'Précis of correspondence, &c., relating to affairs in Central Asia, Biluchistan, Persia, &c. 1875-77. With appendices.' [‎184r] (372/562)

VJ.11.
With the same diary (27th-29th January 1874,), mentioned at the close o£ the precedin-r
• Vide Secret, March 1874, No. 76. section, came translation* of a murasila addressed by the
Amir to the Russian Governor-General, and announcing'the
nomination or Abdoolia Jan as heir-apparent:— ^
« As friendship exists between this Government and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor
of Russia, I have considered it advisable to send information of this nomination to you/-’
This murasila was acknowledged in the first instance by the Officiating Governor-General
Kolpakovski, on the 25th February 1874. Kolpakovski congratulated the Amir on the nomi
nation of Abdoolla Jan, and mentioned the marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh as follows:
“ Your Highness is aware of the friendly relations which hitherto existed between the
English and Russian Governments, but lately those relations have been confirmed by an alliance
between the rulers of these two kingdoms. The daughter of the Emperor has been married to
the second son of Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. I send this happy information to
Your Highness on account of the friendship existing between Your Highness and the Russian
Government, and hope that you will consider this relationship advantageous to our friendship
with the English Government who are favorably disposed to you.”
A copy of this communication was merely sent under cover of the Cabul Diary of 27th-
30th March 1874. Subsequent events seemed to show that the marriage of the Grand Duchess
rather increased than lessened the suspicions of the Cabul Government.
In the first weekf of September 1875 the correspondence between Tashkend and Cabul
f FiJe Secret, October 1875, No. 93. entered upon an altogether new phase. Aishan Khwaja
j Dated 12th July 1875. Samarcandi, a Russian Envoy, appeared at Cabul, bringing a
letterJ from General Von Kauffmann in reply to the two murasilas which the Amir had sent
during his absence at St. Petersburg, and both of which, as previously noted, had been
§ K. W., Secret, October 1875, Nos. acknowledged by General Kolpakovski. Mr. C. U. Aitchison,
89-90. in his note§ of 15th September 1875, pointed out that “ the
deputation of an Envoy, or let us call him a messenger, is a great advance on the former
system of correspondence exchanged at the frontier.”
A copy of General Von KauffmamPs letter (in Persian) was forwarded with the Cabul
Diary from 7th to 9th September 1875. The Amir expressed no desire for our advice
in the matter, but the report of the Agent indicated that the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). were puzzled by the
following passage :—
“ I hope that the chain of friendship existing between Russia and Afghanistan will in
future increase and become firm owing to the recent alliance between the Emperor of Russia
and the Queen of England. This alliance has tended to the fulfilment of the best wishes of
the two families, and I doubt not that this alliance of the two powers will be an omen for
those countries, the people of which, under the protection of the Emperor of Russia and the
Queen of England, live in great peace and comfort/’
On these remarks the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). observed “ privately” :—
“ This time the Russian Government has made itself partner in the protection of Afghan
istan. This paragraph is of a new tone. God knows what State secrets are concealed in it.
Mr. Aitchison’s note of 25th September 1875 throws light on the above:—
His Excellency will remember that on one occasion Syud Noor Mahomed Shah, when
at Simla, darkly hinted at the possibility of a common understanding between England and
Russia for the partition of Afghanistan.
“ This is probably the State secret which the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). see in the matrimonial alliance. I
do not think we need tell the Agent to make any remarks on the subject at all.
However, the Amir’s apprehensions did not prevent him from sending General Von
Kauffmann an exceedingly civil reply, a copy of whichaccom-
I! Secret, November 1875, No. 55. pan i e d the Diary from 17th—20th September|| 1875. His
Highness distinctly invited the continuance of the correspondence thus : By the grace of
God nothing contrary to the said friendship shall take place on my part, and the despatc o
friendly communications should be considered one of the principles of our friendship.
As observed by Mr. Aitchison in his note of 9th October 1875, this was a marked change
from the “ God only knows why the Russian Government should display so much anxiety
about the affairs of Afghanistan as to take the trouble to write to me of 1870.
IX.
The Amir’s civil reply mentioned at the close of the preceding section pioduced a
rejoinder from General Von Kauffmann, dated 27th October 1875 and sent to Gabu! by the
bonrla nf n messenger from the King of Bokhara. A copy
1 Secret, March 1876, No. 80. enclosed by the Agent with Dia!y of 28th-31st1f
January 1876. In this General Von Kauffmann gave the Amir “ through real friendship a