New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-01
BRITISH BATTLE In TIBET.
NATIVES LOSE 400 MEN.
Repulsed tn Tsco Assaults-Russian
Arms Found.

Tuna. British India March 31.-News has
been received here Of severe fighting. the Tib-
etans having attacked the British mission under
Colonel Younghusband There were two en-
gsgements. and the Tibetans were repuised with
heavy loss The British captured the Tibetan
camp at Curu.
While the British advance had practically been
unopposed the expedition suffered great hard
ship from the intense cold. and II was sometime.
found impossible 20 Use the Maxim guns and
rifles owing TO The congealing OF the OIL The
country Is Of the bleakest without a sign Of
vegetation. and the expedition had 20 face pierre
inS winds and clouds Of dust. while there was a
heavy fall Of snow last night
At o'clock this morning a ryfnE column
Guru whereupon a general from I.hassa. With a
quaint retlnue. came TO speak zifh Calone,
Younghushand. The general a.ksd tire colonel
refire with r-,,-s,on - yssunr fo- the pur-
pose ot carrying on negotiations threatening an
attack IL the mission proceeded.
Colonel Younghusbani replied that neeotia-
/, ,ons had been proceeding rrutIessly for nf,een
years. and that retirement was now Impossible.
The Tibctan general withdrew. ard Colonel
Younshushand ordered his troops to endeavor 20
disperse the Tloetans blocking the road without
firing upon them.
For time the tactics ot the British we're sue
cessful but after a while the attituds ot the
Tibetan leaders convinced Colonel Macdonald
Of the necessity Of disarulug them. The Tibe-
tans numbered about 800 and their resistance
to the effort to dsarm them led 70 a smart en-
gngement.
The situation FOR a Few moments was crttl,aI
Colonel Macdonald and Colonel Youughusband
being only few yards from the advancing
Tlbetans. RevoIvers and bayonets were usel.
and then rifle fire wns resorted 10. before which
the Tibetans fed. bu, not before several casual
ties resulted IN the British ranks The CORE
spondent OF The Daily Mail" with the mission
wounded
The Tibetans lost heavily owing 20 the inferior
ity OF their weapons. which were matchbox
rifles hut they displayed the greatest courage.
many OF them coming on after they had eight or
nine bullet wounds IN their bodies The scene
after the action was Ike a shamb,es The dead
trail OF dead and wounded extended to the rear
After shor; halt the advauc. continued.
nearing the Tihetan camp at Guru. where a sec
ond action took place. in which the artillery
played the largest part.
Finally the Tibetans retreated over the hills
with the exception % about sixty. who obstl-
nately held the village ~hich was finally taken
by a mounted infantry rush with the bayonet.
Among the Tibeteus killed were the Iharsa
general. the military comnardant OF Phari and
I.ata and the representative Of the Golden Mon
astery. to whose influence and violent hostility
the existing difficulties were largely due
The Tibetau losses are believed to be over
four hundred. while the British casualties are
about a dozen.
The British force returned To Tuna this even
ing and stated that rifles bearing the Russian
imperial stamp and Russian ammunition were
found the wounded ribetan officers.
While the forces were face to face or the oppo-
site sides of a wall which the Tibetans had
built across the highway to oppose the advance
tie Indian troops quietly deployed their fianks
and effectively inclosed SEQ Tibetans in a cir
Gle like herdins sheep The members OF the mis-
sion the press correspondents and the general
staff rode up to inspect the capture ami were
laughing and talking. They were unaware "
the impending tragedy being evidently needless
of the sullen demeanor of the Tibeans The lat
ter presently began to hustle some Sikhs who re-
piled with the butt ends OF their rifles Then the
Tibetans fired pistol wounding a sikh and this
was the signal for all the TTbetans to draw
their swords and rush at their captors. who
opened fire on the slrging mob. The officers
enptied their revolvers.
The Tibetans found themselves unable TO
climb the wall. which they themselves had built
Finally about half Of them were able to break
away to the rear. where they came under the
| fire of the artillery. or the entire Tieetan force
only about half escaped being either killed or
wounded