The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-26
PRICE TWO CENTS.
ENGLAND'S BIG REVERSE.
THE AFRIDIS ~ Full POSSESSION
OF KHYBER PASS.


Regain TIL. Famous Road to Enbui-soidiers
Arc HurryinE overwhelmingly Over the
Pate OF the Garrison at Fort All Musiia.
Special Cable Despatch TO THE SOW.
LONDON. Aug. 25.-The capture Of Fort All
Musjld gives the Afridis complete control OF
Khyber Pass, which thcy have effectually
closed. The whole scheme Of border manage
ment, so far as this famous pass Is concerned.
has thus collapsed like a house OF cards.
That the Indian Government will long acqui-
esce In the t%ribesmens possession OF the pass 10
obviously impossible. but their task will be
nothing less than to recapture II, and 10
Is only necessary TO recall the last AZ
CHAN war to realize what an expenditure
Of blood and money will be Involved In the oper-
ton. Whether operations can be commenced
before the situation south OF Jamrood has do
veloped is very doubtful. but further concentra-
ton movements have already been ordered.
Troops are being forwarded from various points
along the railroad running to Peshawur.
Meanwhile the anxiety regarding the fate OF
the garrison OF Fort Ali Mnsjid remains unal-
layed. The report that 800 Sepoys were massa-
cred is probably untrue. II seems to be a fact
that there are no British or British. Indian
troops west OF Jamrood in the direction Of Khyher
Pass. All the Rarrisons there when the out
break occurred were tribal levies who were sub
biulIeu Dy the lnulhn government ana acting
virtually as police to protect the trade caravans
between India and Afghanistan from marauders.
That the levies at Fort Maude and elsewhere
resisted the onsets Of their kinsmen Is credita-
Bile to their loyalty to their contract. Whether
the levies at Fort Ali Musjid fell fighting or
Joined the raiders is unknown. Any OF them
who escape and Join the British will probably
be formed into a regular corps in the British
service.
SIMLA Aug. 25.-The latest reports received
here show that tho fighting in the disturbed
districts continues. The Basiliar Hyte post
was evacuated by the British last evening, and
part of the native troops of the garrison do
serted during the retirement. Fort Ali-MuSjid
has aso been evacuated and burned. It 10 re-
ported that the Orakzais are attacking Marai
and other places on the Kohat border. A relief
column has boon sent to Marai.
Further particulars regarding the evacuation
Of Fort Ali-Musjid say that eleven levies Of the
troops of the garrison deserted and Joined the
enemy. OF the remainder of the garrison no
new has been received. The fort 10 supposed
to have been garrisoned exclusively by levies OF
Afridis. After the evacuation the enemy occu.
pied the fort and burned 1t.
The fall Of forts Ali-Musjid and Maude has
made an outlet for the Afridi tribesmen. 1000
of whom are now within twelve miles of Fort
Bara, to the southeast Of Jamrood. Further
developments will probably take place further
south. No news has been received from Para
chinar, Kuram, and Sadr, and these places are
regarded as being in imminent danger.
The forts in the SANTANA range and the Miriam.
zai Valley have not yet been attacked. but tho
latter valley 10 swarming with fanatics, and
news 10 momentarily expected that tho fort has
been attacked.
At present the general position is that the
trouble on the northwest frontier from Mala-
kand north has been quelled. In central
Peshawur 1t 10 active. and southernmost Balu-
chistan and Quota are in a state Of unrest.
Between Peshawur and Quetta there is immi.
nent danger. and trouble there is perhaps al.
ready active, but communication with the
Kuram Valley has been cut, and no news 10 re-
ceived from there.