THE WAR IN LAROOT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3949, 9 July 1874, Page 3

THE WAR IN LAROOT.

SL'IVKSK Ol" I'AI'TAIN Si'KKDV AND HIS I.ITTI.K .WiMV. [ii:o.m orii own eoUKKsruNnr.NT.] Si.Mfi.TANKoL's with our war against the Ashantees, another small war, which will, there is every reason to believe, be much more profitable to British trade, was being carried on in the East by Captain Speedy, so well known both in England, India, and in this province, .is an accomplished and brave ollieev of Sir Robert Xapier's stall', during the late Abyssinian Campaign. This otlieer. having, with the permission of the Government of her Majesty's Straits Settlements, taken command of Rajah Mouti-ie's army, against his rebellious subjects, who have formed rival factions against him, has dealt them one or two severe blows, which he hopes to follow up with others, which, in a short time, will result in their complete overthrow, and the probable annexation of Laroot to our possessions in the East, as the following extracts will shew :—

Having resigned my appointment in September last, in the Pena'ig Police, I proceeded to India under arrangement with Rajah, one of the rival claimants for the sovereignty of Laroot, who having the be£,t claim to it, and wisely submuting to the demands of H.M. Straits Cioveriiiiieiit to the different claimants —to disan.i and submit to arbitration, which the others obstinately declined to do, —the Government ufthe Straits then, so to speak, acknowledged the belligerent lights of the above Rajah, and entered into a treaty to supply him with vessels of a suitable class for river lighting against junks, the land lighting to be carried on by himself with iiis own forces and munitions of war. Having succeeded in obtaining a sullicitnt quantity of davc-devil Sikhs and Patliases men, who though but recruits have proved themselves perfect Trojans, indifferent to every peril, brave, and generous to a fault, I returned to Penang with them after an absence in India of seven months, during which time I had to enlist them, and provide all things necessary for a lengthy campaign if need be. Having provided myself with a battery of Krupp guns, and all being ready, we set sail in the steamer for Lomon River, Laroot, on October 1. IN CAMP. On disembarking we remained under canvas For five days, waiting arrival of the steamer with provisions from Penang, which at the end of that time was safely landed, and being of sufficient quality and quantity, so as not to result in short commons or commissariat pickled harness when most needed,. wo took up the line of march for that part of the country in which the enemy were strongly fortified. ON THE MAIfCH KOFI BUCKET fSANTONo. The journey from Lemon River (so called from the magnificent trees of the same name growing on its banks, which were plauted some years ago by Catholic missionaries, and which are growing in hundreds in the luxuriant forests which the river bounds,) to Bucket Gautong, which is twelve miles, was performed by the Rajah Montrie, myself, and Lieutenant Alfred Speedy, on elephants, our attacking force principally on foot. During the whole of this dreary march, nine miles of which was through almost impenetrable jungle and marshes—the last three miles being " Paddy fields," rice plantations, our regular and auxiliary native troops behaved with cuLhusiiistic bravery and sang frold. Exposed at every step to the treacherous attacks of a merciless foe in ambush, and to still mui-e treacherous assaults irom the wild, beasts and wily reptiles with

which these forests abound, we fearlessly ! pursued our course to the point of attack, ' having encountered only a few straggling Chinese, who were like skeared partridges at the end of the season, soon winged and bagged, were taken prisoners. Arrived at Bucket Gautong, in camp again. After some hours' marching we arrived as above, and proceeded to pitch tents and billet out, many of whom were lodged in the mosque and Malayan houses ; the in> mates (who were of the cauntry) being forcibly ejected to make room for the rest of my force not provided for in the tents or the mosque. Remained here for a fortnight drilling and reconnoitering the enemy, who were mustered in strong force near the Kotah Forests, whence they have built forts and stockades for 10 miles, to the mouth of Lemon P.iver. THE ATTACK. On the morning of November 29, all being ready, we began our attack on the GheyHins (the enemy) by taking up an advantageous position, anil by bringing our excellent Krupps to work. The ball was opened by our artillery, I having sighted the first gun fired. the enemy lead off the next dance by a salvo 400 yards distance (which did us little or no damage), which we answered with tremendous effect, blowing off the wheels of their worthless 100 pounders. After half an hour's shelling we silenced the guns in this fort, but their friends from the right gave us another salvo, which we kindly answered with a powerful broadside, destroying the most prominent magazine, the fort, and effecting a large breach, through which our men shortly entered at fixed bayonets to iind no less than 51 men killed, many of whom were horribly mangled, the rest having escaped. KKCI'I'Vi WOIiK WELL DOXE. The scene inside No. 1 Fort was also a striking one. Krupp had done its work fearfully well, and those eat-like Chinese, whose ways r.re much dr.rker than their copper-skin, were soon made to feel the dreadful force of the barbarian amis and war tactics. The mangled bodies of the Celestials, all weltering in their gore; their huts shivered into a thousand pieces ; all the rude implements of Chinese cookery smashed and scattered about in every direction, proved the effect. KATE 111-' NO. 2 FOItT. After No. 1 Fort fell No. 2 Fort evacuated, and Deen Mahomet, coming up with our fricndlics, was ordered to set tire to it, which lie quickly did, soon a livid glare of tire was seen darting on high, indicating that yet another den of Celestial rebels and murderous pirates had fallen.

AFTER THE BATTLE. The forts being stormed at the most critical point of Bucket flantong country, and tho " Celestials" having been successfully engaged by our infantry, who cut their rallying forces to pieces, we sent out fatigue parties to count and bury the dead, and to bring in the wounded. The number of the enemy killed in all (including tifty-four in Xo. 1 Fort) was sixty-live, and on our side eight killed, none of which were Europeans. The wounded on the other side numbered twelve, who were all carefully looked after. I'O.NTIXI'ATIoX (IK THE WAR. The war against the rebellious subjects (nominally ot' itajah Moutrie, but really of our Government, which they arc soon to lie) is likely not to lie of long duration, but 1 anticipate to have many a trying skirmish with those tortuous gentry ere 'tis over. I'ltilhlTTS AMI I'KOSI'KITS OF LAKiHIT. Laroot is a most fertile country in soil and minerals ; the soil producing every esculent which flourishes in the tropics, the climate for the latitude rendering nature in all her prodigality still more charming, the agricultural productions being rice, cotton, sugar, indigo, eoll'ee, spices, arrowroot, tea, and the most beautiful tropical fruits. The mines produce copper, tin, lead, silver, and even gold and platina. The inducements which the country affords for British trade leads Captain Speedy to think the action of Her Majesty's Straits Government not only wise but imperative, for he says : —" Looking at the great fertility of this country, its closeness to our Straits Settlements, ita beautiful climate as compared with many parts of India, all lead me to think it time active steps were taken to aid the Rajah and myself in crushing once and fi-ir ever those bloo.'.y factious which have for years torn this beautiful country to pieces, in order eventually to annex it to our Eastern possessions."