Rebellion of Mohammad Yaqub Khan [‎236v] (162/174)

ETJMOUEED DESIGNS OE THE RUSSIANS.
[ 1871.
There is the following entry in the diary of the 24th April 1871:
ff Muksood Khan and Musood Khan, Barukzais, formerly holding trustworthy situations
in an infantry regiment of Afghanistan, having separated from 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 Rahman Khan,
have arrived in Cabul by permission of the Ameer. They represented to His Highness as
follows : f Sixteen infantry and light cavalry regiments and one hundred and twenty guns
have been deputed by the Russians between Ak>Musjid and Kutta-Kurgban. Of these, 2d guns
are breech-loadino 1 . A few days before the deputation of the above tioops, the Russians
attacked the Yamoot tribe in the Kharism territory and repulsed them. The brother of the
Chief of Yamoot has been constrained to submit to them, and it is hoped that matters will
be adjusted (shortly) with the Chief also. The Russians desire to invade Merv via Charjooi
after the settlement of the Kharism expedition, and to throw the water of the Oxus into the
Dungez. They have excavated a canal on the land lately left waste by the Oxus as far as four
stages between the Oxus and Dungez, and are digging the remaining portion also as quickly
as possible, in view to facilitating the passage of steamers starting from St. Petersburg on the
Oxus. A female artist came from St. Petersburg and drew maps of all ports of the Oxus
and the Seer River. The Russian authorities intend to abolish the establishment of the
Makaria fair at Killa Raheem and other places, and to hold it in future in Tashkund.
Arrangements are therefore being made for the preparation of a fair, for quarters for the
troops^and for a government house (at Tashkund). The Tashkund authorities have purchased
many 5 houses from the people for the accommodation of the numerous Russians (expected to
arrive in Tashkund). As soon as the Russians received news regarding the victory of Prussia,
they fired congratulatory salutes in the whole of the Russian Toorkistan, and held joyful assem
blies in all places. They still desire to make fresh conquest in Toorkistan Provinces and to
extend their dominions/
After hearing the above account regarding the advance of the Russians, and their
approach near Afghanistan, the Ameer felt uneasy, and since then hears the accounts regarding
the Russians attentively, and whenever he reads anything regarding their progress in news
papers, he feel apprehension/’
742. On the 26th the Ameer received from Alum a report that the Rus
sians had attached Bokhara, a rumour which the British agent attributed to the
movement of a Russian expedition against Khiva, but which caused the Ameer
Shere Ali the greatest uneasiness. <*)
743. On the 2nd May there arrived letters from Bokhara merchants men
tioning the preparations in Samarkund for the despatch of a force ostensibly
against Khiva, but, the Ameer of Bokhara heard, really against himself.
Abdool Rahman had returned from Taskhund to Samarkund, “ but had not been
shown much kindness by the Russian authorities.” The “ Turkish envoy” had
taken his departure for Constantinople, carrying many presents, in company with
a return envoy, from the Ameer of Bokhara.
An account sent by a Cabulee merchant in Bokhara, one Rujjub Khan, to
Alum, which reached Cabul on the 18th May, stated that the Ameer had just
left Bokhara for Karshee with 4,000 infantry and 14 guns, having paid up some
60,000 tillas which he owed to Bokhara traders; and that the people of Shuhr-
i-Subz were making the strongest representations of the Ameer’s insupporta
ble tyranny to the Russians.
This same Rujjub wrote again on the 29th April that the people
of Bokhara were in the greatest excitement owing to the apprehended advance
of the Russians, and were burying their goods; that the scarcity in Bokhara was
extreme, bread being unprocurable at 110 Tung as (£3-10-8), rice at 180 Tung as
(£5-16-6) a maund, 80 lbs.
(a) The following observations of Shere Ali on this point are reported in the letter from the British agent,
dated 11th May : “ Should the Russian Government, which is extremely free from fear, obtain possession on Bokhara
or Kharism, disturbances and disaffection will, beyond doubt, be produced in the Balkh Toorkistan and the Herat
territory, owing to the Russians having crossed to this side of the Oxus, and, with reference to the fickle conduct of the
people of Afghanistan, inconvenience of all kinds will be ultimately experienced in guarding the above Provinces.
Although, knowing the friendly relations that exist between the two countries, 1 do not consider that the British autho
rities fail to bear in mind the necessity of the adoption of measures for the security of Afghanistan, still I feel very
anxious, as they do not inform me either by hints or otherwise as to the preliminary arrangements to be made for this
end. I am rather afraid lest the British authorities are less attentive to this matter on account of their being occupied
in other numerous imperial concerns.
*
*
“It appears advisable, in my opinion, that the British Government should attend to the adjustment of this matter
before anything important occurs, as it would be more easy to settle it now than in a critical time,'’
i