The Post Office of India and Its StoryClarke, Geoffrey
History
The Post Office of India and Its Story
Clarke, Geoffrey
Postal service -- India
In December, 1888, a small force of about 1200 men, besides civil
officers and followers, headed by Brigadier-General Faunce, started for
the Chindwin Division to quell a rising of Burmans and to reduce to
order the country which was then infested with dacoits. The expedition
was undertaken very suddenly, and the Quartermaster-General in India
asked the Deputy Postmaster-General, Burma, to arrange for the opening
of a field post office at Kalemyo at a distance of twenty-seven miles
from the base of operations at Kalewa. About July, 1889, the country
was brought to a normal state and the troops were withdrawn.
_The Lushai Expedition._
In 1888 the Government of India having decided to send a punitive
expedition against the Shendus and other tribes in the Chitagong
Hill Tracts, a small force under Colonel V. W. Tregear was organized
and concentrated at Demagiri. The force was styled the "Lushai
Expeditionary Force," and consisted of about 1200 men besides followers
and coolies. An inspector was deputed to make the postal arrangements.
The boat line from Rangamati to Demagiri, which was maintained by
the Frontier Police, was strengthened, also the post offices at
Rangamati and Demagiri, the latter being constituted a base office,
and a post office was opened at Barkul--half-way between Rangamati and
Demagiri--where there was a stockade of military police. The troops
kept the field for about four months and came back at the end of April,
1889.
_The Chin Lushai Expedition._
In 1889 two armies operated in this expedition, one from Burma and
the other from Chittagong. The troops in Burma were divided into
two columns, one operating from Fort White as a base against the
Syins and other tribes, and the other starting from Gangaw as a
base and advancing via Yokwa on Haka. The Chittagong force advanced
from Fort Lungleh on Haka. Brigadier-General W. P. Symons commanded
the operations on the Burma side, and Colonel Tregear commanded the
Chittagong column. The strength of the force concentrated at Gangaw
consisted of about 40 officers, 1200 European and Indian troops and
2500 followers. The strength of the Chittagong column consisted of
about 3500 men besides followers and coolies.
On the Burma side much difficulty was experienced by the supervising
officers in organizing and maintaining the lines, which lay over sandy
beds of rivers, hillocks and jungles and on the Chittagong side, on
account of constant illness and the consequent change of officials
deputed. Mr. J. W. McCrea, Superintendent of post offices, Burma
Circle, was deputed to make postal arrangements for the force under
the direction of Mr. G. J. Hynes, Deputy Postmaster-General, Burma. On
the other side postal arrangements were made by Mr. G. S. Clifford,
Superintendent of post offices, under the direction of Mr. G. Barton
Groves, Deputy Postmaster-General, Eastern Bengal.
_The Zhob Expedition._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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