Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎204v] (98/174)

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THE REPLY SUGGESTED BY THE VICEROY OE INDIA..
[1870
also contains assurances of the peaceful intentions of the Russian Government towards Your
Highness, their determination to abstain from interference with the territories now. in Your
Highnesses possession, and their hope that Your Highness will continue the same policy which
has hitherto marked youi' conduct towards the States and tribes lying beyond the frontier of
Afghanistan.
<c JVTy friend, it affords me great pleasure to inform you that I have received intelligence
from Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India that, in September last year, Prince Gortchakoff,
the chief of the statesmen to whom the Emperor of Russia has confided the government of his
eountrv, assured^ Her Majesty’s Minister for Foreign Affairs that Russia has no intention of
extending her boundary further South. I have also heard from Mr. Forsyth, one of my high
officers who visited St. Petersburg last year, that he had the honour of an interview with
the Emperor, when h) informed His Majesty of the deep interest which the British Govern
ment take in your independence and welfare, in reply to which the Emperor remarked^ there
was no intention of extending the Russian dominions, and that, if the idea of conquest were
banished from your HiMmess's mind, there would be peace in Central Asia. The Ambassador of
the Queen at the Court of St. Petersburg, together with Mr. Forsyth, have also received
assurances * (c) from the Ministers of the Emperor of Russia, with the full concurrence of His
Majesty, that all the provinces that Your Highness now holds should be accepted as Afghanistan ;
and that whilst the good offices of England should be exerted to dissuade Your Highness from
aggression, Russia should similarly use all her influence to restrain Bokhara from transgressing
the limits of Afghan territory.
“ I have also beeu informed that Her Majesty’s Ambassador at St. Petersburg has
reported w to the Secretary of State, that instructions have been sent to General Yon
Kauffmann to the effect that, as the Government of India had taken measures to carry out
the understanding come to with Mr. Forsyth, the Russian authorities should act in a similar
spirit, and should make it known that England and Russia are agreed as to the policy that
should be followed with a view of securing the tranquillity of the countries on their respective
borders, and the peace of Asia. I have further received information that General Yon
Kauffmann has informed^ the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. Abdool Pah man Khan (now supposed to be resident in
Tashkund) that Russia is firmly resolved not to interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanis
tan, and that, consequently, all negotiations with him (Abdool Rahman Khan) are useless,
and that. General Von Kauffmann will once more intimate to Abdool Rahman Khan that he
can be only granted an asylum in the territories of Russia on condition of his abstaining from
intrigues and political projects for the realization of which he must not in any way reckon on
assistance from Bokhara.
“The letter which General Von Kauffmann has addressed you contains, as I have already
stated, assurances on the part of the Russian Government of their resolution to adhere to
this policy of peace; and these letters will, doubtless, be, when rightly understood, a source
of satisfaction and an additional ground of confidence to Your Highness, because they indicate
that, as long as you continue the course you have so happily pursued since the visit you honored
me with at Umballa, it is most unlikely that your territories will be disturbed by Russia or
by any tribe or State which may be influenced by the olficers of the Emperor.
“ My friend, these assurances given by His Imperial Majesty himself, by His Ministers
of State, and now by the distinguished General who commands His Majesty’s forces in Rus-
sian-1 oorkistan, have given to me unfeigned satisfaction. For in these I see a further and an
additional security for that which I so much desire, namely, the permanency of your rule, the
complete establishment of your power, and the maintenance of a just, wise, and merciful ad
ministration throughout the whole of Afghanistan. Further, it is a matter of great Gratifica
tion to me that the servants of the Queen, both in England and in India, have, by the repre
sentations made by them in your behalf to Her Majesty’s ally, been enabled to contribute in
this important manner to the interests of Your Highness and of your State.
I therefore suggest for your Highness’s consideration that it would be wise that you
should reply to General Y on Kauffmann, to the effect that you are glad to receive his assurances
that no interference, direct or indirect, will be undertaken by any officer in the service of His
Imperial Majesty in the affairs of Afghanistan; and that no assistance or encouragement will
rv \ a) kt Pa . rag f ra P h ^ °f extract °f Lord Clarendon’s despatch dated 3rd September 1869, to Sir A. Buchan
[Enclosure No. 2 of Mr. Kaye’s secret letter dated 17th September 1869.]
v A? P Mi g -n P ^ 7 l 0r n 7t h ’ S letter to Sir A - Buchanan, dated 5th November 1869. [Enclos-
No. 5 of Mr. Melville’s secret letter dated 26th November 1869.]
(c) Fide despatch No. 222 dated 2nd November 1869, from Sir A. Buchanan to Lord Clarendon forward!
5?rH^^M to &^ < ^&% d2ndl,0 ' , “* bwW69 ' **"*">** 11 No. 3
Ko. iVl* dated 6th Apr " 187 °’ N °- PM-
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