The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1894-09-12
BEAT Tue DUTCH.
Routed by the Rajah of Lembok-
Led Them into a Trap.

The HAGUE, Aug. 29.-The Official
Journal to. day publishes a despatch
showing that the disasters to the
Dutch forces operating against the
Rajah OF the island of Lembok, near
Java, were much more serious than
at first supposed. The despatch says
that General Vetter, the commander
of the expedition, was surprised at
IL o'clock at night near the Tjakara
Negara. The firing was continuous
until morning, aud the Dutch in this
engagement lost fourteen killed and
fifty.6ve wounded. As the water
supply of the column failed and
foraging was impossible, the Dutch
troops were compelled to retreat
toward Mataram, the capital of the
island. During the retreat the Dutch
lost heavily, being continually
harassed by the natives, and at one
portion of the route they found that
barriers bad been raised. The
distractions were so stoutly defend
ed by the native warriors that the
troops were unable to force a pas
sage, aud were consequently COM
PEELED to make a long detour in
order to avoid the blockaded route,
aud in so doing they lost more men.
The Dutch succeeded in reaching
Ampenan on August q, with total
of casualties far in excess OF the
number first reported. The killed
numbered four officers aud fifty
three men; there were twelve Off
GERS and 15i men wounded, and six
officers and 14S men missing.
II now appears that two other col
umns OF Dutch troops operating up.
on the same island have sustained
heavy losses aud endured much suf-
fering. These are the columns com
handed by Colonels Van Pabst and
Bylovelt.
Later advices from Lembok say
the attacks upon the different col
umns Of Dutch troops were the re-
suit OF a preconcertcd plan on the
part OF the leading native chiefs In
Balinez. Colonel Van Pabst's col.
umn, after seeing the promises oil
the chiefs executed, was returning
to the Tjskara when IL was attacked
while fordipg the river Babak by the
Balinez, whose hostility was unex
pected. The column only succeeded
in regaining the road to Tjakara az
ter sharp fighting aud heavy loss
After an harassing retreat the Var
Pabst column was approaching
Tjakara without seeing any further
signs vi th. enemy, when suddenly
from the walls OF the place, from
every loophole and every point o
vantage, a hailstorm OF bullets wa
poured into the column OF Dutcl
troops. The latter was completed,
taken by surprise and began to falter
| To make matters worse the Bali
nez had no sooner opened Ere upoi
the head OF the column than its rea
was also exposed to a terrible riff,
fire. Thus the advance and retrea
OF the column We're alike cut of an,
made impossible. Tho Dutch troop
were completely caught in rat-traI
ambush, and had L. not been tina
the pightfall came to their assistance
there Is little doubt that the entir
detachment would have been massa
cred As il was, under cover o
darkness the exhausted soldiers
many Of them badly wounded, sue
ceeded In reaching Ampenan. Tn
Baliuez captured quantity OF arms
ammunition and provisions in thes
engagements, aud also captured tn
guns and effects Of General Va
Pun's force, they having been absn
doned in order To save the wounded
News OF the loss sustained by tn
Dutch forces has caused great eS
citement throughout Holland, an,
II is believed when the losses OF Va
Pabst and Byloyelt's columns ar
added to those sustained by tn
Vetter columns the loss in killed
wounded and missing will be owe
800.
II Is admitted, even in militar
circles, that the almost simultaneou
defeat OF the three columns @
troops is the most severe revers
which the Dutch army has sustaine
at the hands Of savage troops in a
its wars ever fought. The peopl
are clamoring for the latest new
from Lembok, and the Governmeu
is urged to promptly despatch tn
strongest re-enforcements possibl
, to the island.
. The Governor. General OF til
Dutch Indies has summoned coul
Gil Of the naval aud military con
manders, who are determining upo
the decisive measures to be taken
| order to wipe out the defeats Of I'll
Dutch troops.
Five steamers carrying troops an
field guns leave Batavia, Java, Il
Lembok tomorrow, and every effo
will be made TO retrieve the disast,
to the Dutch army.
AMSTERDAM, Aug, D-The DutC
loss in the engagement near Mat
ram, capital OF the island OF Lembo
il now appears included nine office
instead OF thirty, as announced
70 the despatch to the Niuewe Coural
OF Rotterdam. The officers who 10
3 their lives included General V,
Ham. The number of privates al
non-commissioned officers killed
missing il estimated nj l7b and ~