The San Francisco call., 1904-07-07
BRITISH TAKE
CYANCTSE FORT
Storming Party, Consisting
of Gurkhas and Fusileers,
Capture the Tibetan Jonk
CASUALTIES NOT GREAT
Warriors Offer a Stubborn
Resistance, but Finally
Yield Their Stronghold

GYANGTSE, Tibet, July 6-The
pinnacle fort near here, held by 1000
Tibetans, was captured by a mere
handful of British and Indian soldiers
to-day. The excitement of the long
day eliminated in the scaling of a
breach in the walls Of the fort by
Lieutenant Grant, who was followed
by a mixed company Of Gurkhas and
Fusillers. They climbed the cleft in
the rock in the face Of a hail Of fire
and fusillade of stones which were
hurled on their heads by the frantic
Tibetans. A stone struck Lieutenant
Grant. sweeping him off his feet, but
he recovered himself and was the first
over the breach
AT dusk the battle was over and,
though f1tful bursts Of musketry were
still to be heard, the British held the
fort, which dominates the town and
the monastery beyond
The plan Of attack included three
columns, which were to rush the VIII
lSges fringing the base OF the rock. At
midnight last night British troops be-
gan to move into position. The left
and center columns were able to enter
the village by sunrise, but so heavily
was the fire directed on the right COL
umn that it was impossible to make
any headway for several hours By 7
o'clock, however, the whole fringe of
villages was captured
Lieutenant Gordon, who was leading
a party Of Sikhs, was killed. The
house tops were full of Tibetans, who
pelted the right column with bullets
for hours. The British ten-pounders
made a breach in the wall between the
towers on the face Of the cliff, the
wall falling down in great masses.
Shortly afterward an explosion oc-
CURED in the powder magazine Of the
Tibetans, by which many must have
been killed. This, however, did not dis
may the Tibetans
When the reserve companies of Fusi-
liers advanced and delivered their as
sault the Tibetans opened a heavy fire,
but only one man was hit owing to
the open formation or the British
troops. BY dusk the helmets Of the
Fusiliers were to be seen on the highest
building of the fort The men were
cheering.
LONDON. July s.-The Gyangtse
1onk. or fort, is built on a rock rising
sheer 300 feet from the plain The west
ern face is absolutely impregnable. On
the southern side, opposite the British
camp, which is some 2400 yards dis
tant, the rock is somewhat broken. On
every level spot stands a ruined build
ing. The road to the top runs zigzag
up to the southern face OF the fort
Along the road the Tibetans had erect
ed three series of diagonal walls, five
feet high and loopholed every few feet.
Twenty-seven cannon were mounted
along this face. On the east and north
the rock slopes gradually to a mon
astery on another rock. opposite the
north face of the fort.
Gyangtse town lies In a hollow under
the eastern face. The rock throughout
was thoroughly fortified and had guns
at every angle.
At the bottom Of the rock two con-
siderable villages extend east and west
These villages recently were we'll forti-
fed the walls had been strengthened
and cannon had been placed thereon.
There are twelve large buildings In the
space between the fort and a hill sur
rounded by a monastery. All these
were also fortified.
Prisoners reported some time ago
that 5000 warriors occupied the forts
and that there were 1000 warriors In
the monastery.