"ملخص لمراسلات، إلخ، تتعلق بشؤون آسيا الوسطى، بلوشستان، بلاد فارس، إلخ، ١٨٧٥-١٨٧٧. مع ملاحق." [ظ‎‎١‎٣‎٦] (٥٦٢/٢٧٧)

( 188 )
Mr. Russell’s proceedings continued to give trouble. He asked for
and obtained passes for himself and his Ruiopean Assistants to go to
Kbotan, Aksu, and Kashghar. But he changed his mind so often as to
annoy the Dadkbwah, who was perplexed as to the icpoit he should make to
the Ameer. Next there was a dispute about some guns and ammunition
which Mr. Russell said the Dadkhwah having agreed to buy, had afterwards
repudiated his bargain. The repudiation apparently amounted to a denial of
agreement to purchase. The Dadkhwah represented that he was merely a
servant of the Ameer to whom he had referred the matter, and that pending
definite orders he was unable to buy the goods. Mm fehaw was not satisfied
that any purchase had been agreed upon, and declined to interfere, pending
submission by Mr. Russell of a statement of the facts upon which he relied,
Further correspondence showed that Mr. Russell displayed great want of tact
in his trading affairs, and that both sides were anxious to induce Mr. Shaw to
act as a sort of commercial go-between, a position which he declined to assume,
The affairs of the Trading Company and Mr. Shaw’s proceedings in relation
thereto are of no particular interest and will not be further adverted to.
{Secret, July 7875, Nos. 169-185.]
113. Detention of Punjabee Artizans in Kashgar .-Shadi
Meerza, the first Envoy from Kashuar to the Government of India, took back with
him in 1870 eight Punjab blacksmiths as gunmakers. In August 1875
these persons presented a petition to Mr. Shaw complaining of ill-treatment,
of having never received any pay, and of being prevented from returning to
India. Mr. Shaw reported that the Dadkhwah had promised to raise no
objection to the men leaving Kashgar, that they were well treated and had
saved money. The Government of India directed Mr. Shaw to remind the
Dadkhwah of his promise to let the men go, and they were released in
February 1876.
{Secret, March 1876, Nos. 97-101.]
114. Mr. Shaw returns to India. Report of his Mission
and of the political situation in Kashgar. —It will be remembered
that the orders issued by the Government of India to Mr. Shaw, dated 19th
September 1874, directed him to return to India after the completion of his
mission in regard to the Treaty unless the Ameer expressed a decided wish
that he should remain. These instructions w T ere repeated from time to time
and eventually Mr. Shaw was directed to press for the Ameer’s promised
ratification. On the 8th April the following conversation passed between him
and the Yarkund Envoy. The latter said—
• J° U as ^ e ^ ^ or a ratification of the Treaty from the Ameer. ‘It is of course most
desirable that you should be here to convey the friendly sentiments of the Ameer to His
xcellency the Viceroy, and vice versa, but as our Envoy has now gone to Constantinople,
do you think it would he best to wait till his return before completing the arrangement
toi yom residence here, and that of our representative at Calcutta/
I replied that the two matters were distinct: a treaty had been concluded, and His
xce ency e Viceioy had shown his approval of it by sending his ratification j it now
remaint or e Ameer to do the same. Such a document I had orders to receive, buttlie
ques ion o a esident was one for the two Governments to decide, and about which I had no
oi cr, m ac my instructions were to return to India after receiving the ratification when the
Vtnor u fTY 1 ™ replled: ‘Undoubtedly you would have to obey the orders of
^ ™ iat are n ow anxious to ascertain is, what course would be most agreeah
Z U ? y ’ h f J ; 0U Sh0uld 8ta y C” “S Resident, or that the return of
byud should be awaited. We look r • i . 7 . , ^
oi 1 , 1 , /’ .f r u .‘r r u J ou snouid stay on now as Resident, or that the return ol
SrtTZ f e Wc l0(,k t0 y° u as friend to let us know this. Our
object is to act as may be most pleasing to the English in this matter.,'
nhtni ninZ^rl/P^b 11 / aV f/ ed ^wing a re ply, saying that my orders only extender
his aDDmvu/of th 611 * f ‘'° m . tlle A ' neer > similarly to that in which His Excellency had espre
clZsatim, of P 1 ' 0 VI T S 0fthe Tre aty. The Dadkhwah made use throughout
conversation of many compliments and expressions of friendship.”