The following particulars of the Tachi Valley disaster are take from Ceylon Stet papers Calcutta, 12th June.
A serious outrage has occurred in the Tachi Valley. Mr. Gee, the Political Officer. was on a visit to Sherani and Maiza, escorted by twelve sotcars and three hundred Infan: try, composed of the Ist Sikhs and the Ist Punjaub Infantry, with two guns and a mountain battery. On Thursday the camp at Maiza was surprised and rushed, and the party was compelled to retire' towards Dattakul. Colonel Bunny, of the Sikhs, with Captain Browne, and Lieutenant Cruikshank, of the hattery, were killed. Lieutenant Higgingson of the Sikhs, Lieut-ut Browne, of the Punjaubis, and Surgeon-Captain Cassidy, were severely wounded. Twenty-four of the rank and file were killed, and twenty-five severely wounded. There was also a large loss of mules and horses. The force was harassed for several miles by overwhelming numbers. All the officers were wounded severely. The Sheranis have hitherto not given trouble. The attacking force was composed mainly of fanatical Mullahs, believed to be led by the celebrated Mullah Powindah.
13th June.
Mr. Gee, the Political Officer, was the only British officer who was unwounded in this affair, Details point to the basest trea-chary on the part of the Maliks, who fur nished the supplies, for, after doing so, they attacked while the expedition was in camp at the midday meal. The retreat was orderly, and all the wounded were carried off. Only nine rifles were lost. Several regiments and mountain batteries have been warned for service; but nothing \has been definitely arranged as to a punitive expedition.
London, 13th June.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.