Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-25
INDIAN NEWS GRAVE.
FORT MAUDE, IN KHyBER PASS,
CAPTURED BY AFRIDIs.
AREA OF FIGHTING ENLARGING FAST.
Afridis Attack sepoys, and Massacre
Three Hundred of Them-tnensy
tan sirdars Arrested.


patch to-day from Simla announces that
Fort Naude. In the Khyber Pass, has
been captured by the Afridis. The gar
rison. which was composed of native
leWeg, known as the Khybers, retired
with tha loss Of three men. The Afridis
afterward burned the fort.
The fate Of Fort Ali-Muspid. which
was simultaneously attacked by Afridis,
is not known.
1t is admitted even in official circles,
that the news from India Is of the
gravest description. All those who are
familiar with the situation attach the
greatest importance to the rising OF the
warlike Afridis. who are estimated to
muster 5000 fghting-men. The Afridis.
however. only form part Of the in
surgents.
a letter from India published in the
Standard emphasizes the belief that the
Amee4 Of Afghanistan is at the back
of the whole rising. The ST. James Ga
zette says: "The moral Of tho whole
story is that we, who have JO,vOOJO
Mohammedans in our Eastern empire,
have chosen to present ourselves to the
whole as the chief enemy OF the Sultan.
whom the general majority OF that
creed look upon as their head in re-
ligious matters. If We had succeeded
in inspiring real terror, the harm done
might have been less; but what fear
can be felt FOR Power which, after
ringing warnings, is pulled up short by
orders from ST. PetersbuTgY"
The scene Of the rising has the Khyber
Pass for it's centre. The policy Of the
Afridis is to tempt the British into the
hills and spurs Of the pass. Fort Maude
is a small stone fort overlooking the
road four miles up the pass from jam
rud. Fort Ali-Musjid is five and half
miles further up. There the pass is
only 10 feet wide.
SIKH TROOPS INCENSED.
BOMBAY, August 4-The report that
when the Mohmundis attacked Fort Shah
kadr they burned all the sacred books OF
the Sikh temple there has excited the
greatest indignation among the Sikhs
throughout the province and has greatly
incensed the Sikh troops on the frontier.
The plague is increasing at Poonah.
The Bombay Gazette announces that
three of the principal chiefs Of Beluchis-
tan, Sirdars Mehrattawhan, Ghomesbak-
his, and Yarmahomed, were arrested on
the arrival of the Mush kaf-Bolan mall
train. upon which they were induced TO
20 to Quetta TO meet an agent OF the
Governor General, the Earl Of Elgm who
had arrived there by special train shOruy
before. Sirdar Ghomesbakhis is SON
in-law of Sirdar Sir Arad Khan. one or
the most loyal chiefs Of Beluchlstan. An
three of the sirdars who have been made
prisoners belong 10 the Sarawan Division
of Beluchistan, and are suspected OF In
trieuing against the government They
are known to have been disaffected Tor
some time past.
The arrests have caused great sensa-
tion among the Mohammedans, and FUR
ther important Developments are eX-
pected. t.E
THE AFRIDIS RETIRE.
SIMLA. August 2.-The British officer
commanding az JdTnrud moved battery
of artillery, escorted by the Fourth
Dragons. yesterday. to the mouth Of the
Khyber pass, and sheled the enemy at
range of $500 yards. The Afridis re-
tired but the battery returned TO Jum-
rud. the officer in command deeming it
inadvisable TO enter the pass. General
Ellis will begin a concerted movement
against the tribesmen to-day.
Late news of the capture OF Fort
Maude by the insurgents show that the
garrison OF that place retired at 1880 -
NJ. yesterday, and that the fort was
burned half an hour later The garrison
reached Colonel Westmaycotts relief
column, coming from Kohat, at IL +.
NJ.
At the same time that Fort Maude
was abandoned. the Keiber Rifles, gar
risoning Fort Jewangera, were compelled
to abandon that place.
The area Of active fighting Is enlarging
rapidly The Afridis this evening at
tackled with great determination the
fortified post at Sudda, but were not sue
cessful in capturing 1t.
Parshoni was attacked aeso. The re-
suits of this attack and the fighting at
Fort Ali-Musjid are not known.
There are two Egyptian regiments
with the garrison at Parishoni.
General Miloy has now modified 5000
men for frontier work, which, with the
frontier garrisons, will make 1000 men
available for use.
AFRIDIs MASSACRE SEPOYS.
PEsHAWUR, August 4.-It is re-
ported that a large number OF Airldis,
led by fanatical priests, attacked the
Sepoys. near Fort Ali-Musjid, about noon
Yesterday massacring 300, capturing
their rifles, and then proceeding, in large
force TO make an attack upon the Brit
ish garrison on the Lowrgat There is
very uneasy feeling in Quetta, where
the troops are under orders TO be in
readiness to march to New Chaman
which is in the extreme outpost of the
Afghan frontier. southeast Of the Khanda
river. between the provinces Of Taba
and Pishin.
The Khyber pass is swarming with
Afridis. and il is feared the fall Of Fort
Maude has greatly encouraged the in
surgents.