New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-07
ENCLAND'S LATEST WAR.
THE EXPEDITION TO CHITRAL.

Englands latest frontier war in Asia bids fair 70
be a serious one. with important results. No less
than 1900 men are hurrying forward toward chi
trail by the shortest, though most difficult and dan
gerous Their commander is General Sir Rob
ert Low admirable selection for he was the man
who organized tho transport for Lord Robertss
famous march Kandahar The immediate object
IS to the British representative. Dr. Robert
son. and his comrades, who are beeaguered at chi
trail and In imminent peril. But the final result
bids fair be the conquest OF Kafrsan and It's an
nexation TO the Indian Empire Kaflrstan is State
lying tho southerly slopes OF the Hindoo koosh,
just east of Cabul, and south OF the Pamirs II is
nominaly part OF Afghanistan. but has long main
talned Il troublous independence Ii the home
OF the great Akhoond OF Swat. whose sway was per-
haps absolute than that Of any other ruler the
region has had. The tribesmen there are the
bravest and warlike OF all In Central Asia and
they arc all aheld to meet and fight the invading
| Engllshmen. The wild fanatics Of Swat number at
| least 1000 fighting men. Then there the power
ful and numerous Yusufza said u number half
million people. and to ba able TO bring 22pc swords
men into the field Bajaur has 600 fighting men.
| and out OF these Umra Khan has formed trained
force armed with rifles. Of 1900 men. Another tribe
which has long possessed reputation for turbulence
! and antlpathy 10 the English. IS the Ctm2n Khel.
occupying district west Of Swat and north OF the
! Khybcr They can bring 800 fighting men into the
/ fed; and again beyond them the Momands,
mastering 2oVp lighting men. but there Is hope that
neither OF these Wi! be drawn into the struggle
Umra Khan OF Jandol. VINO has seized Chitral and
who IL tho leader OF the zoe. is OF the most i'm
portant OF the chiefs tho Indian frontier. His
| lie has been during the last fourteen or fifteen
years a succession Of adventures and hair-breddth
escapes. which have gained for him unique repu-
/ talon for courage and craft among the fierce and
llwlcss clans OF Yaghstan His exact age IS doubt
| nj, but he probably born about the year 800
/ lie was the younger OF the hereditary Khan OF
| JauiOl or Barwa, OF tho four divisions OF
| His her Amlu Khan, died in 1873, ana
| was succeeded by his eldest son. whereupon tmra
Khan deemed 1t prudent - seek refuge In British
! territory. He resided for some time with knsmen
IN the neghborhooI OF Peshawur. but the spirit OF
adventure led him 10 vsit Bagdad. whence no went
on pilgrimage to Mecca While there ne dreAmt
that he DO a great chief in his native coun-
Try and he returned Peshawur with the intention
OF realizing what he considered his destiny. AS he
vas only an Individual without any party in his
State he could only accomplish his object by some
| act OF personal daring. He reached Peshawur in
ISL and succeeded In stealing a Snider rifle and
considerable quantity OF ammunition. With this
! weapon no FASTENED across the frontier TO Jandol
and succeeded in secretng himself in the family
tower An opportunity presented itself 10 shoot
! his unsuspectlng brother. the chief. and when the
! Khln's followers attempted % avenge his death he
shot down several OF them. \ parley then ensued.
and the Intervention OF his mother. the widow Of
! Aman Khan. Imra was acclaimed ~ chief In the
| place OF the brother whom he had slain. Having
| thus acquired power IN an orthodox and striking
manner. Umra Khan proceeded TO consolidate and
| extend u.
Ills first act to obtain some more Of the weap-
| ons which had proved 50 valuable IN his own hands,
| and the thieves OF the border learned that they
| would find him a generous purchaser of any rifles
they could steal from The Anglo-Indan army. In this
manner he soon possessed forty Sriers. ana at the
same time he raised 4 small corps ~ eighty mounted
men. which constituted the only cavalry throughout
Naghlstln. lie has since added 10 the numbers OF
his force both horse and foot. and commands
considerable army. 50 impressed was his ncighbor.
! Mahomed Sharif Khan OF Dir. another OF the di-
vision OF Balur. 10y his success and the evidence OF
his energy that he voluntarily surrendered several
| OF tho villages the PauJkort River bur this iii
| not satisfy ruler o Jlndol who. alliance
win Milan Gal. the son OF the Akhoonl OF Swat. at
! tackled and defeated Mahomcl Sharif. He then
turned his ally and inflicted several humliiatons
him. and his triumph all the greater because
| Milan Ciul assisted 10y the famous Mushk--Alm
! OF Ghuznl Umra Khan also added to his power by
| marriage. He married first. the sister OF the Dir
chef,ain and then a daughter OF the famous Meh;lr
| Of Chltral. Amnn-ul-Alulk He Is consequently the
brother-m-iaw OF the Meh,ar who murdered
| two years ago. and on this claims a voice in
Chtra affairs. In 1857 he counived the attempted
assassination ~ the Khan OF Dir. but the plot mis-
carried and after this occurrence the policy OF the
two neiehbors became clearly marked. that OF Dir
toward complete dependence the Ameer of NJ
ghanlstan. and that OF Jandol to independence "a
chief OF YaghlstAn. That of Umra Khan proved ;he
more popular and the more successful. While the
Amccr engrossed In the campaign with Ishak
Umra invaded Dir. drove its Khan into exile and
absorbed his territory. After the annexation Of Dir
Umra seized Khan and Asmar the two remaining.
divisions OF BaJaur. but he compelled 10 evac-
uatc tho latter in 1892 by an Afghan expedition I'M
der the Ameers general. Gholam IIyder Since then
he has kept quiet watching the course Of events
but maintaining his independence OF the Amecr
Tho murder OF the Mehtar OF Chitral. Afzul-u-
Nuk, In 1893 caused revolution there and led
directly to tho present complications AfZu Ill Mulk
had only n few months before become NIehtar on
tho death of his father While he was consolidating
his newly acquired power, his uncle. Shere Afzul
who had been for some time IA refugee with the
Ameer. intriguing to turn him out and seize
the relns of power and IT was not only the bold
ness of the scheme he planned but also the conduct
OF Afzul since his fathers death that insured his
success This latter, since his accession TO power
had perpetrated a series of crueltles and murders
that disturbed the confidence OF his most trusted
followers. lie possessed himself OF the greater part
OF his fathers treasure. and he gave his headmen
one month to produce the remainder after
which no would carry out his threat of death on
them all were 1t not forthcoming. and whether or
not no was able To prove that 1t was In their pos
session. He Is well known TO have said, AT last |
have found out how 10 make men respect me-tha,
Is. kill them"
He put to death all his brothers who had any
claim to the throne In a most treacherous and cruel
manner after they had sworn allegiance TO him
Nizam ul- Aulh however, escaping to GilgIt such
fell under his dspleasure suffered death pavIng
Off old scores. as 1t were, and ono man who fro
quently came to Gilgt with letters was tortured e.,
a most horrible manner before being killed After
thus Kidding himself OF his enemies and opponents
he said OF All Mardan Shah, ex-AIir OF Wakba,
refugee in the Ishkuman, Valley OF Wasln ''Thcrs
IL only one thing | wish nOw-that U.s. to KIN An
Marian Shah and eat his flesh lie gave our tha,