The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-01
LEFT 400 DEAD.
Tibetans Retreat Before the
British Advance
After Making a Desperate but
Useless Resistance.
BRITISH LOSS SMALL.
InferiOrity Of Arms Make Ma
tiVes an Easy Prey.
BRITISH Loss SMALL.
British Commander Declines
Overture fer Negotiations.

Tuna, British India, April 1. News
has been received here of severe fight
ing, the Tibetans having attacked the
British mission under Colonel Young
husband. There were two engage
ments, and the Tibetans were repulsed
with heavy loss.
The British captured the Tibetan
camp at Guru. While the British adj
vance had practically been unopposed,
the expedition suffered great hardship
from the intense cold, and it was some
times found impossible to use the
maxim guns and rifles owing to the
| congealing of the oil. The country was
OF the bleakest. without a sign of veg
piercing winds and clouds of dust, while
there was heavy fall Of snow last
night.
flying column started to recon-
hotter the Tfbetan camp at Grru,
Whereupon a general from Lhassa with
a quaint retinue came to interview
Colonel Ycunghusband. The general
asked the colonel to retire with his
mission to Yatung for the purpose OF
carrying OF negotiations, threatening
an attack if the mission proceeded.
Colonel Younghusband replied that ne
/ gotiations had been proceeding fruit
/ lessly for fifteen years and that retire
ment was now impossible. The Tibetan
general withdrew, and Colonel Young
/ husband ordered his troops to endeavor
to dispense the Tibetans blocking the
road without firing upon them.
For a time the tactics of the British
were successful but after while the
attitude of the Tibetan leaders con-
WINGED Colonel Macdonald of the neces-
sity of disarming them. The Tibetans
numbered about 1900, and their resist
ance of the effort to disarm them led
I to a smart engagement. The situation
/ for a few moments was critical, Colonel
n 4 CF~1~ trr hos nd
/ being only a few yards from the adj
vanctng Tibetans. Revolvers and bay
onets were used and then rifle fire was
resorted to- at which the Tibetans ned,
! but not before several casualties re-
suited in the British ranks.
The correspondent of the Mail with
the mission was severely wounded.
The Tibetans lost heavily, owing to
the infAriority of their weapons, which
were matchbox rifles, but they display
ed the greatest courage, many of them
| coming on even after they had been
seriously wounded. After the action
there were heaps of dead, a long trail
of dead and wounded extending to the
rear.
After a short halt the advance con-
tfnued Nearing 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
village which was finally taken by a
mounted bayonet charge.
Among the Tibetans killed were the
Lhassa general. the military command
ant of Phari and Lata and the repre-
sentative from the Golden monastery
to whose influence and violent hostility
the existing difficulties were largely due
The Tibetan losses are believed to be
over 400, while the British casualties are
about a dozen.
The British force returned to Tuna
/ this evening and stated that rifles bear
ing the Russian imperial stamp and
Russian ammunition were found on the
4 wounded Tibetan officers.