The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-01
BRITISH FIGHT
WITH TIBETANS
TIBETANS WERE REPULSED.
DRIVEN BACK ny YOUNGHUSBAND
WITH HEAVY Loss.

British Captured the .Tibetan Camp
"t Guru-British Expedition Has
Suffered Great Hardships on Ac-
count of the Extreme Cold Pre-
Vailtng in the DesOIate Country
of Thibet-Tibetan Leader Ap-
Peared With Quaint Retinue.
Tuna. British India. March 81
News has been received here of Sc
we're fighting, the Tibetans having at
tackled the British mission under Col.
Younghusband. There were two en-
gagements, and the Tibetans were re-
pulsed with heavy loss.
The British captured the Tibetan
camp at Guru.
While the British advance had prac-
tically been unopposed, the expedition
suffered great hardship from the in
tense cold, and it was for some time
foun impossible to use the Maxim
guns and rifles, owing to the conges
ing of the oil. The country is "
bleakest, witho' t a sign of veg atat
and the expedition had to face piel -
ing winds and clouds of dust while
there was a heavy fall of snow last
night.
AT s o'clock this morning a flying
column started to reconnoiter the Tibe-
tan camp at Guru, whereupon a gem
eral from Lhassa, with quaint ret
inue, came to interview Col. Young
husband. The general asked the colonel
tn xr-ffI
for.the purpose of carrying on negoti-
ations, threatening an attack if the
mission proceeded. Col Younghusband
replied that negotiations had been
proceeding fruitlessly for fifteen years
and that retirement was now impos-
sihle
The Tibetan general withdrew, and
Col. Younghusband ordered his troops
to endeavor to disperse the Tibetans,
blocking the road without firing upon
them.
Came to Close Quarters.
For time the tactics of the Brit
ish were successful, but after while
the attitude of the Tibetan leaders
convinced Col. Macdonald of the ne
cessity of disarming them. The Tibe-
tans numbered about $500, and their
resistanee'of the effort to disarm them
led to a smart engagement.
The situation for few moments was
critical, Col. Macdonald and Col.
Younghusband being only few yards
from the advancing Tibetans. Revol-
vers and bayonets were used, and then
rife fire was resorted to, at which
the Tibetans fed, but not before sew
eral casualties resulted in the British
ranks.
The correspondent of the Daily Mail
with the mission was severely
wounded.
The Tibetans lost heavily, owing to
the inferiority of their weapons, which
were matchbox rifles, but they dis
played the greatest courage, many of
them coming on after they had been
seriously wounded After the action
there were heaps of dead and a long
trail of dead and wounded extended
to the rear.
After short halt the advance con-
tinued. Nearly the Tibetan camp at
Guru, a second action took place, in
which the artillery played the largest
part.
Finally the Tibetans retreated over
the hills with the exception of about
sixty, who obstinately held the viii
lage. which was finally taken by a
mounted bayonet charge.
The Tibetan losses are believed to
be over 400, while the British casual
ties are about dozen.
The British force returned to Tuna
this evening and stated that rifles
bearing the Russian imperial stamp
and Russian ammunition were found
on the wounded Tibetan officers.