"ملخص لمراسلات، إلخ، تتعلق بشؤون آسيا الوسطى، بلوشستان، بلاد فارس، إلخ، ١٨٧٥-١٨٧٧. مع ملاحق." [ظ‎‎١‎٨‎٢] (٥٦٢/٣٦٩)

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“ Yesterday a murasila from the Russian Governor in Turkistan was received by the
Amir in answer to His Highness’ communication mentioned in my petition of 18th May
1872. I append the original murasila to this letter. The Cabul Government will then send
an answer to it, when it has been perused by the British Government and returned with an
accurate translation into Persian. In the meantime, His Highness the Amir has read the
murasila, and caused a copy to be taken of it, which he has sent to Naib Mahomed Alum
Khan, ruler of Turkistan, with strict injunctions to keep a good look-out along his frontier, and
take the greatest care in managing all affairs along the Bokhara border, so as not to give an
opening for any ground of complaint on the part of any foreign State. His Highness in private
said that he gathered from this murasila that it was the wish of the Russian authorities to
establish a regular and frequent correspondence with the Cabul Government. What demands
careful thought in their inconsiderate language is, that notwithstanding that the Russian Gov
ernment must have thoroughly apprehended and been convinced that the weal or woe of the
Afghan State is entirely bound up in and associated with that of the British Government, still,
when writing about boundaries, they make use of this unguarded expression which may indicate,
God knows, what intentions in their minds, viz., c for as much as the slightest alteration in
intention leads to displeasure between parties, it destroys entirely the harmony which may
exist between them/ ”
Further, when the Governor of Turkistan writes in his letter that the instructions of his
sovereign are to avoid all interference with or annoyance to his neighbours, it is a cause of
astonishment that the Russian interpretation of harmony with neighbours is a strange one, for
in but a few years they have extended their possessions from the foot of the throne of Russia
to the borders of Bokhara, and now style the Afghan State their neighbours, oblivious of the
fact that Bokhara and Khiva intervene.
“ If [which may God forefendj the country of Bokhara and Khiva becomes theirs, and
their frontier is extended without the intervention of any buffer {pardah) to the limits of
Afghanistan, which may, indeed, be truly styled the frontier of Hindustan, God only knows
w 7 hat line of policy or demeanour they will adopt towards Afghanistan, and what troubles may
be in store for the Afghan and English Governments.
“ O n these considerations, he was induced to hope that when the British Government has
read and understood the drift of this murasila, they may bestow even more serious attention
than they have hitherto done on the establishment and maintenance of the boundaries of
Afghanistan.”
The importance of the case was not overlooked in this department, as will appear from
the following note by the Foreign Secretary, dated 6th August 1872 :—
“ First. As to the answer to be sent to the Amir. It would, I think, be best to advise
the Amir simply to acknowledge its receipt, to thank him (General Yon Kauffmann) for his
friendly sentiments, to say that the Amir has already fully explained the peaceful
policy to which he means to adhere, and that he confidently looks to General Von Kauffman
for the maintenance of the same friendly relations on his part, and for the fulfilment of the
repeated assurances given by His Imperial Majesty the Czar and the high officers of the
Russian Government to the British Government in regard to Afghanistan.
Secondly. As to the anxieties which the Amir feels, it would be well to inform him
* See Section L of this note. that since the date of the Viceroy’s letter* of 24th June
1870, His Excellency in Council has no reason to believe that
any change has taken place in the views and policy of the Russian Government, and that His
Excellency in Council confidently believes that the assurances given by the Russian Govern-
ment’ of which the Amir was informed in that letter, will be strictly and faithfully
adhered to. > j
“ It is a delicate matter to meddle with, hut if General Kauffmann could he got to stop the
correspondence of which he is so fond, it would he a satisfactory thing. The Amir is evidently
alarmed about it, and is afraid of committing himself.”
a + s su g‘8‘ es ti° ns were generally approved by Lord Northbrook, and a khureeta,
dated 7th September 1872, was sent to the Amir in the terms proposed. The correspondence
was aiso reported to the Secretary of State in despatch No. 65, dated 9th September 1872;
mt rough attention was drawn to the expediency of settling the Afghan boundary question,
no remarks were offered as to the propriety of putting a stop to General Kauffmann’s letters.
Befoie the Viceroy s khureeta of 7th September 1872 was written, the Cabul Agent h
t Dated, respectively, 7th and 9th despatched two more letters from the Russian Governor-G
“ Jummadipo-Sanee,” 1289 H., corre- neral f—(1) to the Amir (21 to Naib Mahomed Alu
spending with 13th and 15th Aua-ust n V 12 -n 11 , 'At • > T ° , 1D • LVianome . a
1872. g Governor of Balkh. Neither of these letters contained ar
armrphpncirmc n i i ^ further than general expressions of amity, but t
conference will show •-! U ^ overnmerit were Ilot allayed as the following report of the privi