officials. The seat Of the Govern
ment of Assam is at Shlliong wIlcn nas PIp1 tIc
nroyince of Assam, however, is estimated az
5000, 600 The hostile tribes are composed oI
1vell-armed brave and cunning lighting men,
Fifteen fugitive Goorl1has, who have reacnea
Kohima report that Mr.. and Mrs. Grlmwood'
Colonel Skene and Mr.. Simpson eScapeu iuI in.o
Cachar, where the natives are becoming restless
The party includes twelve Europeans. 1t Is sur
missed that Mr.. QuntOn was seized at MI. urn, I'M
woods house, which was four miles from tne
Langthabat, and that o. 900 irregular kukl levles
in the service of the Manipur Government were
ordered to attack and massacre the troops
The 40 Goorlhas who died at Manlpur probably
died hard The Goorkha is the Highlander OF India.
I,s home is in the mountains Of Nepaul and his trade
and only Joy are fighting. Years ago the Enghsh
troops had hard fight with Nepaul, and the worth
of the foe recognized and Goorkha regiments were
raised as soon as the province had submitted AT no
time has there been any lack of recruits the men being
only too glad 10 enlist and quite lately five new regl
ments were, r9ised
The HEADQUARTERS Of the regiments are at Almoral,
Northern Bengal and not long ago there was curious
meeting between the 42d Hghlanders, the Black watch
and the bIacker watch Of the Hmaayan passes. No
fellows got on better together. The men are short,
averaging feet inches, thick set Of deep brown
complexion but with merry faces, that, however, snow
deep determination when the matter in consideration
Is a fight Their uniform is Of blue serge with RED
piping for the coat trousers and small round cap
with a red the number of the regiment.
They are armed with short rihes and carry the
skookelie' curved sword peculiar to the tribe wmch
is always kept as sharp as a razor and with wmeh
at close quarters they do terrible work. The Goorkha
regiments have always done good service The "a
Regiment. that was with General sii Frederick Rod
erts's force that held the Shrpur lines outside Cabui
in 1872 saved the day in the principal fight that TOOK
place I'm the winter months. The white troops were
seized with all unaccOuntable panic when attempting
10 drive back the enemy, which had become more az
gressiye than was pleasant Inc GoQlkhas svoou urn
with the aid OF the men who had retIe1ted but ad,
vanocd again owing TO the good example OF ne "a
Regiment, soon Pathan, Gaa and Dervsh scutnng
across the sD0w-cOvcred plain. The Goorkhas han
taken no prisoner but every mans kooherie haa re-
much Of until II has been wetted with the blood OF an
enemy. Later accounts will probably show that INC
GoorShas sold their lives dearly. At Manipur they
were fighting against the highlanders Of Assam and
were certainly greatly Outnumbered.
A REWARD FOR BALTCUEFF's AsSAssINs.
soHa March 3l.-The Bulgarian Government has