The War in Thibet.

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1035, 8 July 1904, Page 3

The War in Thibet.

Fierce Fighting. Jonij Captured by tlie British. A Desperate Resistance Fiijhtiiiy from House to House

A Baliant British Officer Press Association— Uopyi'iijht Bombay, July 1 COLON'EIj Younghusbaxd, at the closo of the annistico, ordered tho Thibetun delegates to leave tho fort and remove the women. Tho notice was disregarded. Seven thousand Thibetans attempted a gallant defence of Jong. Even Hid roofs of the houses of the Thibetans wero crowded with defenders, volleying and impoding the attack. Three columns advanced in Ujo darknoss, explosions announcing their progress. Lieut. Gordon, of the 32nd Pioneers was killed while loading ono of the storming parties, After establishing their position tho columns fought from house to house, being stubbornly opposed. When they were in possession of tho southern fringe of houses an ineffectual attempt was made to carry the main gate oNong, but it was found to be too strongly fortified, despite the well directed support of four guns. A climax in the fighting occurred in the afternoon.

Heavy firo was directed on a spot j to the extreme east of -long, 1()0 feet above the plain. Tim ramparts slowly crumbled under the terrific hail of shell and bullets, the wind blowing the fragments in a continual cloud, An explosion of gunpowder in tJio Thibetan magazine at four ■o'clock, near tho point of attack' lielpod the operations at Gyaiifitse' and-must have killed many in Jong Tho concentrated lire proved saccess2;ri, ain!, we" crurnhjjng in its fall, tho position was practically abandoned. The Ghurlcas, with reinforcements and pioneers, climbed the almost precipitous ascent to the breach, the Thibetans still frantically tiring volleys and throwing down torrents of stone. One knocked Lieut. Grant, who was leading the Bth Gliurkas, off his feet, but he quickly recovered himself, and was the first man over the breach.

Scaling the slope, prior to this incident, was accomplished under tlio magnificent cover oC the tire from the guns, which continued their work until the last possible moment over the heads of the troops, Thon the various companies climbed the rocks and slowly forced their way over the brqach. The task would have been a tlitficult one for the men oven if it had been unopposed, Three Ghurkas wero killed and four officers and three British privates and 20 Sepoys wounded. The Thibetans' loss was heavy. The clearing of Jong is proceed, iug. PRESS OWN lONS Press Association.—Copyright London, July 7

Tho Times correspondent at Gyangtso says the conduct of tho troops,must havo impressed the Thibetans, and adds: All concerned in tho day's exploit deserve tho fullest credit for carrying through carefully what must bo considered a benuti. fully executed schemo against one of the fortil'iod places in Contral Asia. Tho Daily Mail correspondent says that tho troops' achievement compares with taat of our mon at Dhargai.