The Portland daily press., 1897-08-25
BRITISH sTRONGHOLDs FALL.
The Fanatical Tribesmen Victorious
In India.
They Capture Fort Maude After Desperate
Fighting-Fate of Fort Ali Musjid Not
Known.

London, August 24.-An official de-
spatch today from Simla, announces that
Fort Maude, in the Khy ber Pass has been
captured by the Afridis after desperate
fighting.
The garrison, which was composed of
native leyies known as the Khy ber Rifles
retired with the loss of three men. The
Afridis afterwards burned the fort.
The fate of Fort Ali-Musjid, which was
simultaneously attacked by the Afrisdis is
not known.
The British officer commanding at
Jamrud moved battery of artillery
escorted by the Fourth Dragons, yesuer-
day to the mouth of Khyber Pass and
shelled the enemy at a range of 5000 yards.
The Afridis retired, but the battery re-
turned to Jamrud, the officer in command
deeming it inadvisable to enter the pass.
General Ellis will begin concerted
movement against the insurgent tribes
men today.
Bombay, August 24.-The report that
when the Mohmunds attacked Fort Shak-
babkr 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 Boluchistan
Sirdsrs Mohrattawhan, Ghomesbakhis
and Yarlnahomed, were arrested on the
arrival of the Mushkafbolan mail train
upon which they had been induced to go
to Quetta to meet an agent of the governor
general who had arrived there by special
train shortly before.
Sirday Ghomesbakhis is son -in-law of
Sirdar Sir Arad Khan, one of the most
loyal chiefs of the Beluchistan
All three of the Sirdras prisoners belong
to the Sarawan division of Beluchistan
and are suspected of intriguing against
the government. They are known to have
been disaffected for some time past The
arrests have caused q great Sc n sation
among the Mahomedans and further i'm
portant Developments are expected.
London, August 24.-It 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 war-like Afridis who
are estimated to be $4,000 fighting men.
The Afridis, however, only form a part of
the insurgents.
A letter from India published in the
Standard emphasizes the belief that the
Sultan of Turkey is at the back of the
uprising.
The writer says 1.-THE average Mahom-
etan even in British India cannot distin-
guish between the Greeks and the other
European nationalities. To him the
Christians of Europe are all one people
and when he learns that the Sultan has
been at war with the Christians whom
he has utterly defeated, he understands
that this means an English defeat and
exults accordingly"
The ST. James Gazette says: sThe
moral of the whole story is that we who
have $4,000. 900 Mahometans in our east
ern empire, have chosen to present our
selves to all the world as the chief enemy
of the Sultan, whom the great majority
of men of that creed look upon as their
head in religious matters If we had sue
ceeded in inspiring real terror, the harm
might have been less, but what fear can
be felt for power which, after ringing
warnings. is pulled up short by orders
from st. Petersburg?'
The scene of the rising has the Khyber
pass for its center. The plan of the Brit
ish commanders is to draw this insur-
gents to the vicinity of Jamrud, which is
strongly fortified, close to the Indian
mouth of the pass, having Poshawur and
kohat for bases and where the British
number about II 900 men. The policy of
the Afridis is to tempt the British into
the hills and spurs of the pass.