The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-12-14 00:00:00

Lord Cardwell followed, and the debate was closed by

Lord Beaconsfield who rose amid cheers, to reply on behalf
of the Government. He commenced by descanting upon the
inconvenience to this country of the present boundary of our
North-west Provinces. We had been in possession of it for
28 years, during which we had had 19 expeditions to control
the neighbouring inhabitants, in which we had employed
between fifty and sixty thousand men. If there had been
Viceroys who had not felt the inconvenience of such a bowl_
dary, those persons were not fit to be Viceroys,
Lord Napier of Magdala now thought a rectifica-
tion of that boundary to be absolutely necessary.
The noble earl was expressing his astonishment that Lord
Grey that evening should have described rectification of
frontier as "spoliation," when the noble lord and other
noble lords on the front Opposition bench cried "Hear,
hear." At this Lord Beaconsfield said, amid much
laughter, that he had expected that cheer, and was glad
of it. Between civilized nations of Europe there had
been numerous treaties for the rectification of fron-
tiers which certainly had conduced to peace. He had
not described rectification of the frontier as the
object of the war, but as a probable consequence
of the war. For defensive purposes there was the greatest
possible advantage on the side of a scientific frontier as
compared with a haphazard frontier. Things might have
continued to go on as they had gone on for years if it had
not been for the sudden appearance of Russia in the
vicinity of Afghanistan. He held that the preparations
made by Russia in Central Asia when it was supposed
that there was to be war between this country and
Russia were allowable. Explanations had since been given
by Russia on that point which he thought were a suffi-
cient answer; but after those things had occurred it
was impossible for us to go on in the old way. He regretted
that the debate had been rather a wrangle than a political
discussion. The question on which their lordships were
called on to decide was not merely one concerning Af-
ghanistan ; it was one affecting the prestige and influence
of England throughout Asia as well as in Europe; and he
hoped their lordships would condemn unequivocally by
their votes "a peace-at-any-price" policy which for a moment
had even dimmed the majesty of England.
Their Lordships then divided. The Lord Chancellor an-
ncunced the numbers to be :—Contents, 201; Not Contents,
05. Majority for the Government, 136.
The announcement of the numbers was received with loud
cheering, and their lordships adjourned at twenty mlnutes
to three o'clock.
In the HOUSE OF COMMONS, in answer to a question from
Mr. Cartwright, the Chancellor of the Exchequer said that
the Government had had before it many suggestions for
rendering financial assistance to Turkey, but hitherto none
of them had been of a practical character. They had
deputed a gentleman well versed in accounts to make
Inquiries into the real condition of Turish finance, and no
financial engagement would be entered into without the pre-
vious consent of Parliament. In answer to Mr. Fawcett
Mr. Stanhope stated that the increase in the Indian Army
sanction, d by the Council on Tuesday was 15,000 men, and
the monthly cost would be about £22,000. No proposal had
been received from India to increase the European forces,
but two battalions of infantry returning home had been re-
tained, and three batteries of garrison artillery had been
added to the establishment.

In answer to Serjeant Simon, the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer said the Government placed complete reliance on
the report of Mr. Consul General Fawcett on the Rhodope
Inquiry for reasons which would be stated it they found it
possible to propose any measure of relief.

the adjourned debate on the Afghan War was resumed
by
Lord J. Manners, who, premising that after Lord Harting.
tons speech on Thursday no question would be raised as to
the prosecution of the war, addressed himself to justify the
past conduct of the Government, and to a discussion of the
policy of the future to which Mr. Forster bad committed
the Opposition. Ile denied that the Government had
changed the ancient policy which was to establish on the
north-western frontier a strong, friendly, and independent
State; all that it had changed was the means. " Masterly
inactivity might have been sufficient ten or twenty
years ago, but the advance of Russia bad made it totally
Inapplicable. Lord Northbrook himself had contemplated
the necessity for a change at some future time, when the
Russians had occupied Merv; but the Government differed
from him, and held that immediate action was called for.
When it was proposed to the Ameer to receive a British
Envoy, it was not meant Ins hostile spirit, but it was intended
to cement an alliance with the Ameer, and the demands which
he made were to be granted on condition that he re-
ceived British agents. But when this was refused and
a Russian envoy was received at Cabul it was impossible to
rely on the old methods. Still, by sending Sir N. Camber-
lain they continued to follow a friendly course, and it was
not until his mission was repulsed with insult and violence
that they were compelled to go to war. But even before
resorting to the extreme course, he pointed out that
plenty of time was given to the Ameer to change
his mind. With regard to the future, the policy
of "masterly Inactivity" to which the Opposition wished
to return had proved barren and useless, and was
condemned by circumstances and by the greatest Indian
authorities. With regard to the intentions of the
Government for the future, the war must be prosecuted until
Shere All had made due submission, and the Government
would then be prepared to grant him terms as moderate as
was consistent with the security and peace of the Indian
Empire.
Mr. Gladstone, in reply to this last statement, asked,
amid much cheering from the Opposition, what was to be
done if the Ameer did not submit, but disappeared alto-
gether from the scene of our military operations. Proceed-
ing then to deal with the motion, he complained
warmly of the concealment habitually practised by the
present Government, and impeached the trustworthi-
ness of the documents laid before Parliament, which,
he said, contained gross misstatements showing unpre-
cedented recklessness and negligence. Especially he
dwelt on the inaccuracy of the Indian Government's
despatch of May 10, 1877, which he showed at much length
contained an inadequate and niisleading description of the
Ameer's grievances. He impugned also the accuracy of Sir
Lewis Folly's statements at the Peshawur Conference, and
in a minute history of these conferences—in which he said
the whole case was brought to a head—he contended that
when Lord Northbrook left India the Ameer was friendly
to us, and required nothing more from us than a con-
tinuance of the old policy and to be released from the
demand for British agents. The old policy, therefore had
succeeded in all its objects. But Lord Lytton had com-
menced a new policy, the first price of which was the present
war, and in enumerating the faults committed by the
Viceroy in his dealings with Afghanistan, he dwelt specially
on the occupation of Quetta, the revocation of all the pro-
mises which had been made to the Ameer by former Viceroys,
the refusal to allow him to sends new envoy down to Pesha-
wur, who would have made all the concessions required
from him, and the allegation of the Russian mission as a cause
of war after the Government had accepted the transparent
pretexts of Russia. Turning to the share of the Fore gn
Office in these transactions, he reproached it with weakness
and with having d Russia to establish a title to send a
mission of courtesy to Ca bul whenever it pleased. He denied
altogether that the mission was within the understanding with
the former Administration. On the contrary, it was a direct
violation of the agreement between Prince Gortchakoff and
Lord Clarendon. After pointing out in how many particu-
lars the history of the two Afghan wars had already repeated
Itself , and praying Heaven to avert the omee, Mr. Gladstone
concluded an eloquent peroration by appealing to the
future against whaf he anticipated would be the present de-
termination of the House, and even el the oounter, to accept
a share in the responsibitity of the war.
Sir R. Teel, after mamma,' on the 'violent language in
which the Exttativichad been aftanked in and out of the
• the war to tlie 1)11444*
sx,tt V.ltatb. Tilt 0411'01 01 Oa
- '.•- -a PirSi bilheik.

1..4-#5

:notion waste bring about a ehaage et policy in India and
to bring back to office the Ministers who were the calms
of the mischief. Affairs in Central Asia were not in the
same position as in 1873 because of the advance of
Russia, and that advance, he maintained, rendered necessary
a corresponding change in our policy. The difference be-
tween the present and the late Government lay in the dif-
ferent views they took of Russia, for white the late Go-
vernment made common cause with Russia the present
Government had always shown itself alive to the insidious
advances of Russia, and determined to protect the interests
of the empire against them.
Sir C. Dilke, in support of the Resolution, read numerous
extracts from the papers, contending that the Government
had misled Parliament and that we had acted as a bully
towards Afghanistan, and that if we had any cause of quarrel
it was against Russia.
Lord G. Hamilton replied on behalf of the Government;
and, on the motion of Mr. G. Duff, the debate was ad-
journed until Thursday. The House adjourned at twenty
minutes past twelve o'clock.

In the Housa or Common, Dec. 11, Mr. Itathbone
moved the second reading of the Disqualification by
Medical Relief Bill, which, after a short discussion, was
read a second time.

On the motion of Mr. Gregory, the select committees on
Land Tithes and Transfer were reappointed.

Leave was given for the introduction of the following bills,
which were brought up and read a first time :
Mr. MiLaren : Bill for the better auditing of the books and
accounts of the chartered and other Joint-stock banks in
Scotland.

Dr. Cameron: Bill to assimilate the law as to the dis-
charge of bankrupts in Fco tlan d to that of England.
- -

Mr. O'Sbaughnessy's Bill to enable persons about to marry
to make valid and binding agreements with regard to the
bringing up of their children.
The House then adjourned.