Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎16r] (32/312)

admirablo promptitude, proclaimed on the in
stant the preparation of a counter embassy, and
so tarough all the bazaars of India the two an-
j nonncen^nts sped sWe by side, the energe^c ac-
I f counteracting the mischievous
| effects of Russia's successful step. The political
.value of this spirited procedure was very great.
Gossip shakes an Indian city as a strong wind
shakes a bamboo grove, the fear of change per
plexing the people. A single thoughtless
European by repea^ng an idlo talQ whicli
he had heard, struck such terror a few
years ago into the heart of a Mohammedan
town the capital of the North-Western Pro-
^nces-that when, the same evening, a
British soldier happened to pass through the
market square several thousands of 0 men
then engaged in the celebration of their greatest
festival—the Mohurrum—flung down their
torches and musical instruments, and fled through
the streets in a panic of fear. Had only a
mischievous leader been at hand, Allahabad
might that night have witnessed a dreadful
tumult. Such a fact as this should be borne in
mind when approving the Viceroy's prompt
action. Delay breeds misconstruction, and this
means in the East—in India—the rapid loosen-1
ing of the bonds of authority,
Nowhere, perhaps, throughout the Empire
would this mischievous effect have followed so
immediately as along the north-western frontier,
but the news had hardly come through the
Khyber that Shere Ali was in alliance with
Russia before the British herald, Gholam Hus
sein Khan, was galloping back with LordLytton's
letter to Cabul. The hillmen are, in the Ameer's
eyes, a weapon of offence against India, and he
Las threatened to " hurl" them upon our terri
tory. Unfortunately, however, for his High-
ness's project, the past year has seen a remark
able change in the attitude of the mountaineers.
The stern blockadeof the Jowakisin 1876-77 has
effectually damped their ardour for border dis
turbance^ and since that event the frontiers
have enjoyed an exceptional tranquillity.
In the Hazara district the minor colonies have
all been quiet, while the more important,
j hitherto so troublesome, have been almost osten
tatious in their demonstrations of docility. The
Chiggazai, Akazai, and Hassanzai tribes have
behaved excellently, and the young chiefs of
Agror are quietly at school at Abbotabad. In
the Peshawur district the Hassan Kheyl and
Pass Afridis, of course, gave trouble, for what
else could be expected from races who look
upon the murder of relatives as a ^oint of eti
quette ; but all the other Af ridi tribes remained
on friendly terms, as did the important
section of the Mohmauds. With Swat our
relations have been undisturbed, and when the
Uthmah Kheyls committed a gross outrage upon
some British subjects, the Akhoond of Swat,
i the most revered spiritual qhief in the Northern
Himalayas, formally excommunicated them.
In the Kohat district there was a serious rupture
of the peace. The British Government had
long desired to construct a cart road through the
Kohat Pass, and, though all the other tribes
agreed to the proposal, one village obstinately
refused to permit 'the road. Lord Lytton ac
cordingly organised a systematic blockade of the
disaffected tribe, and, as their example infected
their neighbours, the area of the blockade was
extended further and further, until all the trou
blesome sections of the Jowaki mountaineers
were included. So rigorous and so unusual was the
procedure that the tribes were soon frightened, and
one after the other they came in to tender their
submission, to receive the punishment meted out
to them, and to construct the road. This policy
of blockade is an innovation in border tactics,
and, judged by its results, an excellent one.
Since the Jowakis were besieged there has been
Qo disturbance on the frontier, and when, last
week, the mistdon was refused a passage by the
insolent ofScials of the Ameer, the Khyberis,
who actually formed the escort of Major Cavag-
nari, behaved excellently. The Ameer, therefore,
oiay find the reed he leans on but a weak staff ;
but, even should his intrigues succeed in spread
ing fresh disaffection among the now tranquil
mountaineers of the Peshawur, Kohat, and Hazara
frontiers, -jre shall not find their combined
terrors more overwhelming than in years past.
Had we to force a way over the Suleiman range,
with every height crowded with sharpshooters,
the hill-men might, indeed, prove a formidable
foe, but by the possession of Quetta we have a
commodious entrance to Cabul securely at our
command, and by using it turn the flank of all the
mountain tribes. In the" open the Mohmauds,
Afridis, Hassan Kheyls, and the rest are useless'
for their tactics are confined to night attacks,
or to 'sudden rushes from ambush upon
stray travellers. Tkey have never yet faced
ten men together, nor dared to go beyond run
ning distance of their rocks. Like their own hill
leopards they have just audacity enough to drop
down in the twilight upon a passer by, but not
the courage to face in the daylight an armed
man. But these would be useless when opposed
to the Ghoorkas, who, sent to the front in
successive drafts, would soon clear out the
frontier ravines, and one by one would render
stern account of the eyries where the wild
mountaineers had entrenched themselves; for
the Ghoorka, who can steal upon a sleeping
panther without awaking it, and can out-tire
: the sturdy sambhur in fair chase, has no equal in
j the East for mountain warfare. To this
j day he wonders how the English beat
him, hunting him over his own hills of
Nepal, and driving him from one end of the
| wild Kumaoui range to the other ; but, though
wondering, he never hesitates to express his ad
miration of the British pluck that wrested his
country from him, or to demonstrate his loyalty
by claiming to have a share in every fight. Let
loose across thfe Indus, he would fly to the work
like a cheetah slipped from his leash at grazing
deer, and up and down the Cabul hills would
hunt the Afridi soul out of the Ameer's men.
Shere Ali, therefore, when he vaunts his power
over the hill tribes, and his ability to " hurl"
them upon British India " in blasts of fire," as
his Highness expressed it, makes an empty boast.
India at this moment is as loyal as it has ever
been, while the prestige of England stands
higher than it has done for the last twenty
years. The firm word now to be spoken to the
Afghan Ameer will prevent, perhaps, the
gauntlet thrown down at Cyprus from being
taken up at Cabul.
VIEUNA, M onday N ight.
The news from Afghanistan has produced a
most unfavourable impression in this capital.
A few shrewd Austrian politicians have for the
last two years predicted danger from that
quarter. The Government was aware that
Shere Ali's policy had become ostensibly
hostile to England. It has been duly in
formed by Indian Consular advices of Rus
sia's increasing prestige with the Afghan
monarch, and although Austria is altogether dis
interested in the matter, all particulars con
nected with it have been followed with deep
interest, as indirectly involving the relations be
tween two friendly Powers. A very short time
I ago I had an opportunity of conversing on the
j subject with a Russian diplomatist, whose views
I considered well worth having. I cannot say I was
surprised to find that he made light of the whole
affair. The Afghan scare, he assured me, was
but a symptom of the Indian malady, which was
chronic in England. "And," he added, "one
does not reason with maladies." It had affected
England to such an extent that were Russia to
recall her troops from the frontier the English
Government would declare the movement to be
an aggressive one involving a casus belli. The
noise that had been made in England about
Russian intrigue at Cabul showed the vulner-
j able point 'which, at the first difficulty
i between England and Russia, would be
| taken advantage of by the latter. I ventured
j to put the question point blank as to whether
1 an alliance had been concluded between the
Czar and Shere Ali, and the answer was, to say
'
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IsaAi jo saquuiui aaaqj Uiq;rAv 'VTIIA paqocjap pamoo.i-x
admirable promptitude, proclaimed on the in-
stftnt the preparation of a counter embassy, and
:so through all the bazaars of India the two an-
^nouncementsspej sideby side, the energetic ac-
ISf J p " Cer ^ C0UI1 teracting the mischievous
effects of Russia g successful step. The political
, value of this spirited procedure was very great.
Gossip shakes an Indian city as a strong wind
shakes a bamboo grove, the fear of change per
plexing the^ people. A single thoughtless
European, by repeating an idle tale which
he had heard, struck such terror a few
years ago into the heart of a Mohammedan
town—the capital of the North-Western Pro-
vinces—that when, the same evening, a
British soldier happened to pass through the
market square several thousands of men
then engaged in the celebration of their greatest
festival—the Mohurrum—flung down their
torches and musical instruments, and fled through
the streets in a panic of fear. Had only a
mischievous leader been at hand, Allahabad
might that night have witnessed a dreadful
tumult. Such a fact as this should be borne in
mind when approving the Viceroy's prompt
action. Delay breeds misconstruction, and this
means m the East-in India-the rapid loosen- i
ing of the bonds of authority.
Nowhere, perhaps, throughout the Empire
would this mischievous effect have followed so
immediately as along the north-western frontier,
but the news had hardly come through the I
Khyber that Shere Ali was in alliance with
Russia before the British herald, Gholam Hus
sein Khan, was galloping back with LordLytton's
letter to Cabul. The hillmen are, in the Ameer's
eyes, a weapon of offence against India, and he
has threatened to " hurl" them upon our terri
tory. Unfortunately, however, for his High
ness s project, the past year has seen a remark
able change in the attitude of the mountaineers.
The stern blockade of the Jowakis in 1876-77 has
effectually damped their ardour for border dis
turbance^ and since that event the frontiers
have enjoyed an exceptional tranquillity.
In the Hazara district the minor colonies have
all been quiet, while the more important,
hitherto so troublesome, have been almost osten
tatious in their demonstrations of docility. The
Chiggazai, Akazai, and Hassanzai tribes have
behaved excellently, and the young chiefs of
Agror are quietly at school at Abbotabad. In
the Peshawur district the Hassan Kheyl and
Pass Afridis, of course, gave trouble, for what
else could be expected from races who look
upon the murder of relatives as a Roint of eti
quette ; but all the other Afridi tribes remained
on friendly terms, as did the important
section of the Mohmauds. With Swat our
relations have been undisturbed, and when the
tlthmah Kheyls committed a gross outrage upon
some British subjects, the Akhoond of Swat,
the most revered spiritual qhief in the Northern
Himalayas, formally excommunicated them.
In the Kohat district there was a serious rupture
of the peace. The British Government had
long desired to construct - a cart road through the
Kohat Pass, and, though all the other tribes
agreed to the proposal, one village obstinately
refused to permit the road. Lord Lytton ac
cordingly organised a systematic blockade of the
disaffected tribe, and, as their example infected
their neighbours, the area of the blockade was
extended further and further, until all the trou
blesome sections of the Jowaki mountaineers
were included. So rigorous and so unusual was the
procedure that the tribes were soon frightened, and
one after the other they came in to tender their
submission, to receive the punishment meted out
. to them, and to construct the road. This policy
of blockade is an innovation in border tactics,
a nd, judged by its results, an excellent one.
oince the Jowakis were besieged there has been
Qo disturbance on the frontier, and when, last
week, the mistdon was refused a passage by the
insolent officials of the Ameer, the Khyberis,
who actually formed the escort of Major Cavag-
nari, behaved excellently. The Ameer, therefore,
ma y find the reed he leans on but a weak staff ;
but, even should his intrigues succeed in spread
ing fresh disaffection among the now tranquil
mountaineers of the Peshawur, Kohat, and Hazara
frontiers, we shall not find their combined
terrors more overwhelming than in years past.
Had we to force a way over the Suleiman range,
with every height crowded with sharpshooters,
the hiU-men might, indeed, prove a formidable
foe, but by the possession of Quetta we have a
commodious entrance to Cabul securely at our
command, and by using it turn the flank of all the'
mountain tribes. In the" open the Mohmauds,
Afridis, Hassan Kheyls, and the rest are useless,
for their tactics are confined to night attacks,
or to 'sudden rushes from ambush upon
stray travellers. Tliey have never yet faced
ten men together, nor dared to go beyond run
ning distance of their rocks. Like their own hill
leopards they have just audacity enough to drop
down in the twilight upon a passer by, but not
the courage to face in the daylight an armed
man. But these would be useless when opposed
to the Ghoorkas, who, sent to the front in
successive drafts, would soon clear out the
frontier ravines, and one by one would render
stern account of the eyries where the wild
mountaineers had entrenched themselves; for
the Ghoorka, who can steal upon a sleeping
• panther without awaking it, and can out-tire
| the sturdy sambhur in fair chase, has no equal in
] the East for mountain warfare. To this
day he wonders how the English beat
him, hunting him over his own hills of
j Nepal, and driving him from one end of the
! wild Kumaoui range to the other ; but, though
wondering, he never hesitates to express his ad
miration of the British pluck that wrested his
country from him, or to demonstrate his loyalty
by claiming to have a share in every fight. Let
loose across the Indus, he would fly to the work
like a cheetah slipped from his leash at grazing
deer, and up and down the Cabul hills would
hunt the Afridi soul out of the Ameer's men.
Shere Ali, therefore, when he vaunts his power
over the hill tribes, and his ability to " hurl"
them upon British India " in blasts of fire," as
his Highness expressed it, makes an empty boast.
India at this moment is as loyal as it has ever
been, while the prestige of England stands
higher than it has done for the last twenty
years. The firm word now to be spoken to the
Afghan Ameer will prevent, perhaps, the
gauntlet thrown down at Cyprus from being
taken up at Cabul.
VIENNA, M onday N ight.
The news from Afghanistan has produced a
most unfavourable impression in this capital.
A few shrewd Austrian politicians have for th6
last two years predicted danger from that
quarter. The Government was aware that
Shere Ali's policy had become ostensibly
hostile to England. It has been duly in-
formed by Indian Consular advices of Rus
sia's increasing prestige with the Afghan
monarch, and although Austria is altogether dis
interested in the matter, all particulars con-
| nected with it have been followed with deep
interest, as indirectly involving the relations be-
1 tween two friendly Powers. A very short time
ago I had an opportunity of conversing on the
subject with a Russian diplomatist, whose views
I considered well worth having. I cannot say I was
surprised to find that he made light of the whole
affair. The Afghan scare, he assured me, was
but a Symptom of the Indian malady, which was
chronic in England. " And," he added, "one
does not reason with maladies." It had affected
England to such an extent that were Russia to
recall her troops from the frontier the English
Government would declare the movement to be
an aggressive one involving a casus belli. The
noise that had been made in England about
Russian intrigue at Cabul showed the vulner
able point which, at the first difficulty
between England and Russia, would be
taken advantage of by the latter. I ventured
to put the question point blank as to whether
an alliance had been concluded between the
Czar and Shere Ali, and the answer was, to say
the loaatj e vasive^ My in terlocutor had not,
been informed of such an alliance, nor would he
ever have thought of inquiring as to its exist
ence. He could not say what negotiationa had
been going on of late on behalf of the Russian
Government with Cabul, but they could only
possess retrospective interest^ now. Be
fore the Congress Russia and England,
both took precautionary measures in view off
eventualities that had been averted* But now
that all danger of an Anglo-Russian war had
passed they would certainly be suspended.
As to reassuring England with regard to
Russia's views on India that would be lost
trouble. Indeed, when Lord Derby was asked
a short time prior to his resignation what
England had to complain of, and what Russia
could do to dispel all apprehension respecting
India, the English Minister of Foreign Affairs
was at a loss what to say. " I actually believe
that if Lord Salisbury were to fall from his horse
to-morrow, said the Russian, at the close of our
conversation, " an angry note would be de
spatched to St. Petersburg charging Russian
intrigue against your Indian Empire with being
the cause of the accident."
[BY DAILY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL WIRE.]
[from oub own correspondent.]
PARIS, M onday N ight.
Le Temps this evening suggests two explana
tions of the attitude of Russia with regard to
the Cabul question. Either, it says, by a series
of misunderstandings, delays in the transmis
sion of orders, and perhaps by excess of zeal, to
be attributed to personal ambitions, the Rus- |
sianshave been drawn on further than was
desired at St, Petersburg, or else the Russiar
Government has wished to draw England into
the trap of Cabul and finally make her pass for '
a dupe. As regards the change introduced into I
I Indian policy by Lord Beaconsfield, Le Temps !
says that English good sense might find in the
attitude of Russia itself a warning, that is to
say a motive, to do nothing with precipitation.