Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎203v] (96/174)

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ANOTHER MISSION FROM BOKHARA,
[ 1870-71.
of foreign countries ; and with regard to the communications^ intended for the
* To Punjab, No. 2169P, dated 12 th December 1870 British Government, t at e^ (t le Ameer)
(§ 3) (s. l, 1870, No. 509 .) could not undertake to be an intermediary,
not only because such matters do not concern him, but because he feels assured
the Viceroy of India would not lend an ear to any i^presentations against a
power with whom Her Majesty the Queen of Great Biitain is at peace.
Atta Mahomed Khan was at the same time to be desired* to inform the
* T„ Ponjnb, No. cted i 2 th December 1870 envoy from Bokhara that the Viceroy and
(§ 4 .) Governor General oi India is always
willing to receive communications of a friendly nature from the mler of any
State in Asia \ but that such communications should always be made openly,
as the Viceroy cannot consent to receive any secret representations ; that more
over, in consideration of the remoteness of the territory of Bokhara, and of the
great distance to be traversed by messengers, it would be best that any commu
nication which His Mnjesty the King of Bokhara desired to make to the
British Government in India, should be conveyed by letter. The King might
rest assured that any missive in writing from His Majesty, would be received
with consideration and due respect.
These papers were all sent to the Secretary of State in Secret despatch
No. 58, dated 14th December 1870.
To the letter which Colonel Pollock sent to this effect, the Ameer replied,
on the 16th January, acknowledging the advice with thanks and saying that—
“ as far as possible, no steps would be taken in future in border matters without consulting
with the English Government.'’'’ Sent to Secretary
See iso. 2, g^g j n g ecre t Despatch No. 5, dated 15th
February 1871.
1870.
The Bokhara envoy was dismissed with presents on the 24th November
540A. On the 3rd January 1871 a fresh envoy, one already once before
employed for this purpose, Munsoor Khwaja Oorak, arrived from Bokhara bear
ing a letter announcing the re-conquest of the dependency of Shuhr-i-Subz by
the help of God (i. e. } by the good favor of the Russians). It is, the British
agent remarked, an old standing custom in Mawur-ool-Nuhr that when any
noteworthy success is attained by any ruler, that ruler deputes agents to con
gratulate his friends near and far.
This envoy was not dismissed till the beginning of August. The Ameer
Diary ending 3rd August. tllei1 determined to send Mahomed Tahir
Khan with him, and also made over to
the envoy some of the agents of Cabul firms who had absconded from Bokhara
in debt,^and against whom their creditors had sent a representation to Shere
Ali. When making them over he expressed to the envoy his hope that the
Bokhara authorities would not deal hardly with them, and that they would
in return see that the people of Bokhara did not injure traders from Cabul
and Peshawur.
541. During this period on two occasions the Ameer experienced alarm
as to the designs of the Prussians.
On the 11th April 1870, there came a rumour, sent by Meer Roostum
Khan to Alum, that the Russians, who were being collected in Jam, a place
lying between Karshee and Shuhr-i-Subz, were about to attack the latter place
1 he news of the possible proximity of the Russians to Toorkistan made the