The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-09-13 00:00:00

"(From Viceroy, September 7, 1879)

"No fresh news from Cabul. Yesterday's report from
All-khel states that Shutargardan and country beyond is
quiet and road open."

The British Mission in Afganistan consisted of Sir L.
Cavagnari, Envoy ; Mr. Jenkyns, Secretary; Dr. Kelley, in
medical charge; and Lieutenant Hamilton, in command of
the escort, composed of 26 cavalry and 50 infantry of the
Corps of Guides.—The Times.

Lady Cavagnari arrived at North Berwick on Friday in
last week, anti while there on Sunday she received from the
Viceroy, through the India Office, a telegram intimating the
death of her husband and expressing the intense grief felt
by himself and throughout India at the sad event. On
Monday afternoon Lady Cavagnari arrived at Parson's-
green, near Edinburgh, the residence of Mr. David Nicolsen.
The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, in obedience to the Queen's
commands, communicated by the Home Secretary, called in
the afternoon to make laquiries, as from Her Majesty, with
every expression of sympathy. It is understood that Lady
CAvaiznari will as soon as she is able proceed to Ireland.-
The Daily Telegraph of Tuesday says that the following are
the terms of the Viceroy's telegram to Lady Cavagnarl,
apprising her of the death of her husband It
is with unspeakable sorrow that I convey to you the
intelligence of the death of your noble husband, who has
perished in heroically defending the British Embassy at
Cabul against fearful numbers. Words cannot express the
depth of my sympathy with your bereavement, nor my grief
for the loss of my beloved friend, or my sense of the irre-
parable calamity sustained by his country. Every English
heart in India feels for you."

The Special Correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, tele-
graphing on Tuesday from Simla, states that ior the two
preceding days all communication with the city of Cabul
had been cut off. The latest reports brought to All Kheyl
represented the disposition of the Ghilzals and other out-
lying tribes as good.

Absolute devotion to the British Government has been
expressed by the Governor of Candahar, who has offered to
raise a contingent of troops among the Doranis.

The Cahn, massacre is commented on in a becoming spirit
by the French Press, which also points out the difficulties as
to the ultimate relations of India with Afghanistan. The
Tempt says :—"The misfortune which has just befallen Eng-
land obliges her now to undertake a war which this time will
extend to Cabul and perhaps beyond. Even when this war,
which, perhaps, will be long and painful, is happily termi-
nated, the British Government will not know what fruits to
derive from its victory. It cannot revert to the policy
laid down in the Gandamak Treaty after the defeat under-
gone by that policy. There can no loLger be a question of a
kind of diplomatic vassalage of Afghanistan, and one of
three things will have to be chosen—annexation, complete
vassalage guaranteed by a military occnpation, or abandon-
ment of Afghanistan to itself, with strong occupation of the
"scientific frontier" of British India on the North-West."

The Debats, remarking on the objections of The Times to
annexation, says :—" We can well understand that England
has no desire to rush into an adventure the perils of which
are manifest, but the advantages of which are less so. If,
however, she does not annex Afghanistan, what will she
do? It is now seen how her agents are treated and the
Sovereigns who are to be her more or less disguised vassals.
She cannot, therefore, continue to use the method which
when scarcely tried has produced such sanguinary results.
If she abandons direct action by the presence of an
English Resident at Cabul, her influence will pro-
bably not survive what will be regarded as an enforced
retreat. Will she be content with retaining and strongly
occupying the passes of her North-West frontier? It would
assuredly have been more prudent to have been satisfied
with deriving this already considerable advantage from the
war. But what would have been politic and adequate three
months ago is no longer so. The question is really very
delicate. The necessPy of inflicting exemplary chastisement
on M,j4r Cavagnari's assassins is the first neces?ity, for with-
out signal reparation England's prestige and influence would
be for ever forfeited in those countries where force alone
commands respect; but the real difficulties will arise after-
wards, when means will have to be found of imposing English
influence on the Afghans without the obligation of occupying
their territory. This problem, which could not be solved in
1814, and which it is now too evident was not solved by the
Treaty of Gandamak, will still, doubtless, long perplex
English statesmen."

The St. Pateriburg Gazette, in an article on Tuesday even-
ing on the recent events in Afghanistan, says :—" The
massacre of the English mission in Cabul obliterates the
scientific fruntibr and necesaitatea the occupation of the
whole of Afghanistan by British troops; but this is incom-
patible witn England's assurance to the St. Petersburg
Cabinet, with whom there must be an understanding regard-
ing England's measures of satisfaction, an understand.
tag which may finally put an end to the independence of
Afghanistan. The impossibility of England's predominating
by peaceful means affords an opportunity ior a direct
junction of English and Russian dominions in Central Asia
by dividing Afghanistan between the two Powers, thus de-
stroying, by mutual arrangement, the present intermediate
zone, the cause of continual trouble between the two
countries."

The fallowing despatch from the Viceroy of India, dated
gl n ga
n, from
w ho Connolly,
says
h e
the 9th inst., has been sent to the papers for publication :
Alicorstealn' isited the Envoy,
AFonlloAwfh 9lll.
confirms previous accounts, highly extols the stubbornness
of defence and gallantry of the British officers, upbraids
the cruelty and cowardice of the Cabulese in murdering
guests and strangers. Says there were twelve regiments
implicated that first a gateway leading into the Resi-
dency court-yard was burst open, and there such a resolute
stand made with rifle, sword, and bayonet, that the ass M-
anta were checked, but they set fire to the house, and the
defenders, charging out sword in hand, were all slain, and
the place completely wrecked Llss of Cabulese, including
some city people, stated at 210, may be read 410. A guard
out with grasscutters, escaped, not known
of Guide Cavalry,
where.
" Ameer, terribly perplexed and confused at the reproach
$3 his name, is in privacy with a few faithful sirdars, and is
sure to come personally to apologize to the Government, as
the regiments bad got beyond hie control. NaWsb Gholam

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