The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-05-05
DISORDERS IN INDIA
EFFECT OF GERMAN INTRIGUE
AND TURK ALLIANCE.
Pathans in Revolt-Mutiny at Ran
goon Suppressed-Severe Fighting
on the Afghan Frontier.

A special correspondent of the New
York Times in the Straits Settle
ments writes as follows, dated March
8: The strictness of the censorship
has prevented neutral countries and
incidentally the British public from
receiving full information of the seri-
Gus disorders which are proceeding in
India and Burmah. There is, how
ever, sufficient travel between these
and the Straits Settlements to enable
us to gather fairly reliable news Of
what is going on. OF course 1t can
not be published, but it IS passed on
By word Of mouth.
The most startling report we have
heard is that the Ameer Of Afghanis-
tan has been assassinated. This IS
doubtful, but it is certain that there
is severe fighting along the northwest
frontier. From four different dis
tricts news Of trouble has been re-
ceived, and there is no doubt that the
Indian government just now has its
hands full. Some of the sedition ap-
pears to be due to the deliberate at
tempts of German agents to stir up
trouble, but a good deal is probably
the result of the bazaar rumors con-
cerning the war, and especially Of the
appearance of the Sultan OF Turkey
as the ally Of the Kaiser.
The first serious riots are reported
as having occurred two days ago at
Cawnpore. No details have been al
lowed to come out, but it is realized
by all Anglo-Indians how dangerous
a matter an outbreak at this point
might be. A considerable number of
Europeans live there, and it is hoped
that the garrison will prove strong
enough to protect them.
After the outbreak at Cawrpore, a
regiment Of Pathans at Rangoon, the
capital of Burmah, attempted to re-
bel. Mohammedans by faith, they
are believed to have been affected by
the news from Constantinople. The
mutiny was quickly checked, how
ever. Nine of the ringleaders were
shot, 200 others were sent to prison
for terms ranging from fifteen to
twenty years, and the rest were dis
banded. Coming as they do from the
extreme northwest Of India, it is not
likely that the Pathans would be able
to do much harm to the British rule
among the Burmese, with whom they
have nothing in common.
From the Central Province OF In
dia word has come Of riots in four
different places. Martial law has
been proclaimed throughout the en-
pire; no one is permitted to land in
any part Of India unless he can ex-
plain his business is Imperative, and
the most strenuous efforts are bcing
made to keep the sedition from
spreading. Above all the seringcnt
press laws are being applied with
their full rigor, and the vernacular
newspapers have to follow very cir
cumspect course.
The rumor that the Ameer Of Afg-.
hanistan, Habibullah Khan, had been
assassinated was accompanied by re-
ports of severe fighting along the
Afghan border. Habibullah has been
on the throne since 1901, and his
reign has been on the whole salts
factory one so far as the British ere
concerned. Both Great Britain and
Russia have undertaken not to inter
fere with the internal affairs Of Afg-
hanistan, and since they reached their
agreement in 1907 Gabul has ceased
to be so important a centre or in
trigue. Probably if the Ameer is
dead, India would feel it most seri-
ously through the loss Of his influ-
ence over the tempestuous border
tribes.
1t is they who, according to what
we hear, are giving trouble. Three
regiments Of territorials from Eng
land, who were sent out to relieve
the regulars in the belief that they
would not be required for anything
worse than garrison duty have been
moved up to the frontier. There
they are face to face with conditions
that have tried the nerve and skill OF
veteran Anglo-Indian fighters.
How they are faring we have no
definite information. They are not
permitted to write to their friends,
and no civilians are allowed to ap-
proach within fifty miles of tho dis
turbed area. 1t is said, however, that
the British losses have been heavy,
and that reinforcements have had to
be hurried to the front.
You may have heard that on Feb
ruary l6 200 of the Malay States
Guides of TAPPING mutinied. These
were soon subdued and the situation
is now we'll in hand.