Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 7, Number 245, 6 December 1878 — AN AFGHAN DEFEAT. [ARTICLE]

AN AFGHAN DEFEAT.

News has been received of a serious dei feat inflicted on the Afghans by the British ! i forces. The Ameer's troops appear to have occupied strong positions, aud to have contested their ground stubbornly, but they | were outflanked, .md after a short and destructive engagement they were completely routed, the greater part of their artillery falling into the hands of the victors. It is evidently the design of the British Commander to secure full j possession of all the more important passes before proceeding into the interior. The passes are in effect tb» main points at present, for there are no fortified places in the interior capable of standing a sie>;e, and when the communications with India are fully established and adequately protected i it is probable that the subjugation of the | country will be a work of no serious diffij culty. The Ameer may make a linal stand ! at Cabul, but he has no troops that can | stand before breech-loaders and rifled artillery, and no walls that can resist siege guns for twenty-four hours. It is true that Jelalabad was stoutly defended for several months during the last invasion of Afghanistan, but then it was held by English troops, and the besiegers were Afghans, which makes all the difference.