Scrapbook of newspaper cuttings about Afghanistan [‎149v] (307/312)

twenty years, described as H policy of kindness
and conciliation, is credited with excellent re-
i suits upon the frontier tribes from the Black
Mountain to the deserts of Scind. So far as
these people and the Afghans themselves were
concerned, down to a recent period, the claims
put forward may be allowed. Yet, as regards
the ruler of Cabul, it has evidently and sig
nally failed, seeing that he has courted a Russian
alliance, and turned contemptuously from
British friendship. That Striking fact exposes
the weakness of a policy which dealt with the
whole frontier question as if there were no out
posts of a great European Empire within sight of
the Hindoo Koosh. The cardinal defect in the
course adopted by every Government was that
it proceeded on the assumption that Russia
never would or could come to Cabul. Yet ten,
nay, twelve years ago, the path of Russian con
quest was distinctly foreseen, and a Central
Asian policy which, in its calculations, left out
iso formidable a quantity, was doomed to failure.
Ut Masterly inactivity," tempered as it really was,
'irom 1857 onwards, by occasional intervention,
might have been practised for ever, if our
tonly foes behind the mountain barrier had
ibeen Afghans and Pathan tribes. They, how-
tever, were at no time our real antagonists, and
it was only by fits and starts that British Minis-
iters faintly recognised and feebly encountered
tthe veritable enemy. The sin of " masterly in
activity" was that it never took sufficient
account of " mischievous activity," which gra-
jdually pushed up hostile agencies and influences
tuntil, as we perceive, they are formally established
an Cabul. When Shere Ali saw Turkey aban-
idoned and Russia triumphant, when he heard the
Idrift of the debates in the English Parlia-
anent and of the violent essays showered from the
1 [English press, he not unnaturally concluded that
ithe part of wisdom was to side with the apparently
etronger Power, and he may have gone so far as to
ithink that he would recruit zealous supporters
tfrom party politicians in England. But, although
Ihe is the obvious, he is not the occult offender ;
aifd, if we are to deal thoroughly with the far-
Teaching issues now distinctly raised, we must
go behind the Cabul throne. Mr. Cross on
Thursday stated the question with force and
perspicuity. " If," he said, " the Ameer is no
longer strong, if he is no longer independent, if
he is no longer friendly, it is time for us to in
quire Collection of papers folded in half and stitched together to form a gathering of folios. how that comes about and what is to be
done. If^ however, influences are at work
in that direction close upo^ our border fron
tier of India, it is time, at all events, for
us to look about us." Whether the answer
sent from Cabul be satisfactory or not, one
•thing must be decided. " There must be no
doubt about our position, no doubt about our
own influence, and on the northern boundaries
of India there must be no doubt about our own
power and our own supremacy. It is of vast im
portance to India, it is of vital importance to the
Empire." In order to remove the doubt we must
not handle the matter in a way which excludes
fche fountain-head whence springs so powerful
a stream of Oriental turbulence.
I PAST DA Y S IN AFGH ANISTAN.
to the editor of " the daily telegraj-h."
Sir—i have seen a statement in a provincial
newspaper, headed " The Last Afghan War," and
I must ask you for a little space for my re
marks on it, and on similar calumnies. The ac
count given by the writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. is tolerably correct in its
outline, although, like most of your contempo-
ranes' articles poured forth at this crisis of oui
relations with Afghanistan, it is inexact in
various particulars. It is not my business nor
my inclination to supply these deficiencies, bui
one statement has appeared regarding the con-
duct of our troops at the taking of Istalii
which is wholly at variance with the facts.
Ihe writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. says: "Then followed horribla
scenes of slaughter. Not content with butchering
^ ^ tlie army fell upon the women
and children, shooting, bayoneting, and pillaging,
and carrying death and destruction every
where." I cannot suppose that the author oi
this has wilfully arid knowingly put forth
so monstrous a calumny, for such it is. I was
one of the Cabul captives. After we had
released ourselves and joined the late Field
Marshal Sir George Pollock at Cabul, that office!
sent me in charge of Prince Shahpoor and
2,000 Kuzzilbash horsemen to assisi
the late Sir John M'Caskill in the reduction ol
the valley of Kohistan and, of course, of thi
town and fortifications of Istalif. I joined in
the assault of these last, and, to make a long
story short, we took the place after several hours
ot hard fighting. It is quite possible that several
non-combatants were, as is inevitable in such
cases, killed by accident, for flying bullets on
both sides have no respect of persons ; but cer
tainly and beyond question there was no inten
tional slaughter of either women or children.
On the contrary, we collected all the women and
children at the top of the city, where they were
all day long joined by stragglers ; we set guards
over them, and provided for their comfort in
every possible way until the evening. We then
sent them, under the escort of a friendly Afghan
chief, to the place where their routed country
men had re-assembled, and this act of British
humanity was gratefully acknowledged by tha
Afghans themselves. There are unspeakable
ruffians in all armies, ours not excepted,
but, except when maddened by drink, the
British soldier is a good-natured, kindly fellow.
For instance, shortly after we had secured the
safety of the women I saw a soldier coming up
one of the streets, carrying something besides
his musket very carefully. I asked him what
it was. " A babby, your honour," quoth he,
showing me a perfectly beautiful Afghan child.
He added, " I didn't think, sir, it was my duty
for to kill it." I quite agreed, and relieved him
of his pretty, soft burden, not knowing exactly
what to do with it. As it was impossible to
find the mother, I carried it to our captive
women and offered it to a young lady who had
no child with her. She brusquely refused tc
accept my foundling, whom I then presented to
another girl. She also declined. I then toot
the little waif to a grandmother-looking woman,
and she, to my surprise, was quite rude in hei
refusal. There being no other remedy, I sternly
informed this hard-hearted old person that if she
did not take and treat the little darling kindly
I would eject her from her place of safety and
let her take her chance. She yielded, and I think
that the tender touch and sweet face of my little
charge seemed to rouse up a womanly feeling
towards it. As I said before, the British soldier
is a kindly fellow, and contrasts favourably even
with some women.
At the time I allude to and subsequently, and
especially towards the close of the great Sepoy Term used in English to refer to an Indian infantryman. Carries some derogatory connotations as sometimes used as a means of othering and emphasising race, colour, origins, or rank.
mutiny, many false reports injurious to the
character of our soldiers were recklessly spread
in England, some from malice and some from a
love of sensational horrors, especially if these be
well garnished.—I am. Sir, faithfully yours,
COLIN MACKENZIE, Lieutenant-General.
Oct. 16.