Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎103v] (210/312)

■"second l13111un. 4 uiiioun.
REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.
THE EXPEDITION TO AFGHANISTAN.
S imla, Oct. 7 —The Indian newspapers publish despatches announcing the
"Tprodfmationmkmg known the intentions of the Indian Government is
expected w-day. of Afghanistan ha5 sum moned the tribal councds. All the
tribes, even the Jowakis, are sending representatives. n f ai :
Lat e r .—The news published by the Indian papers that the fort of Ah
Musjid had been captured by the British troops is contradicted.
THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS IN AUSTRIA.
r t"cxtxr a Ort 7 The papers to-day announce that in view of the resigna-
A^strJn Ministry, the Emperor will su mmon several of the mos t_
lion of the Austrian M L ^ Jor tne tr00 p S . lt i S rfeporcea irom unroana
that the 26th Regiment of Native Infantry had arrived ; that the yoth and 59^ Foot
proceed forthwith to Mooltan; and that a detachment of the 18th Royal Irish
left Eauvind by special train for Mooltan. The Indus Valley Railway is preparing far
the carriage of the Bombay column to Sukhur. The 15th Sikhs hive marched from ^
Sealkote to join the force assembling at Mooltan. The 23rd Pioneers have marched 5
frcm Simla cn route for the frontier. General Biddulph and Major Worsley I
left Kynee Tal for Quetta on Friday. The troops will consist of two divi- I
sions. The 2nd Division will be divided into two columns—one under General B
Roberts moving up the Kuram Valley ; the second column, joining at Dera-Ghazi Khan, |
will reinforce the Pioneers at Quetta. The 1st Division will for the present retniin »
in support. Colonel Hilis proceeds at once to Dera Ghazi Khan to hasten the advance |
of the troops to Quetta. There is considerable delay consequent on defective carriage. I
Colonel Lane has been ordered to Mooltan to superintend and expedite the commissariat I
arranpements for the Quetta force, carriage being again the difficulty. It is reportel I
that the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Frederic Haines, will command in person should an |
expedition against Cabul be determined upon.
With reference to the plans of the Indian Government the correspondent
says ;—
The Government are very reticent as to the ulterior destination of the troops, but as
Jar as any conclusion can be drawn from the movements of troops and other indicia of |
military policy, the Viceroy's plan of operation would appear to be to endeavour to ^
coerce the Ameer to yield an unqualified submission by a strong military demon
stration on his frontier, and so prove to him that the Government have both the power
and the will to occupy, and if necessary to annex, his territory in the event of his proving .
unsubmissive. It is hoped, in addition, that when once the Afghans have tangible proof |
that the Government are determined to insist upon absolute compliance with its demands, J
they themselves will impose great pressure upon the Ameer, and that, should this pressure ^
not prove successful, the Ameer will probably be dethroned, as it is believed that the people -
■would be most unwilling to draw upon themselves the inevitable alternative of an ,
armed occupation in order to further the Ameer's individual proclivities in favour of a
Russian alliance. In order effectually to carry out this policy it will be necessary to
occupy in force the debouches of both the Bolan and the Khyber Passes. This is with
the twofold object of preparing against active aggressive _ measures by the Ameer and!
of being prepared at the commencement of the spring for an immediate march |
upon Cabul and Candahar. Should the present measures prove barren of successful «
rtsults, there can be little doubt that the Government will use every endeavour ||
to avoid a winter campaign, and, unless driven to adopt immediate offensive opera- J
tions by aggressive military movements on the part of the Ameer, they will in all ;
piobability rest content until the winter is over with consolidating the necessary i
military and commissariat preparations for the very serious undertaking of a pro- |
• longed Afghan war. Possibly if a.favourable chance should happen, a seizure of Can- *
dahar by a ccufi de main might be attempted ; but this is not thought a very probable |
occunence, more especially as the Ameer has been long forewarned by our occupation of J
Quetta and is said to have greatly strengthened the fortifications and to have adopted I
other precautionary measures to guard against both surprise and attack. The occupation |
of the Kuram Galley by British troops is all-important. The valley turns the Khyber |
Pass and stretches almost to Cabul, and the difficulties to be encountered in crossing the I
pass are trivial compared with those of the passing of the Khyber. The people of the |
valley are reported to be well disposed towards our Government. It is stated that the I
occupation of the Kuram Valley would place us, supposing our cantonment to be |
located in the centre of the valley and our border to be defined by the present limits j
ef Earngash and Turi lands, just nine marches from Cabul. It would also give us pos
session of the Peiwar and Shutar-gurdan Passes, the ascent to which on the Kuram side |
is comparatively easy, though the descent into Logar in Afghanistan is long and steep. I
From this position we should master Cabul My opinion that no immediate p
advance upon Cabul is about to be attempted is corroborated in some degree by a i
telegram which I have received from Simla, and which states that the winter move- |
ments of the Indian Government are still unsettled, and that it is probable the Gjvern- |
mcnt will go to Calcutta for the winter after all, and that the Viceroy only will visit |
Lahore in the winter in order that he may have an opportunity of consulting with the I
Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjaub as to the movements of both the Kuram and |
1 Quetta forces.
A Daily News telegram from Simla dated last night says
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
information. It is rumoured that the Ameer is greatly surprised at our sudden anger at
his treatment of the mission, as we had borne previous rebuffs in silence. It is also said
that Yakoob Khan has been released, but this is very do abtful. _ It is believed that the
Ameer will repudiate the act of the commandant of All Musjid. The Government
considers it highly improbable, however, that the Ameer will humble himself, or agree to
1 our terms, without which no apology will be accepted. The chief military authorities
strongly oppose unprepared action. By the 1st of November Quetta will be reinforced
and supplies and transport will be ready, when an advance on Candahar and the Kuram
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 Kaufmann's headquarters.
The correspondent of the Standard at Bombay says :—" The Ameer has
summered the tribal jirgahs, or councils, to afford him assistance. All, even
the recently-conquered Jowakis, are believed to have assented. The frontier
tribes from the Khyber to the Bolan number 180,000 fighting men, of which
1 50, coo are of Afghan blood and 30,000 of Belooch. There are 23,000
Afreedees, The Belooch tribes and the Afreedees will probably remain neutral.
A telegram from Simla in the same paper states that the death is reported of
Adhan Khan, chief of the southern Ghiljies, a very powerful Afghan tribe. It
is impossible to say yet (the telegram says) whether this may atfect the position
or not.
The Russian press continues to express satisfaction at the embarrassing con
dition in which they believe England to be now placed in regard to Afghanistan.
The St. Petersbujg correspondent of ihz North German Gazette says : —
In the event of an Anglo-Russian war in Europe, General von Kaufmann would have
occupied Merv and Herat. Russia, regarding Afghanistan as a good buffer between
England and herself, has always kept on friendly terms with the Ameer, but never
ENGLAND AND AFGHANISTAN.
The Times publishes a long telegram from Darjeeling, dated yesterday,
which says;—
The latest news from Peshawur states that 200 men of each regiment in garrison,
together with horse artillery and 40-pounder batteries, and sappers and miners, proceed
at once to Jamrood. The guides and a regiment from Kohat will join them there. It is
believed that this force, under the command of General Roberts, will attack the fort of
Ali Musjid. Reports are current that a body of the Ameer's soldiers, consisting of four
regiments and six guns, has advanced to the mouth of the Khyber Pass. A bazaar rumour
states that the Ameer is massing troops and has no intention of submitting. The
neighbouring tribes are perfectly quiet. The latest press news from Lahore states that
the advance on Cabul has for the present been abandoned. The armed demonstration
on the frontier is intended to coerce the Ameer to accept our terms without compelling
us to go to war. The 1st Sikhs and the 1st Mountain Battery will march immediately
from Kohat to Peshawur. Colonel Villiers, the Viceroy's military secretary, accom
panies the Jainrood Expedition. Grave complaints are made of the commissariat
arrangements with reference to carriage for the troops. It is reported from Umballa
that the 26th Regiment of Native Infantry had arrived ; that the 7 ot h and 59^ Foot
proceed forthwith to Mooltan; and that a detachment of the 18th Royal Irish
left Kauvind by special train for Mooltan. The Indus Valley Railway is prepiring far
the carriage of the Bombay column to Sukhur. The 15th Sikhs hive marched from
Sealkote to join the force assembling at Mooltan. The 23rd Pioneers have marched
from Simla en route for the frontier. General Biddulph and Major Worsley
left Nynee Tal for Quetta on Friday. The troops will consist of two divi
sions. The 2nd Division will be divided into two columns—one under General
Roberts moving up the Kuram Valley ; the second column, joining at Dera-Ghazi Khan,
will reinforce the Pioneers at Quetta. The 1st Division will for the present remiin
in support. Colonel Hills proceeds at once to Dera Ghazi Khan to hasten the advance
of the troops to Quetta. There is considerable delay consequent on defective carriage.
Colonel Lane has been ordered to Mooltan to superintend and expedite the commissariat
arrangements for the Quetta force, carriage being again the difficulty. It is reported
that the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Frederic Haines, will command in person should an
expedition against Cabul be determined upon.
With reference to the plans of the Indian Governmeat the correspoadent
says :—
The Government are very reticent as to the ulterior destination of the troops, but as
far as any conclusion can be drawn from the movements of troops and other indicia of
military policy, the Viceroy's plan of operation would appear to be to endeavour to
coerce the Ameer to yield an unqualified submission by a strong military demon
stration on his frontier, and so prove to him that the Government have both the power
and the will to occupy, and if necessary to annex, his territory in the event of his proving
unsubmissive. It is hoped, in addition, that when once the Afghans have tangible proof
that the Government are determined to insist upon absolute compliance with its demands,
they themselves will impose great pressure upon the Ameer, and that, should this pressure
not prove successful, the Ameer will probably be dethroned, as it is believed that the people
would be most unwilling to draw upon themselves the inevitable alternative of an
aimed occupation in order to further the Ameer's individual proclivities in favour of a
Russian alliance. In order effectually to carry out this policy it will be necessary to
occupy in force the debouches of both the Bolan and the Khyber Passes. This is with {
the twofold object of preparing against active aggressive measures by the Ameer and
of being prepared at the commencement of the spring for an immediate march
upon Cabul and Candahar. Should the present measures prove barren of successful
results, there can be little doubt that the Government will use every endeavour
to avoid a winter campaign, and, unless driven to adopt immediate offensive opera
tions by aggressive military movements on the part of the Ameer, they will in all '
piobability rest content until the winter is over with consolidating the necessary;
military and commissariat preparations for the very serious undertaking of a pro
longed Afghan war. Possibly if a.favourable chance should happen, a seizure of Can
dahar by a coup de main might be attempted ; but this is not thought a very probable
occun ence, more especially as the Ameer has been long forewarned by our occupation of |
Quetta and is said to have greatly strengthened the fortifications and to have adopted ;
other precautionary measures to guard against both surprise and attack. The occupation
of the Kuram "Valley by British troops is all-important. The valley turns the Ktiyber 1
Pass and stretches almost to Cabul, and the difficulties to be encountered in crossing the
pass are trivial compared with those of the passing of the Khyber. The people of the
valley are reported to be well disposed towards our Government. It is stated that the
occupation of the Kuram Valley would place us, supposing our cantonment to be
located in the centre of the valley and our border to be defined by the present limits
ef Earngash and Turi lands, just nine marches from Cabul. It would also give us pos
session of the Peiwar and Shutar-gurdan Passes, the ascent to which on the Kuram side
is comparatively easy, though the descent into Logar in Afghanistan is long and steep.
From this position we should master Cabul My opinion that no immediate
advance upon Cabul is about to be attempted is corroborated in some degree by a
telegram which I have received from Simla, and which states that the winter move
ments of the Indian Government are still unsettled, and that it is probable the Govern
ment will go to Calcutta for the winter after all, and that the Viceroy only will visit
Lahore in the winter in order that he may have an opportunity of consulting with tfie :
Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjaub as to the movements of both the Kuram and i
Quetta forces.
A Daily News telegram from Simla dated last night says ;—
The Viceroy's Emissary left Cabul on the 28th. He was detained by the Amser to
bring an answer to the Viceroy's letters. This is the only fresh piece of authentic
infoxmation. It is rumoured that the Ameer is greatly surprised at our sudden anger at
his treatment of the mission, as we had borne previous rebuffs in silence. It is also said
that Yakoob Khan has been released, but this is very do ibtful. _It is believed that the
Ameer will repudiate the act of the commandant of Ali Musjid. The Government
considers 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 unprepared action. By the 1st of November Quetta will be reinforced
and supplies and transport will be ready, when an advance on Candahar and the Kuram
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 leturned to General Kaufmann's headquarters.
The correspondent of the Standard at Bombay says :—" The Ameer has
summoned the tribal jirgahs, or councils, to afford him assistance. All, even
the recently-conquered Jowakis, are believed to have assented. The frontier
tribes from the Khyber to the Bolan number 180,000 fighting men, of which
150,000 are of Afghan blood and 30,000 of Belooch. There are 23,000
Afreedees. The Belooch tribes and the Afreedees will probably remain neutral.
A telegram from Simla in the same paper states that the death is reported of
Adhan Khan, chief of the southern Ghiljies, a very powerful Afghan tribe. It
is impossible to say yet (the telegram says) whether this may affect the position
or not.
The Russian press continues to express satisfaction at the embarrassing con
dition in which they believe England to be now placed in regard to Afghanistan.
The St. Petersbujg correspondent of the North German Gazette says : —
In the event of an Anglo-Russian war in Europe, General von Kaufmann would have
occupied Merv and Herat. Russia, regarding Afghanistan as a good buffer between
England and herself, has always kept on friendly terms with the Ameer, but never
committed the mistake of subsidizing an Oriental who deems it an honour to
break his word to an infidel. If Shere Ah selected this moment for the beginninc of the
long -planned war, he was probably actuated by the belief that the Indtan semi-inde
pendent Princes, exasperated by the English demand of a reduction of their trooos will
mutiny in the rear of the expeditionary corps. Should Shere Ali be beaten and his
territory be annexed, Russia will occupy Merv and Balkh, when the fiction of a neutral
country intervening between the Russian and British sentinels will cease to exist To
support the mutiny of the Indian Princes would be contrary to the principles of Russia
who never encourages rebellion and moreover has had quite enough of the on4
sentimental war in lurkey; while should England be defeated, Russia would reauire
her central Asiatic troops to prevent a Mahommedan revival in her own dominions.
The Golos asserts that Shere Ali may count upon the friendly neutrality of bo^h
Russia and Persia, as well as upon the sympathies and possible co-operation
cf the Indian semi-independent Princes. With these points in his favour he
can quietly wait an attack, which must begin by the forcing of formidable
passes. The Telegraph says Whatever may happen, Russia will never
peimit the incorporation of Afghanistan by the English. They may punish the
Ameer : but if they attempt to do away with him, an Anglo-Russian war is sure
to ensue."