File 3443/1914 Pt 2 'German War: German emissaries to Afghanistan' [‎46r] (100/490)

D.-o., No. 1115 C., dated Parachinar, the 2nd October 1915.
From The Hon’bi^ Lieutenant-Colohel Sir Qbokge Roos-Keppel, K.C.S.I,
io C i: E We«rC“ d Asentt0 the -Genera, in the
To-The Hon’ble Me. A. H. Grant, C.S.I., C.I.E., Foreign Secretary to the
Government of India in the Foreign and Political Department. 7
Please refer to my cipher telegram* of b>day. In addition to the information contained
* No. 110 K., dated the 2nd October 1915. therein my informant gave me the following
Kabul news and gossip which I did not consider
it necessary to include in my telegram.
The cholera in Kabul broke out two days after the Id-ul-Fitr, i e„ about the 16 th of
August, it was very bad indeed and there was hardly a house in Kabul that had not a death
in it. The Amir fled to Paghman at once and, as a great many people followed him, he put
guards on the roads and went on himself further into the hills. Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Nasrulla Khan and
Inayatulla Khan stayed in Kabul for some time after the Amir, but eventually joined him.
Now there is nobody in Kabul except the Kotwal and his staff, the workmen at the Amir’s
factories who have been detained by force and troops to guard the factories, storehouses and
palaces. Those of the population who have not fled to great distances are living in the
villages round Kabul where cholera still continues but in a less severe form. My informant's
uncle is the head of one of the departments of the Amir's factories and gets Its. 160 (British) a
month, he has now 250 men working under him, the number having been increased by 50 quite
recently. A considerable proportion of these men are from India, they are occupied in making
smokeless powder, previously they used to do task-work and to be paid by results, but lately
they are forced to work ten to twelve hours a day and have soldiers stationed through the
factories to see that they do not leave. The machines in the neighbouring factories which turn
out cartridges cases are working at high pressure. My informant does not think that there
has been much leakage recently from the arsenals or he would have heard of it. Kabul gossip
is to the effect that Sardar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Nasrulla Khan recently asked the Amir to increase the pay of the
sepoys 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. from twelve rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. Kabuli to fifteen, that the Amir refused and that Nasrulla Khan let
this be known with the result that the Amir is now very unpopular with the army, that a
number of military officers in Kabul sent a deputation to inform the Sipah Salar that the
army were determined on jehad and that if the Amir would not lead them they would find
somebody who would. It is not known whether this was reported to the Amir. Food is very
dear in Kabul and the troops are discontented and are talking openly of the Amir's deposition.
It is said that on receipt of letters from the Germans and Turks the Amir recently asked the
advice of the Sipah Salar who advised him to reply that he would remain neutral in the war
and would oppose any force which tried to enter Afghanistan. The Amir was pleased with
this reply but the Sipah Salar's advice was strongly opposed by Nasrulla Khan and Inayatulla
Khan of whom the latter is said to be even more strongly in favour of war than the former.
It is believed in Kabul that the Germans have come to ask the Amir for an alliance if possible
and failing that for a free passage of an army which is said to be ready in the Caucasus and
for which they have already arranged a passage through Persia. Little is known in Kabul
of the disturbances in the Mohmand country and in Swat, but it is openly said that Nasrulla
Khan has sent Mullas to stir up trouble amongst the tribes. My informant struck me as an ,
exceptionally intelligent man and appeared to be speaking the truth as far as he knew it.