The Washington times., 1903-04-23
BRITISH FORCES MEET
DEFEAT AT HANDS
OF "MAD MULLAH'
Colonel Plarkett Defeated IN
Son1aGlafnd, With the Loss
of III Men and Nine Of
fcerS Obbfa Evacuated.
Troops Form a Square and
EndeaUor to Bayonet Their
Way Oat, Bat Are OUer-
qvheImed and AnnfbiLated,

LONDON. April 23.--In a skiTmish at
Nayilodo between the British troops and
the somalis. the British suffered a loss
of ia men and 8 officers killed.
The Hardinge brought the details of
the disaster from the Obbis. Somalilaul,
the base OF supplies, to Alden, Arabia.
She also brought numerous British and
native sick soldiers Obbia has been
evacuated. and a quantity of stores
abandoned.
Numerous stores which had been roll
ed up for some time at posts along the
line of communication were destroyed
Letters from the front say the British
troops are short of supplies.
Official Report
The following message has been re-
ceived by the war Office from the COM
mand1ng officer. twenty miles west of
GaIadi. and dated April Is:
I regret TO report that the flying
column under Colonel Cobbe, which left
Galadi on April 10 to reconnoiter along
the road to WalYaI. had serious check
on April It. On the morning Of that
day, Cobbe, who was at Gumburru, for
" miles west of Galadi, decided to re
turn TO Galsdi. owing to the difficulty
in hnding the WaIwal Road, and the
lack OF water.
He was about to leave Zariba, when
firing was heard in the direction of d
small party under Captain OliTey, which
was reconnoitering. Two hundred ard
eight natives. with two Maxims, under
Colonel PIunkett. we're sent TO re-enforce
81 but encountered an Overwhelming
force of the enemy. consisting of cav
airy ana infantry The enemy attacked
him IN the open, seven miles west oi
Gumburru The enemy fought al close
quarters.
British Overwhelmed
PIunkett continued fghting till his am
munition was exhausted and then formed
square and unsuccessfuIly attempted 10
bayonef his way out. The enemy finally
overwhelmed the square and annihilated
all with the exception Of thirty sever
fugitives, who have reached camp
Plunkett was among the killed. as were
also six captains. two Heutenants. two
whites. forty-eight sikhs and I24 AfTi
cans The rifles and the two Naxins were
lost
RaH Mohammed AbduTah. the Mad
MuIlah'' Of SomaIIIaDd, has been a thorI
in the side Of the British for years. h
tas absolute control of many OF TIT
fierce tribesmen Of that country and Sey-
eral British expeditions that have beel
sent against him have been defeated
principally because of the utter worth
Icssness Of the British native troops.
Expedition Sent.
Tho depredatiors of the NulIah i
mort be-n somaIilaud and Abyssinia le
TO Joint expedition being undertake
agafnst him IN 1901 and another in 1907
tfrer gaining several victories the Brit
isf under Colonel SwayEe. we're de
feated. at Erego On October c last Thei
losses were seventy killed and 80
wounded. The defeat was cause
through the cowardice OF the soIaal
leyies.
Colonel sway-e then retired TO hi
base TO await e-enforcements. and af
tesward was succeeded in The suprem
command By General Manning. The Iat
ter. with Major Rattigan and Colon,
Cobbe. commanding a flying column. a1
yanced fren Berbera on November 1.
The garrison ct Bohotle was relieve
and re-eplocced
Mullah Defeated.
Permission ss5s received from ia
Italian government for British trooDs
enter somaIaald in pursuit OF the Ma
NuIfab and Obbla was selected as q bas
from which to send strong fore
against hin. At the same time officer
went.fo Abyssi1Ia 10 secure the co-oT
Grafton of King aieneiik's forces IN
fight with Abyssinian troops shortly Al
terward the Mullah lost 1000 mcu-