Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎100v] (204/312)

any part of Atghamstan annexea to the British
V dominions. The larger the scheme of the Govern
ment, the less, we venture to think, will it have
the support of the English people. Even the
device of an appeal to the national distrust of
Eussia will not avail to awaken p^nic or to
kindle enthusiasm. Our heroic spirits, whose
voice a month or two since was still
for war, will hardly feel that their de
mand is answered by the promise of a policy which
would make S heke A li the whipping-hoy to
be punished for Eussian ambition. The Govern
ment will find, if they commit themselves to a far-
reaching, vague, and perilous policy of enterprise,
that they will soon leave the English public
behind, and that when they come back
seeking for approval and reward, they will
meet with cold looks and reproachful xnur-
murs even among those on whose applause they had
most confidently relied. Whatever really has to
I be done had best be done quickly. Delay will
I only allow ambitious schemes to ripen, and the
; one legitimate purpose of a movement on S iiere
1 Ali 's dominions to be overgrown and hidden by
them.
LATEST TELEGRAMS
—
ENGLAND AND AFGHANISTAN.
MILITAEY PREPAEATIONS OF
THE AMEEE.
MOVEMENT OF BEITISH TEOOPS.
INTENDED ADVANCE IN
NOVEMBEE,
(BY EASTERN TELEGRAPH.)
(from cue special coerespondent.)
SIMLA, S xtnday E vening.
The Viceroy's Emissary left Cabul on the 28th.
He was detained by the Ameer to bring an
answer to the Viceroy's letters.
This is the only fresh piece of authentic infor- |
mation. It is rumoured that the Ameer is
greatly surprised at our sudden anger at his
treatment of the Mission, as we had borne pre
vious rebuffs in silence.
It is also said that Yakoob Khan has been re
leased, but this is very doubtful.
It is reported that the Ameer is strengthening
j his forces at Candahar, Jellalabad, and Ali
Musjid.
A large portion of the Peshawur garrison moved
to Jumrood on the morning of the 4th, either to
prevent a surprise or to seize Ali Musjid. The
object is kept secret.
It is believed that the Ameer will repudiate the
act of the commandant. The Government con- j
siders it highly improbable, however, that the |
Ameer will humble himself, or agree to our terms,
/ without which no apology will be accepted.
The chief military authorities strongly oppose
j unprepared action. By the 1st of November
Quetta will be reinforced and supplies and tran-
port will be ready, when an advance on Candahar
and the Koorum Valley is certain'
Jellalabad and Cabul, if necessary.
It is reported that two Eussian officers are still
at Cabul. General Abramoff and the rest of the
Embassy have returned to General Kauffman's
headquarters,
(BY INDO-EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.)
(from our own correspondent.)
KASAULI, S unday M orning.
The troops under the orders of General Bid-
dulph will not be brigaded as ordered, but will
simply reinforce Quetta.
There is no authentic news from Cabul. The
Ameer is said to have largely reinforced Candahar
and Jellalabad.
(PROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
SIMLA, S ept. 8.
The bearer of the message to Shere Ali, Gholam
Hussun Khan, arrived some days since at Eakka,
which is beyond the Khyber Pass. He is said to
have been very civilly received there. The brother
of the Maharajah of Joudhpore, Maharajah Pertab
Sing, has been asked to join the personal staff of
Sir Neville Chamberlain, and has accepted the :
invitation. It is to be hoped that this step is a |
wise one, and that it will bear good fruits. ^ The
answer from the Ameer, it is supposed, will not |
be known for about another ten days. The news
papers have been very quiet this last week, none
of them caring to venture any very decided opinion
as to what ought to be done if the Ameer refuses
to receive our mission until they have some more
reliable information. Up to the present the camp
of exercise for this year has not been counter-
ordered, but some little alterations in the Indian
reliefs are taking place, with a. view to the
Punjaub and the country round Peshawur being
tilled with rather more troops than usual.
Although there is a party in this country—but not
' a large or powerful one—trying to force the
Indian Government into extreme measures in the
Cabul business, yet I hope that every atom of
policy may be exhausted before any force is used,
for it is a great deal easier to get into this mess
than to get out of it. One paper, eager that we
' should make ourselves ridiculous, suggests our
sending a force into the Koorum Valley, with a
view to securing a footing there in case of future
proceedings in Afghanistan. The question of
what we should do if Shere Ali refuses our mission
is as much discussed out here as it is, without
doubt, in England. One party declares it our
policy, should slich a state of things come about
as a refusal from the Ameer to receive our mission,
to seize Herat and Candahar—in fact to seize any
thing and everything. The other side maintains
that things should be so arranged that, if in future
a casus belli arises between ourselves and Eussia, j
or Afghanistan, we should have the satisfaction !
of knowing that we were not answerable
for the disturbance. Another point has
been under discussion lately, which I will
mentioH, and that is the strength of the escort that
is to accompany Sir Neville Chamberlain. Many
consider that it is insufficiently strong. The Bom-
hay Gazette says :—" A word of caution seems to
be necessary regarding the escort which is going
up with Sir N. Chamberlain, and which is not
strong enough to defend itself against attack. The
Ameer has always said that he could not guarantee
the safety of any English Eesident sent to his !
court; and it appears a mistake to give Sir
Neville an escort of cavalry alone, when the ad
dition of a couple of horse artillery guns would
free it from the risk of being assailed and over- |
whelmed by a savage and treacherous enemy." I
But when it is considered that a pretty large force
will be ready to follow Sir Neville's party and |
render assistance if it is required, it will be under- j
stood that a large escort is not required. If we j
wish to make a military display in Afghanistan j
as against Eussian military displays, we might as i
well send a really powerful force at once and do
it properly.
One thing surprises all Englishmen when they
first come out to this country; and that is how
rapidly natives transmit news from one place to
another ; not to say anything of how they get
hold of information. That they do in a most
marvellous way, considering that they don't know
our language.
The Pioneer is my authority for saying that a
portion of the Eusaian Embassy have proceeded
from Cabul to General Kauffmann's headquarters
on the Oxus. What this move means it is difficult
to say, but should it be true, it seems to point to
one of two things, either that the Embassy has
not full powers, or else that the -Ameer of Cabul
has given an answer to the Embassy not foreseen
or provided for. But this leads me on again
further, and I should not b^surprised to hear that
General Kauffmann is the only man who knows
(if any man does know) what Eussia's views with
reference to Afghanistan are. However, we shall
soon know more on this subject.
It is satisfactory to be able to tell you that Mr.
Cooper's miscreant assassin has been hanged at
last. If this delay in carrying out the condemned
man's sentence could have been avoided it most
i to hiiije been.
'ipaoiAoxi toB94 oji; paAiaDgj" gop T " " ~
any part of Atgiaanistan annexed, to the British
dominions. The larger the scheme of the Govern
ment, the less, we venture to think, will it have
the support of the English people. Even the
device of an appeal to the national distrust of
Russia will not avail to awaken p\inic or to
kindle enthusiasm. Our heroic spirits, whose
voice a month or two since was still
for war, will hardly feel that their de
mand is answered by the promise of a policy which
would make Sheke Ali the whipping-boy to
be punished for Russian ambition. The Govern
ment will find, if they commit themselves to a far-
reaching, vague, and perilous policy of enterprise,
that they will soon leave the English public
behind, and that when they come back
seeking for approval and reward, they will
meet with cold looks and reproachful mur
murs even among those on whose applause they had
mosfc confidently relied. Whatever really ^ to '
be done had best be done quickly. Delay will
only allow ambitious schemes to ripen, and the
one legitimate purpose of a movement on Shebe
A li's dominions to be overgrown and hidden by
them.
LATEST ^TELEGRAMS
ENGLAND AND AFGHANISTAN.
MILITAEY PREPARATIONS OE
THE AMEEil.
MOVEMENT OE BRITISH TROOPS.
INTENDED ADVANCE IN
NOVEMBER,
(BY EASTERN TELEGRAPH.)
(from cue special coerespondent.)
SIMLA, S unday E veninxu
The Viceroy's Emissary left Cabul on the 28th.
He was detained by the Ameer to bring an
answer to the Viceroy's letters.
This is the only fresh piece of authentic infor
mation. It is rumoured that the Ameer is
greatly surprised at our sudden anger at his
treatment of the Mission, as we had borne pre
vious rebufi's in silence.
It is also said that Yakoob Khan has been re
leased, but this is very doubtful.
It is reported that the Ameer is strengthening
| his forces at Candahar, Jellalabad, and Ali
Musjid.
A large portion of the Peshawur garrison moved
to Jumrood on the morning of the 4th, either to
prevent a surprise or to seize Ali Musjid. The
object is kept secret.
It is believed that the Ameer will repudiate the ;
act of the commandant. The Government con- j
siders it highly improbable, however, that the |
Ameer will humble himself, or agree to our terms,
t\ without which no apology will be accepted.
1 The chief military authorities strongly oppose
| unprepared action. By the 1st of November
| Quetta will be reinforced and supplies and tran-
port will be ready, when an advance on Candahar
and the Koorurn Valley is certain perhaps on
Jellalabad and Cabul, if necessary.
It is reported that two Russian officers are still
at Cabul. General Abramoff and the rest of the
Embassy have returned to General Kauffman s
headquarters,
(BY INDO-EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.)
(from our own correspondent.)
KASAULI, S unday M oening.
The troops under the orders of General Bid-
dulph will not be brigaded as ordered, but will
simply reinforce Quetta.
There is no authentic news from Cabul. The
Ameer is said to have largely reinforced Candahar
and Jellalabad.
(FROM a CORRESPONDENT.)
SIMLA, S ept. 8.
The bearer of the message to Shere Ali, Gholam
Hussun Khan, arrived some days since at Eakka,
which is beyond the Khyber Pass. He is said to
have been very civilly received there. The brother
of the Maharajah of Joudhpore, Maharajah Pertab
| Sing, has been asked to join the personal staff of ^
> Sir Neville Chamberlain, and has accepted the 1
invitation. It is to be hoped that this step is a
wise one, and that it will bear good fruits. ^ The
answer from the Ameer, it is supposed, will nob
be known for about another ten days. The news
papers have been very quiet this last week, none
of them caring to venture any very decided opinion
as to what ought to be done if the Ameer refuses
to receive our mission until they have some more
reliable information. Up to the present the camp
of exercise for this year has not been counter- j
ordered, but some little alterations in the Indian
reliefs are taking place, with a. view to the
Punjaub and the country round Peshawur being . V
filled with rather more troops than usual.
Although there is a party in this country—but not . -
' a large or powerful one—trying to force the
Indian Government into extreme measures in the
| Cabul business, yet I hope that every atom of
policy may be exhausted before any force is used,
for it is a great deal easier to get into this mess
than to get out of it. One paper, eager that we ,
' should make ourselves ridiculous, suggests our
sending a force into the Koorum Valley, with a
view to securing a footing there in case of future
proceedings in Afghanistan. The question of
what we should do if Shere Ali refuses our mission !
" is as much discussed out here as it is, without
doubt, in England. One party declares it our
policy, should stich a state of things come about
as a refusal from the Ameer to receive our mission,
to seize Herat and Candahar—in fact to seize any
thing and everything. The other side maintains
that things should be so arranged that, if in future j
a casus belli arises between ourselves and Russia,
or Afghanistan, we should have the satisfaction •
of knowing that we were not answerable
for the disturbance. Another point has
been under discussion lately, which I will
mention, and that is the strength of the escort that
is to accompany Sir Neville Chamberlain. Many
consider that it is insufficiently strong. The Bom- >
hay Gazette says " A word of caution seems to fj,
be necessary regarding the escort which is going
up with Sir N, Chamberlain, and which is not
strong enough to defend itself against attack. The
Ameer has always said that he could not guarantee
the safety of any English Resident sent to his I
I court j and it appears a mistake to give Sir
Neville an escort of cavalry alone, when the ad
dition of a couple of horse artillery guns would
free it from the risk of being assailed and over- ;
whelmed by a savage and treacherous enemy." i
But when it is considered that a pretty large force ,
will be ready to follow Sir Neville's party and
render assistance if it is required, it will be under- |
stood that a large escort is not required. If we
wish to make a military display in Afghanistan
as against Russian military displays, we might as I
well send a really powerful force at once and do
it properly.
One thing surprises all Englishmen when they
first conie out to this country; and that is how
rapidly natives transmit news from one place to
another ; not to say anything of how they get
hold of information. That they do in a most
marvellous way, considering that they don't know
our language.
The I'ioneer is my authority for saying that a
portion of the Russian Embassy have proceeded
from Cabul to General Kautfmann's headquarters
on the Oxus. What this move means it is difficult 1
' to say, but should it be true, it seems to point to j
one of two things, either that the Embassy has j
not full powers, or else that the Ameer of Cabul j
~ has given an answer to the Embassy not foreseen
or provided for. But this leads me on again
further, and I should not b^surprised to hear that
General Kauffmann is the only man who knows
(if any man does know) what Russia's views with
reference to Afghanistan are. However, we shall
soon know more on this subject.
It is satisfactory to be able to tell you that Mr.
Cooper's miscreant assassin has been hanged at
last. If this delay in carrying out the condemned
man's sentence could have been avoided it most
certainly ought to have been.
p.g^—Sirdah Obed-Oollah, Khan of Tonck,
uncle to the Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. , has been attached to the
Cabul Mission.