The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-09-02
GROWING WORSE.
Grave Crisis to Face In India Prob
ably Involving Loss of Life.

Bombay. Aug. %, IL p. m.-The latest
dispatches received from the frontier indi-
cate that the situation is getting worse.
1t is evident that the Indian government
must face Il grave crisis involving heavy
expenditures and probably great loss of
life.
The government is confronted by the
following state of affairs:
Khyber pass has fallen into the hands OF
the Afridis: the posts in Kurrum valley
are threatened by the powerful tribe of the
Orakzais; the Mohammedan tribesmen are
meditating a renewal of hostilities around
Fort Shabkahdra. while thousands of
troops are engaged in crushing the revolt
in tie Swat valley and two large brigades
are holding the Tochi valley, where the
Mahsud Mnzris are again restless.
The authorities are convinced that Fort
Ali Musjcd could only have fallen after
desperate fighting MS the native garrison
of i[hybrr rifles was made up of men who
rendered valuable assistance in the noun
tain expedition Of 1888 The fall of the
fort is very serious blow, for it isolates
Fort I.undi KotaI. which is at the tx-
trenc end of Khyhcr pass. garrisoned by
300 Khyber rifles, and necessitates the
prompt reconqucst of the pass.
This is certain to prove formidable
task Of which the British troops had
foretaste on Monday. when body Of ar
tillnry. cavalry and infantry left for the
bar. south of Peshawur, in order to repel
tho Afridis who were then advancing
down the bar. The troops returned early
Yesterday morning and reported that many
mon had dropped out from want of water,
none being pr0curable along the route,
while the Afridis. although shellcd by the
British. maintained their position on the
ground.
The mullah and his emissaries, especial
" those from the Afghan government OF
Koste. are actively stirring up the Aziris.
Somewhat more hopeful intelligence comes
from the Swat valley, where the Boner-
walls have opened peace negotiations. The
authorities expect this will have wide
spread influence, especially if it is fol-
lowed by submission. 1t appears that the
Boperwas suffered heavy losses during
the recent fighting.
The assassination of President Rorda
will of necessity have an important pear
ing upon the conflict between the govern
ment and the revolutionists. During the
recent negotiations which were III pros-
ross during the twenty days armistice
the revolutionary chiefs, Gen. Saraiva
and Mai. Lemas, informed the govern
ment commission. headed by DR.. i. Ar
rota. during the interview in Rio Grande
10 Sui. that the resignation of President
Borda was one of four conditions, az OF
which must be complied with before
they would agree to lay down their arms.
| The other three conditions were as ioi-
| lows:
The dissolution of the chamber Of
| deputies. ., -
| The constitution OF q couhcii VI
| notables, drawn from both political par
| ties. :,
The nomination by that council of
| triumyirate Of three prominent persons
] to administer the government until me
election of the next president in March
1893. 80,
such terms as these il was impossible
for the commission to agree TO-. even u
the Borda administration had been ear