Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎114r] (233/312)

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Telegrams from India published this morning state that the assault on
Fort Ali Musjid has been postponed until sufficient troops have been collected
to prevent the slightest risk of a check, A despatch from Simla says that a
considerable movement of troops is taking place on both sides of the frontier,
and that an early collision is possible. The detention of the Viceroy's envoy
by the Ameer is considered a pretext to gain time. It is also stated that,
under authority from the Supreme Government, the troops of the Maharajah
of Cashmere have occupied the Baroghil and Karambar Passes, north-west
of Cashmere. The Pera correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that
it is openly affirmed by some Russian officers who have just arrived at Philip-
popolis from Central Asia that, notwithstanding all official denial, a complete
understanding exists between Russia and Shere Ali ; and that several thousand
Russian troops are already on the frontier. A letter in the Golos, dated from
Orenburg, asserts that "the inhabitants of British India at this moment
impatiently await the arrival of their Russian liberators."
ENGLAND AND AFGHANISTAN.
A correspondent of the Standard at Allahabad telegraphs yesterday as
follows
Reinforcements from Peshawur were at once sent forward to Jumrood on the receipt
of the news of the appearance of a strong Afghan force in a threatening attitude near
that post. General Ross has now seven infantry regiments and three batteries collected
there. This force he considered to be sufficient to clear the lower pass and to assault the
fort of Ali Musjid ; and he was preparing for an advance when he received orders to wait
until further reinforcements should reach him, as it was thought unadvisable to run even
the slightest risk of a check at Ali Musjid, the position being an extremely strong one. It
is the general opinion of military men that the delay is a wise one, as, although the
Afghan forces will no doubt receive large accessions of strength from the Momunds and
other sources, the difference of numbers will not sensibly affect the result of the fighting,
as they cannot stand before the attack of our troops, except at the position of Ali Musjid'
and here they will be dislodged by artillery, rockets, and flanking fire from surrounding
heights. The fact that the Khyberees are friendly to us will greatly assist us in our
operations against the fort. There is no news of the advance of the column from Dera
Ghazi Khan, but orders were sent two days since for it to move forward at once. It is a
question, however, whether sufficient transport has yet been collected to enable this order
to be carried into effect. There is a considerable movement of troops towards the
frontiers from Lahore, Umballa, and, indeed, most of the stations on the way down.
There is no news as yet of our envoy, Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Gholam Hussein, and fears are entertained
for his safety.
A Daily News telegram from Simla states that the detention of Gholam
Hussein is considered a pretext to gain time. General Ross, the telegram says,
has a force of about 5,000 Europeans and natives at Jumrood, and three
batteries of artillery.
The Pera correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that he is officially
authorized to contradict the statements made in a Constantinople telegram
published in the Politische Correspondenz, to the effect that a secret envoy of
the Ameer was instructed to claim the Sultan's intervention to prevent
England declaring war against Afghanistan ; to convince the Sultan that an
alliance with Russia was advisable ; and that his Majesty had sent a secret
embassy to Afghanistan to sound the Mussulman population of Central Asia as
to a Pan-Islamite league against England as well as the Czar. The whole story
is said to be a gross fabrication.
A letter from Teheran, received at Vienna, states that, according to news
from Herat, the Russian mission at Cabul purposes visiting all the important
localities in Afghanistan, on the pretext of studying their industrial and com
mercial resources, but in reality to sound the disposition of the inhabitants.
The Russians take every advantage of their present opportunity to ascertain full
particulars concerning the country and the people. The war flotilla on the Sea
of Aral has recently been considerably increased. The Russians have also
begun to fortify the Kashgar frontier.
The Berlin correspondent of the Times sends an extract from a letter in
the Golos, dated from Orenburg, the city forming the base for Russian military
operations in Central Asia. The letter says " The inhabitants of British
India at this moment impatiently await the arrival of their Russian liberators.
The hope of imminent emancipation from foreign yoke is universal in the
country. The English, fearing that the Russian host, bent upon freeing the
Hindoo race, will thread their way through Afghanistan, are determined to
anticipate their adversary and to occupy the passes in advance." The Russian
outposts, it is added, being only 700 miles distance from the Indian frontier, the
possibility of a Russian invasion is constantly apprehended by the frightened
Englishman.
The Times states that orders have been issued by the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. directing
all officers on furlough belonging to regiments in Scinde and the Punjaub,
together with those whose corps are detailed for the Afghan Expeditionary
Force, to rejoin their posts by the first mail. Those who are at home on
medical certificate have been directed to present themselves for examination, in
order that, should their health permit it, they may be pushed on to the front.
Colonel T. D. Baker, C.B,, 18th Royal Irish, Assistant Adjutant-General at
headquarters, leaves England this evening to take up the appointment of
Military Secretary to Lord Lytton, in the place of Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon.
G. P. Villiers, who has proceeded on field service with the column now being
massed at Jumrood. The appointment of Quartermaster-General of the main
expeditionary column has, it is stated, been bestowed on Colonel C. M.
Macgregor, C.S.I., C.I.E.