Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-12-17
England is now engaged in one

England is now engaged in one of
those little wars on her Indian frontier
which, though they seem insignificant
to the world at large, are nevertheless
of vast interest and vast expense to
the subjects of the British Empire
There are now massed on the North
west frontier nearly 10000 troops,
and the number OF transport animals
horses, ponies, oxen, mules, and
donkeys-required to maintain this
immense force is considerably oyer
$4,000.
The tribes against which these
troops are pitted are the Afridis and
Orakzais, who between them com
mand the highroad to Kabul-the
Khyber Pass. Many of the AfrIdis
have been trained and drilled in Brit
ish native regiments, and many Of
them are splendidly armed with rifles
stJlen from Fezropore .arsenal and
elsewhere from time to time. They
have plenty of ammunition. too, hav-
ing captured 10000 rounds in one fort
last August, besides having back
avenue for supplies from the arsenals
Of the Ameer OF Afghanistan, who,
however, disclaims all sympathy with
the tribesmeu.
A well informed writer says: The
Afridis are hillmen and dead shots,
and are creating tremendous havoc
among the British officers, whom they
pick out from behind their sangars,
or lntrenchments, with skill and
certainty that are simply damnable.
Their warfare is OF a most saggrayat-
Ing guerilla kind. They poster ga
British column from some practically
inaccessible rOokery, which 1t costs
enormous mortality TO storm, and
while being stormed IL showers Brit
ish bullets irto British troops from
rifles belonging by right to the British
goyerc ment. When their rocky strong
holds are finally stormed, the tribes
men do not wait the bayonet; they
retreat into their Businesses for the
time being, and the moment the Brit
lsh troops retire from a-to them
useless vantage point, the Afrldls
occupy 1t again. A place called Dar-
gla was thus captured and abandoned
the other day-this Is being written
atkPeshawar, on October 2T--on the
2lst IL had to be retaken, at cost OF
1863 men killed. and wounded. Consid-
erIng the difficulties of attack, the
British troops behaved most pluckIly
In this instance, but not more so than
the Ghoorkas-little chaps from Ne
paul, who tight fer the mere fun OF
the thing, and can give many British
troops cards and spades and beating
in the matter of sheer animal courage
The Gordon Highlanders crossed an
open space under scathing fire, with
the pipes skirling as they advanced.
One gallant piper was shot in the
chest. He may recover, but his grief
over the loss Of his pipes, which were
shot 10 bits, is pitlable. He does not
worryabout the hole 10 his diaphragm.
The transport facilities are poor, and
10 many places II is almost impossible
10 tind water tor the immense force in
the front. This gives rise TO terrible
hardshIps, and many OF the trans
port animals fall and die out OF sheer
thirst. The meD stand the trial bet
ter. They are all dresses in browny.
yellow kharkee, their Cfficers being
pressed Just the same. This does not
prevent the latter being spotted by
the enemies, who pick OF every one
they sec who Is not carrying rifle.
Correspondents. and others object TO
tins trick OF the willy native. "Snip.
ing" or picking of stray pickets. is
very frequently resorted To by the
Afridis, who have killed several good
men by stalking them In this manner +,