DISQUIETING NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1920, Page 3

DISQUIETING NEWS

TROUBLE IN PERSIA

>By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.i v i (Received This Day at 10.35. a.rn.) DELHI, Juno 17. Disquieting news has reached India from Caucasus. ’ln addition to the Bolshevik invasion of Persia, large numbers of Bolshevik cavalry have ad_ , vanced from Baku, going towards Tiflis. Communications with Tiflis are cut off. Reports from there are conflicting. It is uncertain whether Bolshevik troops have reached the toyn or not. The report is persistent that there has been a revolution in Tiflis and pro-Bol-sheviks are now established. Bolshevik forces latterly engaged in fighting Deniken are being collected and re equipped near Rostov, and it is intended to move by rail to Baku, and thence by road to Tabriz, from whence an offensive against Persia will be launched. All small British detachments in northern Persia are being collected at Kahurn, which covers Teheran, and British reinforcements from Mesopotamia are journeying to Ivahurn where arrangements have been made to create a defensive ( position. . TREACHEROUS ATTACK. (Received this day at 12.25 p.m) CONSTANTIOPLE, June 17. A British outpost, consisting of a V company of Punjabs was surrounded by a superior force of Turks and Nationalists on the Ismid front. The British commander decided to withdraw, the Nationalist commander agreeing not to hamper their retirement. The advance , i guard" were allowed to pass without mishap, but the Nationalists treacherously opened fire on the main body, wounding thirty and taking an intelligence officer prisoner. Reinforcements were immediately sent to the assistance 'of the Punjabs, while a British warship kept the Nationalists at bay, shejling the Turkish positions. It appeared certain that Mustpha Kemal is much chagrined at the British barring, his way to Scutari; but whether he, or the local-commander or. dered the attack is unknown.