FRONTIER TROUBLES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13098, 24 April 1908, Page 7

FRONTIER TROUBLES.

SITUATION MORE SERIOUS,

United Press Awoci&tien—By Elootrio Telegraph—Copyright. CALCUTTA. April 22. During the Zakka Khels expedition, Muilabs induced the Mohmands to raise a force to assist tl_o Zekka Kheis. These men arrived too lato, but being highly excited, lx*gan to raid the Peshawur border. Tho Ameer is likely to recall tribesmen whom his officials allowed to cross th© Kabul River to join tho Mohmands.

(Received April 23rd, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, April 23. Tbe Simla correspondent of "The Times" reports that contingents from Afghaneistan and Bajaur aro steadily adding to th© tribal gathering on the Mohmand frontier. The organised system of supply of food and ammunition indicates that there are arrangements in tho background different irom the usual crude tribal system. Fanatical preachers are active across the Afghan border, and the Amour's officials are not making the slightest effort to check these Mullahs. Major-Goneral Willoocks remains strictly on tho defensive.

At the time the expedition against the Zakka Khels was despatched, a. writer in the "Daily Mail" said that these "little shows" sometimes had an awkward knack of growing into unoommoidy big ones. "Every frontier oflicer knows how difficult it. is to confine operations to an exceedingly scattered tribe like tho Zakka Khels. So while it is officially hoped and intended to deal with that truculent clan alone, there is no tolling at present what tho expedition may not develop into. Look at the last great frontier war ten years ago. It began with an unprovoked •a-ttaok on a British force in the Tochi Valley by the Madda Khel branch of the Darwosh libel Wazirie. No on© tliought much about tho Maizax outrage, as it was called; yet before its long train of oonscquonoes was finished we had sent 60,000 fighting men., with an unnumbered host of followers, into tbe inaae of tho mountains and narrow valleys and gram defiles that cover India on the north-west. To this day experts wrangle about why it all happened. The fact remains that the fiery cross flew from peak to peak all the way from th© Saniana to tlie Malakand, andi before we suppressed tlie rising we had lost 1150 in killed and wounded in Tirah alono."