'Précis of correspondence, &c., relating to affairs in Central Asia, Biluchistan, Persia, &c. 1875-77. With appendices.' [‎51r] (106/562)

E
be any question of difficulty in regard to Central Asia, to refer to him directly. Consequently
if I found that the Imperial authorities at a distance from the central authority were acting on
their own responsibility in opposition to the engagements entered into between the two Govern
ments, I should immediately ask for an audience of the Emperor, in obedience to his orders,
and submit the question to His Majesty.
“ M. de Giers then stated that there was no question of General Kauffmann’s entering into
political communication with the Ameer of Afghanistan, nor was there the remotest idea of
any treaty engagements. The Agent was simply charged to deliver a letter of courtesy from
General Kauffmann to the Ameer, which was an usual custom on his resuming the duties of
his post, and as the Govern or-General of a neighbouring State.
“ To this I replied that he was not the Governor of a neighbouring State, inasmuch as the
Khanate of Bokhara was still to be regarded as an independent State, and that I therefore
considered it necessary that General Kauffmann should receive express orders from the Imperial
Government to desist in future from sending Agents to Cabul, and from entertaining political
communication with the Ameer of Afghanistan.
u M. de Giers then informed me that the Imperial Government had received information,
both from General Kauffmann and through the Imperial Minister at Teheran, that the Afghan
Government were making great military preparations. He stated that 10,000 men were
assembled at Herat^with 1,600 cavalry, all well armed and equipped; that they were being
constantly drilled and exercised; and that a cannon foundry was established at Herat, capable
of producing one cannon per day. Prom the information the Imperial Government had
received this armament was destined for the Turkomans and against Merv.
“ It would appear from the report of General Kauffmann that he was somewhat disturbed
in mind by this reported expedition.
“ General Kauffmann in his report referred also to certain incursions beyond their frontier
which the Afghan troops were undertaking in the direction of Zarafshan and Karategin, and
he referred them as likely to produce a disturbance of the relations between Bokhara and
Afghanistan.
“ On my enquiry His Excellency further informed me that in consequence of a disagree
ment between the Turkomans and the Khan of Khiva, the latter had expressed a wish to
renounce his rights of Government in favor of Bussia, but that General Kauffmann had
opposed this wish, and was now acting as the arbitrator between the Khan and his subjects.
“ His Excellency stated that the Imperial Government desired anxiously that no change
in the status quo should take place, and that peace and order should reign in Central Asia."”
12. Other subjects discussed at these interviews. Russian
expedition against Merv. Afghan Military preparations.— It will
have been observed that besides the alleged correspondence and political nego
tiations between the Ameer of Cabul and the Russian authorities at Tashkend,
three other matters were referred to at these interviews. These were a Russian
expedition against Merv, and the military preparations of the Afghans in the
direction of Herat and of Zarafshan and Karategin.
As regards the projected Russian expedition to Merv the following extract
from the Cabul Diary ending 13th November 1876 gave the latest inform
ation available at the time :—
“ It is reported that the Governor of Turkestan has written (to the Ameer) on the authority
of a rumour, that the Russians are collecting supplies in Charjoi with a view to making an
attack on Merve Shahjehan, that a guard of 3,000 troops has been summoned from Samarcand
to Charjoi, that they (the Russians) intimated their wish to the Mir of Kirki to visit his territory,
to ascertain the depth of the Oxus, but the Mir expressed regret that his people would be opposed
to their coming, and that consequently they have abandoned their intention of visiting Kirki.
This report requires confirmation; enquiries will be made and result communicated.^
In respect to the Afghan preparations at Herat, the Persian Government
* Mr. T. Thomson’s telegram, dated 20th October had also expressed SOme UneasinGSS.^ But
1876 - the British Minister at Teheran was in
formed that the Ameer of Cahul had long been engaged in putting his
military resources in order and strengthening Herat. In the opinion of the
Government of India there was not any ground for apprehending aggressive
tHis Excellency the viceroy’s telegram, No. 25 ooa.p„ designs against Persia, f Notwithstanding
dated 23rd October 1876. this expression of opinion the Prince
Governor of Khorassan deputed Mahomed Bakir Khan to Herat nominally to