Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-26
ARMS FOR AfRIDIS
The British Gunboat Lapwing Makes
an Important Seizure.
RUSSIA MAY HAVE TO EXPLAIN
Solution of Mystery as to Source
of Ameer's Supplies.
CARGO WAS CONFISCATED

MUsCAT. Gulf of Oman. January 26.-
The British gunboat Lapwing has seized
the steamer Baluchistan off here and her
cargo of arms and ammunition has been
confiscated- Her cargo is held by the Brit
ish consul.
The seizure of the steamer Baluchistan
tends to explain the mystery to
whence the AfrIdis secured their arms.
The owners of the Baluchistan say she
has been released and has proceeded. They
add that the arms were shipped to a dozen
different Russian firms.
Intended for Insurgents.
1t is presumable that the cargo of arms
ard ammunition seized by the Lapwirg
was intended for the use of the insurgents
of Baluchistan, who have recently been
giving considerable trouble to the British.
According to dispatches from Calcutta
frCm January II on, there has been a seri-
Gus outbreak in the province of Mekran,
the largest province of Baluchistan, and
rot far from where the steamer mentioned
above was seized.
A British survey party was attacked and
number OF the native guards were killed
or wounded. Capt. Burn, in command of
the party, escaped on camel, travelling
13U miles in thirty-six hours 10 Ormara,
on the Arabian sea. He reported that the
" hole Kej valley was in turmoil that the
troops OF the Khan of kelat were holding
Naslrabad, military post of India, south
east OF Ajmore. adding that Fort Pasni
had been looted and that Ormara itself
vas threatened.
Troops Sent to the Scene.
Three comtanies of infantry were sent
Immediately with two guns from Quetta,
Baluchistan, near the Afghan frontier, to
Gwadur, where the telegraph lines had
been cut, and a number of troops were
dered to concentrate at Karachi, in Sind,
British India, in order 10 suppress the out
break In addition a force of troops was
sent to the disaffected locality from Bonn
bay This force. consisting of 80 men of
the Bombay infantry commanded by Col
onel Mayne. Landed at Ormara Baluchis-
tan, on January IL. wnere 81 men were left
and the main body proceeded toward Ba-
sobe, - miles NORTH.
One of the most notable features of the
recent campaign of tfe British in the north
ern part of India mas been that the insur-
with the latest sts1e of British army rifles,
the Lee-MetfOrd. and also managed to Sc
cure an apparently unlimited supply of am
munition for these weapons.
As the transport of large supplies of am
munition for considerable forces is no easy
matter. even fer the best disciplined
armies, there has been considerable specu-
latton as to the source from which the
'A'"e74eh ueii'eu fneir supplies
Probably Came From Russia.
The prevalent idea was that the arms
and ammunition were received from agents
OF the Ameer of Afghanistan; but it
would seem that the seizure of the Balu-
chlstan may be the means of opening the
eyes of the British authorities to a state
of affairs which has long been suspected
outside of official circles
Late in November last eight barpes
loaded with cases of gunpowder falsely
labeled arms were seized by the Gus
toms officers in the Thames. They ema-
mated from Russia and were about to be
transferred to the steamer BaIuchistan
bound for Persia 1t was suggested at the
time that the arms was a consignment
destined for the Afridis; but it was subse-
quently stated that the gunpowder was
consigned from St Petersburg to Jibutil,
otherwise Ras Jibutil, port of Abyssnia
hear the Straits of b-el-Mandeb