The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-28
British Commanders DiSarming
Native Regiments in India.
Quetta in Danger of Attack and
Could Not Stand.
TELEGRAPH is CUT.
Communication Through BOlan
Pass Destroyed.
General Robert Low Predicts
Serious Fighting.

the front is not of a more hopeful char
acter than that received the last few
days. though it is true the attempted raid
on the Kohat district has been repelled
and that the Orakzais have taken to the
hills. But against the temporary success
of the British arms must be set the very
serious state of affairs prevailing at
Quetta, Beluchistan. There is little
doubt that if the fort there is attacked,
the chances of the garrison's safety are
slight The fortifcations practically
worthless and the place is said to be mad
equately manned. The commander-in-
chief cannot too speedily despatch a relief
force to Quetta for that place is almost
entirely isolated.
Another note of alarm and a rather in
comprehensive one in view of the gal
liant defense made in the cases of forts,
Ai-Musjid and Lundixotal, comes from
Jamrud, from which place dispatch an
nounces that the British military author
tiles yesterday deemed it wise to disarm
the Khyber rifles, forming part of the
garrison of that place.
The situation of the outlying garrisons
on the Samana range is next to Quetta,
the center of interest in view of the ur-
gent need for reinforcements and Colonel
Gordon tomorrow will lead a column of
troops through the Kohat pass into the
Amadi district
On the other hand is a hopeful sign in
the well authenticated report that dis
sensions have broke out among the
Afridis
London, Aug. 2S.-The latest frontier
news is that the Afridis are meditatine
a night attack upon Jamrud, where
everything is in readiness to meet them.
1t is also reported that large and
threatening gathering of the Orakzais
has taken place near Fort Gulistan, on
the Samana range. The commandant at
Chaman has asked for reinforcements.
1t is probable that pending offensive
operations by the government forces
blockade will be enforced against the
Afridis and Orakzais, who are largely de-
pendent upon India for their food sup
plies. This, it is thought, would tend to
compel them to come to terms. The mill
tary authorities suggest that after the
tribes have been punished the occupation
of a single fort called China, in the
Bazaar valley would bind the Afridis
hand and foot forever since they would
be obliged to pass under the walls of that
fort every six months when migrating
from the valleys to the hills or vice
versa.
The Kukihels, who have held aIoof from
/ the rebellion, number 5000 fighting men.
The Times Simla correspondent cites
as an instance of the lack of cohesion in
| the plans of the frontier tribes the fact
| that while the Afridis have dispersed to
! their homes, the Orakzais have begun to
| move. A party Of the latter crossed the
| Ublan pass, six miles from Kohat and
| attIac ed the Mahmudzai post, which was
| held by a company of native infantry and
| the border militia. General Briggs, com>
| manding a Kohat, issued from that place
with field battery and two companies of
| Scotch fusileers and native infantry. The
| Orakzais retired to the Ublan ridge, where
| they were shelled by the battery. The
| infantry then stormed and captured the
| ridge with only one casualty. The gov
! ernment troops occupied the ridge for
several hours. but as the tribesmen were
| in full retreat, the force withdrew to the
| plain.
| Col. Richardson, with a flying column
| at Halnu, learned on Thursday that a
! post the Samana range was being
| attacked. He at once sent a force of
| native infantry and a section of the
| Derajat mountain battery to reinforce
| the Samana garrison.
The latest reports are to the effect
| that firing has been heard in the direc-
| ton of the post, so there is little doubt
| that this attack will be repulsed, as was
the one at Ublan.
This rising, the correspondent says,
| emphasizes the necessity of moving a
F, large force with a view of attacking
| Tirrah. Three columns of probably two
| brigades each are being. organized and
| other operations ON the frontier are be-
| SepoyS from Lundixotal have arrived at
| Jamrud. They reported that they had
| been disarmed, and it is believed, there
| fore, that the $50 members of the Lun-
| dikotal rifles have been disarmed by
! the attacking Afridis.
A dispatch from Bombay says that
| the mad mullah of Haddah commanded
the Afridis who have just captured the
| British forts in the Khyber pass, which,
| the dispatch adds, the natives will now
| keep sealed up.
| Quetta, Aug. 2S.-The anxiety exper-
| fenced here over the rumors that the
| uprising of the tribesnen of the 'front.'
ier will extend to this district was in
creased by the discovery that the tele-
graph line through the Bolan pass has
been cut.
London, Aug 2S-The Daily Graphic
publishes an interview with General Sir
| Robert Low, who commanded the Chi
| trail relief expedition in 1895, in which
Gen. Low is quoted saying: 1--WE
have enough troops there to restore or
| der and recapture Khyber, very quick
ly; but it would be -unwise to move for
three weeks yet if it can be helped, un-
til the climate is healthier and trans
portation arrangements can be made
but the Afridis must be cowed and
military road made to that place 1t is
not worth while to garrison the Khyber
pass with own troops
| Gen. Low did not think the sultan has
anything TO do with the rising. He be-
1 lieves that it is possible that the Ameer
was ignorant of the tribes intention but
feels certain that Gen. GhOlan Haidar