Read Ebook: The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It Vol. 1 No. 53 November 11 1897 A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls by Various Bishop Julia Truitt Editor

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Editor: Julia Truitt Bishop

VOL. 1 NOVEMBER 11, 1897. NO. 53

The British soldiers are doing some very fine work on the Indian frontier.

During the past week an engagement has taken place in which some of the hardest fighting of the war occurred.

According to the despatches, the Afridis occupied some rising ground which was known by the name of the Dargai Ridge. It was necessary for the British troops in their advance to pass across this ridge, and so the Afridis had to be dislodged from it.

A detachment of soldiers was sent forward to perform this task, and accomplished it so easily that in a very short space of time the enemy had all been driven off, and the village of Dargai was in flames.

The tribesmen seemed to have been completely routed, and to have left the country, so no particular pains was taken to fortify and hold the conquered ridge; instead the preparations for the advance were hurried forward.

The routing of the Afridis occurred on Monday; the British troops were ready to start early on Wednesday morning, but just as all was in readiness for the move, the tribesmen suddenly reappeared in greatly increased numbers, and swarming in on every side reoccupied the ridge.

This was a severe blow to the British, because the work of dislodging the enemy had to be done all over again. The Afridis lay right in the path of the British, and must be made to move.

This time the task was more difficult.

The Afridis had taken up a much stronger position than the one they had occupied on Monday, and had established their main body on an exceedingly steep hill, about a thousand feet high, which commanded the route the advancing army was obliged to take.

The height and the steepness of the hill were, however, but a small part of the difficulty with which the British forces had to contend. The real serious point lay in the fact that there was but one path by which the summit of the hill could be reached, and this was only wide enough for one man to pass at a time. It was therefore impossible to send large bodies of troops against the enemy, and there was the terrible danger that sharpshooters might pick off the men one by one as they tried to ascend the path.

The work had, however, to be done, and an English regiment and two troops of native soldiers were sent forward to storm the hill.

Between the position occupied by the English and that held by their foes lay an open space of rough and rocky ground, which was within rifle range of the Afridis.

Stationing some of their best shots half-way down the hill, the tribesmen waited patiently while the English made their way across the open space.

The advance was extremely difficult owing to the rough nature of the ground, the soldiers having actually to climb from rock to rock.

As soon as the English were well within rifle range, the tribesmen, who had not fired a shot until the troops were in the bad ground, opened such a deadly fire on them that the on-coming troops were checked. All this time the British artillerymen were assailing the sharpshooters with shot and shell, trying their best to drive them off the side of the hill. In spite of their best efforts the enemy never wavered, but held their position.

The fight began to look serious for the English, and might have gone against them but that the general in command, realizing that the men could no longer stand against the deadly fire of the enemy, ordered a fresh regiment, the Gordon Highlanders, to go to the assistance of the struggling troops.

It is customary for a general to keep a portion of his army in reserve, so that should the battle seem to be going against him, he can send fresh soldiers into the fight to strengthen the weak places. The tide of battle has again and again been turned by bringing in these reserves at the right moment.

The accounts we read of battles tell us how these reserve troops fret, and fume, and worry, as they are kept resting idly while the roar of battle rages around them. It would seem as if the men became so eager and impatient that when at last the order to advance is given, they dash into the fray with a zest and fury which carries everything before it.

The affair of the Dargai Ridge seems to have been no exception to this rule.

The Gordon Highlanders had been held back all the morning, and no sooner was the order to advance given them than they made what is described as a "magnificent rush" across the open space.

The enemy poured a rain of bullets upon them, but so eager and excited were the men that they hurried on caring for nothing but the advance.

Half of their number fell, killed or wounded, but, undaunted, the others dashed forward, and finally reached the foot of the hill, where the overhanging rocks protected them from the enemy's fire.

After pausing a few moments to recover their breath, they began to climb the hill, and twenty minutes later they had gained the crest and dislodged the enemy.

All England is ringing with the praises of these brave men. General Lockhart, who commands one wing of the frontier army, has personally thanked the Gordon Highlanders for their gallant conduct. He told them that this brave deed of theirs was one which might worthily be placed side by side with the other great records which this famous regiment has made for itself in the past.

The colonel and officers of the regiment were also thanked for their fine leadership.

We told you some time ago about the effect the Highlanders have on foreign enemies, and also of the many daring deeds of their pipers, and how these men had saved their own lives time and again by blowing on their bagpipes at critical moments.

An incident occurred in the fight on the Dargai Ridge which illustrates this fact.

The Gordon Highlanders rushed forward to the charge with colors flying, and the bagpipes shrilling forth their martial tunes.

One of the pipers who was leading the rush was shot through both ankles, and fell to the ground. It was impossible for him to walk, but without a moment's hesitation he scrambled to a sitting posture, and, putting his beloved pipes to his mouth, continued his playing as unconcernedly as if nothing had happened.

He knew that the sound of his pipes encouraged his brother soldiers, and he played on unheeding the bullets that whistled around him.

The report that mentions this story says it was only one of many exhibitions of coolness and courage shown by the Gordon Highlanders in their brave charge.

It is said that while the British are full of pride over the conduct of the Highlanders, they are very uneasy at finding the enemy so well supplied with rifles and ammunition, and so well drilled in the use of their weapons.

Every one is wondering where the rebels obtained this large supply of ammunition, and once more the Ameer of Afghanistan is suspected of bad faith.

It is certain that the arms could not have been bought of English or continental merchants, because the laws are very strict in India, and forbid the introduction of arms, except for government uses. To be brought in by European merchants they would have had to be very cleverly smuggled, and this would have been such a difficult affair that it is thought to have been impossible to bring large quantities of arms into the country that way. It is therefore hinted that they have come from the Ameer's famous factory at Cabul, as it would have been easy for him to supply the tribesmen from his side of the border without being found out.

In the heart of his country this ruler has established an arsenal which is managed by Englishmen who are in his service. The factories are fitted out with machinery imported from England, and when in full working order can turn out twenty thousand cartridges and one hundred and fifteen rifles a day, and two field guns a week.

In 1896 it was known that the Ameer had already manufactured enough breech-loading rifles to give arms to fifty thousand soldiers. It is uncertain what became of this store, but it was supposed that they were being kept for the Afghanistan troops. Now the English are wondering whether the Ameer has not been quietly supplying their enemies with weapons and ammunition.

The latest reports from the seat of war state that the tribesmen are offering a determined resistance to the English advance, and from all one hears some serious work lies before the British army in India.

Spain's answer to President McKinley has been cabled over to us. The text of the letter has not been made public yet, but one of our newspapers has cabled a statement from Madrid telling us what it is all about. This statement has been confirmed by Se?or Dupuy de L?me, the Spanish Minister in Washington, and so we may have confidence in it.

It would appear that the answer was discussed at a cabinet meeting in Madrid on Sunday; a draft of the answer was then prepared and sent to the Queen, who immediately gave her consent.

The tone of the answer shows that the present ministry of Spain is anxious to keep on the best of terms with the United States, and does not want a war with us any more than we do with them.

The answer is said to call the attention of the United States to the fact that since the note was presented by General Woodford to the Duke of Tetuan, there has been a complete change in the Spanish Government, and that the present ministry has decided to alter the policy of Spain in regard to Cuba, and give the island a form of government that cannot fail to meet with the approval of the United States.

According to this statement, which, as we have said, Se?or de L?me declares to be correct, Spain says that she is now making an honest effort to win back the friendship of her Cuban subjects, and as a proof of this has recalled General Weyler, and sent out in his stead a man who is charged to take all the necessary steps toward providing Cuba with liberal Home Rule.

The friendly offices of the United States will be asked to assist Spain in restoring peace and contentment in Cuba.

The note goes on to add that while the Spanish Government does not hold us responsible for all the filibustering that has been done, it will ask us to do all in our power to prevent any more expeditions from leaving our shores.

Tho news that Spain means to give Home Rule to Cuba is most welcome, and it is to be hoped that the reforms offered may be satisfactory to the Cubans, and that the war may soon be brought to a close.

The full terms of the promised changes have reached us--they give the Cubans control of educational matters, tariff, customs, charity, and public works.

A governor or viceroy is to be chosen by the mother country, and he is to have the right to choose the officers who are to form his cabinet.

There is to be a Cuban parliament, divided into upper and lower houses, which is to settle all the affairs of the island except those which concern foreign policy, naval and military matters, and the manner in which the law is to be administered. The acts of this parliament are, however, to be subject to the approval of the Governor.

The Cuban parliament is to elect the men who are to go to Spain to represent Cuba in the Cortes.

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