Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎92v] (188/312)

to be necessary for safety. But these Estimates in
cluded a large allowance under the heads of land
revenue and Excise for the improvement
expected after the abatement of the famine,
and for the receipt of arrears. This is a highly
speculative kind of calculation, and the increase of
one million and a quarter which was reckoned upon
may be found to have existed only on paper. The
decrease of the income from the Guaranteed Railways
has also probably been taken as less than the actual
figures will show at the close of the year. Thus it
appears that the calculations of the Government of
India, even after giving full credit for the returns
from the new taxation imposed by Sir J ohn
S tbachby a few months ago, sail very close to the
wind. A slight error in the hypothesis of the
Finance Minister may turn the estimated surplus into
a deficit. But deficit upon deficit has been piled up
; within the past twenty years, and the debt has
more than doubled during the same period. In
11857 it was under sixty millions ; in 1865 it had
! risen to ninety millions ; and at the present time it
is not far from one hundred and thirty millions.
The amount of taxation levied has also increased
largely ; in 1867 it was forty-two millions, and in
1876 fifty-one millions.- The Estimates for the
current year include the provincial and local
income and expenditure, which makes an exact
comparison difficult. But whatever the precise
proportion of the increase may be, that there is an
increase of taxation is certain, and that it has
been necessitated by an increasing expenditure is
not less so. Sir J ohn S trachey lamented the fact
when he introduced his last Budget at Calcutta, and
it was with difficulty that new imposts were found
by the aid of which the financial equilibrium was
restored. In case of a war demanding large pecu
niary contributions from the Indian people, the
means of raising the cost by an increase of taxation
would be scarcely available. The income tax has
been condemned by a great number of Anglo-
Indian statesmen, because it excites dangerous
discontents ; but even if those discontents were
to be braved at a critical moment, it must
be remembered that a sixpenny income tax,
which in England may be counted on to produce
twelve millions in the year, barely produces one
tenth of that sum in India. Yet the population of
India is eight times that of the United Kingdom,
and Indian incomes are taxed at a far lower point
than has ever been attempted in this country. The
' salt duties have lately been raised in Madras and
Bombay, and another augmentation of them would
be intolerably felt. The Customs and Excise duties
in the aggregate bring in no more than five
millions a year, and an increase of ten per
cent, all round—a charge so severe that it
would almost certainly check consumption—would
yield only half a million. Thus it will be seen that
it would be more than difficult—it would be well
nigh impossible—to draw from India the additional
taxation which would be needed to meet the charge,
even for interest, upon the cost of an Afghan war,
if that cost amounted to ten or twenty million^.
The necessity of taking the burden on our own
shoulders is clear, and the sooner we realise it th?
better for our self-respect.
ENGLAND AND CABUL.
HOSTILITIES IMMINENT.
ADVANCE OF THE AFGHANS.
ATTITUDE OF THE MOUNTAINEERS.
(B y E astern T elegraph.)
(from cub special correspondent.)
BOMBAY, fbidat.
The commencement of hostilities may take place i
at any moment. Four of the Ameer's in: an try |
regiments, with six guns, are stated to have |
arrived in front of Ali Musjid, a short way tip the i
Khyber Pass, and have advanced to within three
miles from Jamrud, at which place a detachment
of British troops have already arrived,
j Much larger bodies of Afghan troops are on their
way down, and these tlireaten to attack the
i Khyberees for having allowed the Mission to
| penetrate the Pass. This would throw the
| Khyberees and neighbouring hill tribes into our
hands, and it is expected that we shall at once
render them assistance in case they are attacked by
the Ameer's troops. It ik probable that our first
advance will, now take place in the Koorum valley,
as we can thus assist the Khyberees, who, in case
of defeat by the Ameer, could then fall back
upon us.
Afghan troops, with guns taken from the Fort of |
Ali Musjid, occupy some of the minor passes.
Contrary to telegrams from the frontier some days ■
since, Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Goolam Hussain, our, Envoy, has not |
I yet returned. At Peshawur it is thought probable !
that he will, when he arrives, be accompanied by
an emissary of the Ameer.
A telegram from Mooltan states that the troops
are still massing at Deri Ghazi Khan.
(B y E astern T eleobaph.)
(from our special cobrfispondent.)
SIMLA, F riday.
The winter movements of the Government are
uncertain, but the Viceroy's tour through Rajputana
is definitely abandoned. The Government will pro
bably go to Calcutta early in November ; the Viceroy
to Lahore, reaching Calcutta by Christmas.
The death of the King of Burmah is officially
announced. Prince Thiobo has ascended the throne
as his successor. There is quiet at Mandalay,
though all is in readiness to afford protection to the
European colony if necessary.
(B y G reat N orthern T elegraph.)
(from our own cobbespondent.)
ST. PETERSBURG, F biday.
The Oolos of the 4th of October says " The
collision which has suddenly arisen on the Afghan
frontier will hardly astonish any diplomatist who
has studied Lord Beaconsfield's recent policy.
England desires at any price to secure such
important strategic points as the Khyber Pass,
and she considers the present moment, when
Russia is exhausted by the late war, as
extremely favourable to act the comedy of the
episode in Reinecke Fuchs, where the rabbit
was the aggressor. But comedy will hardly im
pose upon any one." The Qolos considers that Sir
N. Chamberlain had orders to seek a quarrel, and
did not give the Ameer time to send an answer re
garding the reception of the Embassy, and says the
whole Mission is nothing more than a cleverly acted
comedy, which will supply England with a pre
text for occupying the Khyber Pass. It
may be that the British Government, having
learned from Hussein Khan that the Russian
mission to Cabal was preparing to leave the Afghan
capital, now desires, by. loud demands for its depar
ture, to win another imaginary victory over Russia.
Any way, people who are versed Hn the secrets of
English politics are certain that before the Ameer
has time to ofter an explanation or apology, the most
important strategic points on the Afghan frontier
will be in the hands of the British.