LATEST CABLE NEWS

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 43, 8 September 1880, Page 2

LATEST CABLE NEWS

THE FIGHTING IN INDIA.

GENERAL ROBERTS DEFEATS AYOUB KHAN'S FOECES.

[REUTER'S SPECIAL TO STAR.]

London, September 6.

In the House of Lords to-day, Earl Granville, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, took occasion to refer to the debates which have taken place in the House of Commons on the subject of the rejection by the House of Lords of the Irish Registration of Voters Bill. His Lordship, in the course of his remarks, said he desired to disavow any sympathy with the tenor of the speeches made by his colleague, the Hon. W. E. Forster, Chief Secretary for Ireland, who had blamed the House of Lords for persisting in a course calculated to lead to a necessity for a change hi the English Constitution.

Calcutta, September 5.

Intelligence has been received that General Koberts, with a large force, attacked Ayoub Khan at Umsafah. A desperate engagement ensued, but the enemy were unable to withstand the fierce attacks made upon their positions. Thes • were gradually abandoned and captured by the British. Ayoub Khan's troops fought desperately, and made a most gallant defence, but they were ultimately completely defeated. Twenty-seven guns, comprising the whole of the enemy's artillery, were captured by the British troops.

September 6. Further intelligence Las been received of the engagement between the British troops and Ayoub Khan in Candahar. Details show that General Roberts feigned an attack in full force on Ayoub's entrenchments at Babawah and Kabal. He succeeded in turning the enemy's posi- 1 tions, when they found their retreat cut off by an overwhelming force in their rear, by which they were completely routed.