The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-09-16 00:00:00

AFGHAN WAR.

BOMBAY, TIBMUIDAT.—Mamy rumours are current
Upon the frontier as to what is passing In Cabal.
Among the natives there are persistent reports that 1
the Ameer is dead. Their accounts, however, differ
as to the mode of death Some reports lay that he
has been killed by the mutineen, others that he has
committed suicide. It is stated that serious riot' have
been going on in the city. The mutineers, with the town
rabble, racked the ballast!, and many peaceful
traders and citizens were killed. At Candahar the
eroatest activity prevalbi. The greater part of
ieneral Stewart's envision is again concentrated there,
and preparations are being made for an advance to
Khelist-i-Ohilmi. The trading population of the town
are delighted at our reMroLang .the general feeling is
excellent. The people of innaaher have long groaned
under the yoke of Cabul, and hope that the turn of
events may again make their city cttadlja of
Afghanistan. M have o°M° t°
from Canal urging a rising against the British on the
15th of thismooth. Therein no fear of • disturbances on a
large scale at Csedshar, though isolated outbursts of
religious fanaticism may take place. The interest centre*
upon the tonne which Gliusni and the Ghillais may
pursue. Ghuzni, always one of the most fanatical and
turbulent towns in Afghanistan, will probably go with
Cabot The Csmishar chiefs are of opinion that the
Heratee regiments which led the mutiny at Cabul
acted under the secret orders of Ayoob Khan, Gover-
nor of Herat, who • short time since wrote • violent
letter to the Ameer upbraiding him bitterly for making
peace with the English. He is known to be an
ambitious and unscrupulous man, and to be jealous of
his brother's supremacy.—The Bombay papers having
sent a remonstrance to the Government against the
edict forbidding any special correspondents to accom-
pany the army, the Government have replied :
Every non-combatant accompanying the force,
especially if an Englishman, lessens the power of
Government to provide food and carriage for the corn-
Intents. No Englishman can in Afghanistan provide
his own food and carriage. Circumstances in an
Afghan war are entirely different from those in •
European war. Moreover, Government would to
some extent be responsible for the personal safety of
non-combatants permitted to accompany the forces,
and the resources would so far be weakened. It is not
as if the question were of one or two men. Directly a
newspaper is allowed to send a special corres-
pondent many others demand • similar con-
cession, and it is impossible to draw a line."
Public opinion is in favour of special correspondents
being allowed to accompany the army. If • regulation
were made that no correepondents should be allowed to
go, unless provided with sufficient transport to be
altogether independent of the army, the number who
would go would not be large j but fair and open
narrative and criticism would be possible, which is
not the cam when officers act by permission. Besides,
these latter may be left behind on duty or killed in
action, and the newspaper they represent be left
without correspondents at critical point.. of the
campaign. As to personal safety, special correspon-
dent, can be trusted to take care of themselves. The
fact that General Roberta before showed himself so
sensitive to criticism explains fully the step taken.
BOMBAY. Reports ha ye reached Bombay from
kinoltan that Herat, Babskahan, and Balkh have all
revolted against the Ameer. The same reports state
that • holy War is being preached throughout the
whole of Afghanistan. Fanatics in all the cities are
exciting the population against the British. In
consequence of statements that the Cabal troops are
apprcacking the Shutargardan Paw, the summit of the
Pam was occupied by a British force yesterday.
A refugee connected with the British Embassy at
Cabul haa arrived at Karatiga. He says that the
attack began in the morning, and that the occupants
of the Residency kept up • fire until noon. He believes
that no other of the suite escaped.
A forward movement of the mutineers is rumoured.
Bitter hostility to the British exists all round
Herat.

--"hi -cavalry under General Blaney are advancing
rapidly.
eseengers arriving report the Ameer to be ex•
tremely nervous. They further state that the whole
country is greatly excited. The fear is expressed that
the Ameer may be for into • hostile position; but
the orders are to occupy Cabal with or without his
consent.

-7171;;"-follovring has been issued from the India
-
office
"From VICEROY, lath September.
" Shatargardan was occupied without opposition by
General ?daisy on Thursday evening."

Dugrria's ntutaamiel
SIMLA, SAniumr.—lmmediately the occupation of
Shuts.rgardan had been effected, the laying of the tele-
graph from thence to Ali Khel was commenced, and
is being expeditiously pushed forward.
A body of the mutinous Afghan troops have gone to
Zurmat, a district to the east of Ohusnee, hoping to
incite the tribes in that locality to attack the flank of
the British troops in the Shutargardan Pam. Although
the mutineers have declared their desire to fight the
British forces, they are wholly unorganised and without
leaders.

TlTJAmeer haw addressed a letter to the Indian
Government under date of the 4th inst., written after
the outbreak, in which he gives assurances of his true
friendship and of the sincerity of his intention towards
the Government.

-6-1,-; en-1
R45-3;ta hag been instructed to call upon the
Ameer to prove the earnestness of his protestations in
the recent circumstances by sending a deputation of
confidential representatives invested with full power to
communicate with General Roberts.

SUNTIA T. —The N swab Gholam Hussein Khan has
arrived at Shutargardan Pass. The Kojach tribes show
a friendly disposition, resolving to serve the English.
The Khan of Khelat has placed the resources of his
country at our disposal. The Ali Ithel tribes are
assisting the British troops. General Roberts hopes to
make terms with the neighlieering tribes and secure the
safety of the road through the Shutargardan Pass. The
presence of the British troops in strength in the Shutar-
gardanPass is believed likely to win over the tribes
rt. No symptoms of tribes in Kurum and Khyber
districts adopting a hostile attitude.
All reports point to Ayoob Khan as the prixne mover
in the affair. The native Governor of Candahar has
expressed to General Stewart his horror at the perfidy
and treachery of the maaaacre at Cebu'. The
Mahometan ltarnazsn ends on the lbth, and an out-
break of fanaticism may be expected on that day.
Csindahar is perfectly quiet, and if the Pith passes off
without disturbance, all will probably go well there.
The cholera in Southern Afghanistan has now dis-
appeared. Cold weather has set in, and the troops are
in excellent health and spirits, and eager for the
advance. The Khyber column will be of greater
strength than was anticipated, and will push forward
through the Jugdullah Pass to Cebu!. It
cannot arrrive in Cabul in time to take
part in the capture of that Owe ; but it will hold the
line of route between Peshawur and Csibul. Major-
Generd Bright will have six thousand men under his
orders, in addition to a reserve of five thousand men at
Peshawur.

- The until the arrival of British troops in
Cabul, may be forced to do whatever the leading
spirits of the fanatics who attacked the Embassy chow
to dictate. His messenger brought to the English
outposts no written letter, it seems, but a verbal com-
munication, which was full of the vaguest possible
excuses and unsatisfactory explanations. By some the
alienation of the Ameer is considered hardly doubtful.
Everywhere the hill tribes are excited ;the attitude
of the Momunda is even said to be unfriendly. The
Government is accordingly vigorously eparing for all
emergencies, and the assembly of the Khyber force is
ordered.

As regards the official contradiction of the diary
which appeared in the Civil so-vice and ilitirary
Gaxtre, the editor is sure that his information was
Indisputably authentic, and that his own correepon-
dent with the Embassy, as early as the tat inst., sent
him word to say that the position of the English
Embassy in the Afghan capital was precarious.
Sernaosr.--General Roberta has telegraphed for
reinforcement& He requires four additional regiment..
His present force IA 6,500 men.
The military authorities have decided to increase
both the Kura.m and Khyber columns to 12,000 men
each.

It bee been decided that there is no possibility of a
sudden dash on Cabul. Consequently that PelieY,
which was at first thought Neale, has been aban-
doned.
Ornnos. The gist of those articles
published Friday on the Cabul massacre is that Lord
Beaconsfield makes England pay dearly for the goryl
of having such an accomplished novel writer at the
head of- her Government. A French senator this
evening, in discussing the policy of the Tory Govern-
ment, said—" I suppose when political rights are
extended to ladies you will have a 'Miss Braddon'
and a ' ()nide'
Irettan Orunox.—Friday's Diritto es : "S..
where Lord B•soossfield's policy has landed us I For
the Cabal mannese is not the only fact which now
disquiets all Europe." And the Ministerial journal
to tram in the growing enmities; between the
gtrelerPowers the consequences of the action of the
English Government these last four years. "These
consequences," it concludes, " which have jeopardised
the general peace and prepared the ground for
future conflicts, have strengthened the desire
throughout Europe that the direction of England's
policy
"should return into the hands of the Liberal
WAY.
Roman Oponote.—The Onto' maintains the opinion
that the annexation of Afghanistan is inevitable, not-
withstanding that public opinion in England may be
hostile. In the absence of the Court and all the
Principal ministers it is difficult to ascertain in what
t such annexation would be regarded here, and
w it would be deemed a reason for retaining the
peessedon ef Mary when it is taken. In some quarters
apprebenskos are entertained that complications may
be anticipated from such a contingency, and these are
reflected in commercial quarters and on foreign
'changes, where downward tendencies have prevailed
this week