The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-18 00:00:00

THE AFGHAN FRONTIER QUESTION

AND THE RUSSIAN HOSTILITIES.
The news which somewhat startled England and
Europe towards the end of last week, that Russia
had been guilty of diplomatic treachery, and had
commenced hostilities by attacking and massacring
the Afghans, who are the allies of England, makes it
of interest to readers who would grasp the actual
situation from its commencement, that we should give
a brief retrospect of affairs and a resume of events
which so far have culminated in the very strained
relations between England and Russia. The follow-
ing may be taken as a succinct bird's-eye view of the
successive stages of the Russian advance across Central
Asia to the boundaries of Afghanistan, and also an
epitome of later events to Saturday, April 11th. It
is well known, and has been manifest to all who
have carefully watched Russian diplomacy, that there
are two Russian movements in the direction of India.
Immediately after the Crimean war the tide of
Russian expansion summarily checked towards the
south sought a new outlet towards the east. From
Orenburg the new movement spread over the
Kirghiz tribes, and engulphed one after the other the
Khanates of Khokand, Bokhara, and Khiva. It had
for its objective Cabul. Shortly before the last
Turkish war this line of advance was abandoned.
General Skobeleff saw clearly enough that if Russia
were ever to win Constantinople and hold the
Bosphorus it would be necessary first to ensure the
neutrality of England. In order to achieve this
object he advocated an immediate advance from the
Caspian towards the Afghan frontier, saying that
once the Russians threatened India, England would
be only too glad to leave the Turks to their fate.
Accordingly the Trans-Caucasian railway was hurried
to completion, and scarcely had the Russians in 1879
reached the west shore of the Caspian than arrange-
ments were made to complete a sort of ferry across
that huge inland sea from Baku on the west
to Michailovsk on the eastern shore. From
Michailovsk eastward lies one hundred and fifty
miles of desert, and this the Russians imme-
diately bridged by a railway to Kizil Arvat. Within
the last few months this line has been considerably
extended, and now, probably, reaches nearly to
Askabad. From Askabad the Russians went due east-
ward about 240 miles to Merv, which they captured
by a coup de main in March, 1884. In June, 1884,
the Afghans answered this threat by fortifying them-
selves at Penj-deh. Straightway the Russians re-
torted by crossing the desert from Mery to Sarakhs,
thus moving south-west towards Herat. The Eng-
lish Government now thought it well to remon-
strate. The Russians abounded in smooth assurances
of friendship, and so negotiations for a delimitation
committee were set on foot. In July the appoint-
ment of Sir Peter Lumsden as our Commissioner was
gazetted. He left London in September with a suit-
able retinue. His party is now composed as follow:
Staff-Captain Barrow, 11th Native Infantry, Aide-de-
Camp ; Mr. A. Condy Stephen, second secretary
British Legation, Teheran; Lieutenant-Colonel G.
Ridgeway, Colonel C. E. Stewart, Captain W. Pea-
cock, RE., Captain E. L. Durand, Captain C. E.
Yate, Bombay Staff Corps, Captain F. de Lassoe,
Major Rind; Surgeon C. W. Owen, Mr. W. Merk,
of the Punjaub, Dr. Scully, Mr. G. Griesback, and
Dr. Aitchison. The forces under General
Lumsden comprise 200 men of Probyn's Horse, the
11th Bengal Lancers, and 200 infantry, Punjaub
Infantry 20th Regiment. Immediately after Sir
Peter Lumsden's arrived, and there was an appear-
ance of actual steps being taken to settle pacifically
the frontier question. Russia was to the fore with
excuses for delay. Meanwhile, when, as some
authorities assert, we should have instigated the
Afghans to occupy Ak Robat, Zulfikar, and Pul-i-
Katon, the Russians stealthily did it themselves.
The English Government thereupon, in February,
demanded the retirement of the Russians, but dis-
covering that these points were within the debateable
land covered by Sir Peter Lumsden's instructions, the
demand was not insisted upon. Now Penj-deh was
the only point of all other places that could possibly
be allotted to Afghanistan by the Joint Commission,
which, as one writer says, the Russians had not
"fraudulently and violently seized." It was at this
stage that Lord Granville sent his dispatch, dated
March 16. The Russian Government, before reply-
ing formally to that dispatch, sought the opinions
of their military chiefs, and in particular that
of General Komaroff, the Commander-in-Chief
of the Russian forces in the Mery district and in the
debateable frontier territory. That officer strongly
advised his Government to make no arrangement
which would formally recognise Penj.dels as in Afghan
territory, as the possession of the place was indispen-
sable to the successful completion of the Russian
plans. In this advice General Kornaroff was sep-
ported by the whole influence of the powerful military
party, it being implicitly believed that if Russia
entered upon the boundary delimitations with their
hold upon Pedj-deh a fait accompli they would
have little difficulty in retaining possession of that SPEED OF ENGLISH AND AMERICAN
important position. Eventually, M. de Giers,
judg-
ment, was obliged to compromise, and at TRAINS.
it fis said, against his own better judg- .
A well-informed correspondent, says the Pall Mall
General Komaroff's suggestion reserved liberty Gazette, sends us the following to correct what he
of action to the Russian forces in the event calls the misleading statements of Mr. Bigelow on the
of an extraordinary occurrence, such as an out-
speed of English and American railways published in
break among the Sank Turcomans at Penj-deh.
the Pall Mall Gazette a short time ago :—Your cor-
General Kornaroff then proceeded deliberately to respondent.says "the run from New York to Albany
foment the very disturbances which he had professed is 149 miles in 31 hours.' Remarking that the
to fear. Sank Turcomans, in the pay of Russia. distance is only 142 miles, we find that only one train
were sent to Penj-deh and the neighbourhocd, but daily performs the journey in 33- hours, and this is
the Chicago special, of which more anon. From
Newponrelyss , Yorkgiwithve themtoa nAolbnaen way
averageatherey ti
nim eea areefdtohhf t2lie9e case—all4vH2ne . trains dail y I
owing to the vigilance of the Afghan garrison these
ms
ppcalledandearr nearlyeh 04t ox -
his emissaries met with such a small amount of success
that General Komaroff was compelled, much against
wholelin
hi n u
ttr:awse,
akya and
follows
s utarhlneme
course
e ddoefoa
his will, to resort to more open means of provocation.
Small bodies of Russian troops were ostentatiously
e "Great Northern," London
paraded under the very noses of the Afghan outposts
at various points, and every endeavour was made to
Sheffield, an
induce the Afghans to believe that they might attack with the
these parties with impunity. Finally, General infinitely harder course; 9 trains .in 3 hours 39
Komaroff, feigning ignorance of the arrangement in minutes-162 miles and an average journey speed of
virtue of which both sides were to remain in their 44 1-3 miles per hour --the fastest does the journey
existing positions, moved his forces near the Kushk in 3 hours 23 minutes, and last summer did
it'3 hours 12 minute '
River, in a southerly direction, menacing a flank s, a journey speed of over 50
attack upon the Afghan positions defending Penj-deh.h
miles
an our. Next NT! York to Boston may fairly
Naturally, the Afghans thereupon made some slight be compared with the accommodation between.
presses from London to Manchester, all trains with
changes in the disposition of their forces, but nothing London and Manchester. Mr. Foxwell gives 20 ex-
l3ll.tdomosucoir
lnoes
more. It is understood that in doing so they acted P
under the direct advice of Colonel Ridgway, who, third-class carriages, with an average journey speed
with Captain Yates, has been at Penj-deh since the of nearly 41 miles. The fastest last year, the Great
beginning of the present year for the very purpose of Northern expresses, 203 miles in 4 hours 15 min., or
advising the Ameer's officers in case of emergency. a journey speed of 471 miles. The two lines running
The Afghan move—the direct result of the Russian directly between New York and Boston give only
breach of faith, and absolutely necessary in conse-
eight trains daily, marked express, distance
quence thereof—was sufficient for General Komaroff's 233 miles, and a very much easier
purpose. On the 28th the Russian troops tried to course than the Great Northern, average time
bring about an engagement, but failed, as the 7 hours 16 min., giving a journey speed of only 322.3
Afghans made no response. On the following miles. The fastest, a train limited to Pullman cars,
day there were several skirmishes brought would not be called an express at all in England, its
about by the tactics of the Russian outposts. speed being 381 miles. New York to Pittsburg may
On Monaay, March 30, General Komaroff suddenly be compared with London to Glasgow. The former
attacked the Afghan positions in full force, with the route has 5 trains daily marked express (one of them
result that is known. Colonel Ridgway and Captain the Chicago Limited), distance 444 miles, average
Yates, who had witnessed the battle from beginning time 14 hours 49 minutes, speed just under 30 miles
to end, but took no part in it, accompanied the A.fghans an hour. Fastest 12 hours, journey speed 37 miles.
for a part of the way, and then started for Gulran, London to Glasgow, 13 expresses—distance 401 to
which they reached three days later. They corn- 440 miles, average speed of all 381 miles, and all but
o
municated what they had seen to Sir Peter Lumsden, one have third-class carriages. Fastest, which may
who at once forwarded the substance of their report be called alimited train, east coast express, 440 miles
to the Indian and Imperial Governments. With the in 10 hours 20 minutes, a journey speed of 42.5 miles.
massacre and bloodshed everyone was made ac- A word as to the two Chicago specials run as limited
quainted last week, but unaccompanied by anything trains, and by which a large extra fare is charged.
like a desirable narrative of the position. The great I asked a " railroad " agent in the States
fact of the moment then, as the Daily Chronicle puts what their speed was, and he • replied,
it, is this: "By force or fraud Russia has seized every '5O miles an hour right through." Mr. Bigelow
point in northers' Afghanistan that enables her to says they run from New York to Chicago in 24 hours,
effectively menace India, and until she is pushed back both of them really taking 26i hours. One is run by
from each one of these points, it is the veriest bur- the Pennsylvania Company, and has a distance of 912
lesque of diplomacy to negotiate as to the disposal of miles to travel; the other by the New York Central,
them." Upon this, Englishmen, irrespective of party, and about 977 miles, giving speeds of 34.4 and 30.8
are agreed, and though the circumlocutory process of miles per hour. These trains are only for those who
"waiting for explanations" has to be patiently gone can afford to pay a high fare, and for accommodation
through, yet the Press is unanimous that "atonement to the general public compare badly with the third.
must be made for the outrage at Penj-deh," and class trains to Glasgow; the American with a daily
though the demand for that atonement may be de- distance of nearly 1900 miles al:, a speed of 355 miles,
ferred for some days, it must not be renounced. the English trains running upwards of 5000 miles at
an average speed of nearly 39 miles. As might be
ARREST OF AYOUB KHAN. expected, the fastest travelling in America is between
On Saturday Ayoub Khan was arrested at Teheran the two largest towns, New York and Philadelphia;
and removed to the Citadel, in consequence of the taking all trains both ways that make the journey at
discovery of correspondence relating to arrangements over 40 miles an hour, I find there are 14 by
for his intended escape. The Persian authorities took the Pennsylvania, with an average speed of
possession of his house. Ayoub Khan is a brother of 42 9-10 miles, and' six by the Bound Brook route,
Yakoub Khan, who succeeded Shore Ali as Ameer of with an average of 424 miles. Between Liverpool and
Afghanistan. Ayoub was at that time Governor of Manchester, much smaller towns, there are 52
Herat, and was known for his intense hostility to the trains daily at a greater speed, 32 by the Man-
English. On the abdication of Yakoub in 1879, after chester, Sheffield, and Lincoln Company, four aye-
the massacre of Sir Louis Cavagnari at Cabul, and raging 511-3 miles, and 28 45 2-3 miles, and 20 by
the installation of the present Ameer, Abdur Rahman the London and North-Western at a speed of 45
Khan, Ayoub, who aspired to the Ameership, marched miles. For the above comparisons every train in
against Candahar with a large force. General America that has a speed of over 40 miles an hour
Burrows, went to oppose him, but was deserted by for any part of its course has been used; but although
part of his troops (Candaharis), who went over to the result is so very much in favour of the speed of
Ayoub, and he suffered a disastrons defeatat Maiwand, English trains, not one-half of the latter have been
and was compelled to fall back on Candahar, which brought into requisition. The fact is, the Americans
was thereupon invested by Ayoub in July, do not know how slow their trains are, and it is quite
1880. Sir Frederick Roberts then under- time the idea that their "lightning expresses" and
took his famous march and completely "thunderbolt trains" eclipse everything else in the
routed Ayoub at Mazra in September. This world was exploded. Compared with the best trains
defeat resulted in the secure establishment of Abdur in America, the English ones exceed them in speed
Rahman as Ameer of Afghanistan. After his defeat, quite 25 per cent., and if one goes for instances to
Ayoub Khan returned to Herat. Owing to his seven- anywhere more than 500 miles from New York, the
ties and exactions, popular feeling was stirred up comparison becomes absurd.
against him, and eventually Herat was retaken from -------
him by Abdul Kudus, and he himself fled into Persia
on Monday Sir Hardinge Giffard, addressing a
with a small following. Subsequently reports of an political meeting at Tavistock, said the question of the
advance by Ayoub on Herat from the Persian side
were rife; but in reality Ayoub was under more or hour was peace or war, and if the Government exhibited
vacillating spirit as in 1.354 we should most
less strict surveillance from the Persian authori- certainly drift ta a The actions of her Majesty's
ties either at Teheran or Meshed. He has been present Government had been most disastrous to the
permitted to move freely about the frontier, and is nation, and had considerably weakened her in the eyes
said to have been in communication with the Russians of Continental Powers. The condition of the agricul-
in their advanced outposts in Turkestan. Latterly he tural, mining, and all industries was most serious, and
has been more strictly guarded, his place of residence required a careful, searching inquiry. The meeting was
having been fixed by the Shah. noisy throughout, and the vote of confidence was lost
GENERAL KOMAROFF'S EXPLANATION, by an overwhelming majority. Before the Newport, 1.W., Borough Bench, on Mon
The St. Petersburg correspondent of the Time,,, day, Barnabas and Betsy Urry were summoned for
telegraphing on Sunday, April 12, says: A supple- wilfully obstructing two of her Majesty's Commismentary telegram from General Komaroff appears sinners in Lunacy, who had been authorised by the
here to-day, dated the 10th inst., from Askabad. Lord Chancellor to visit and examine Miss Janet
giving explanation of the fight on the Kushk river on Augusta Porter, represented to be a lunatic, and resid-
the 30th ult. The telegram, is addressed to the ing with the defendants. The Commissioners tried to
obtain admission on two successive days, but were
Minister of War, and is as follows: refused. Between their first and second visits Miss
"On the 25th of March our detachment up- Porter was clandestinely removed. The male defends
proacbed Dash-Kepri. On our side of the river Kushk, ant was fined in the mitigated penalty of £2 and costs,
close to the bridge, I found an entrtseechment occupied and the magistrates dismissed the charge agitinst Mrs.
by Afghans, In order to avoid a conflict 1 disposed my Eau.

In a separate article, however, the Trines thus
referred on Monday to the above information:
General Komaroff's explanation of the action on the
Kushk river will be scanned w:th the keenest interest
and criticised with the closest attention. The Russian
officer's account is not very clear in its details, but in
some of the principal points it cannot be reconciled
with Captain Yate's narrative as given in the House
of Commons by Mr. Gladstone. One or other of
these descriptions must be inaccurate or false in
its account of the incidents which happened at
the Pul-i-Khisti bridge on the 30th of March and
during the previous week; and it is only natural
that we should prefer to place our trust in the
statements of Captain Yate, who can have no
possible motive for misrepresenting what occurred
under his eyes. General Komaroff will find it ex-
ceedingly difficult to persuade us that the Afghans
made any offensive movements upon a position three
miles from Pul-i-Khisit and held by Russian troops.
Captain Yate's Version is very different. He declares
that "the Russians were drawn up in force almost
within range of the Afghan position, though the
Afghans had neither attacked nor advanced, and
Penj-deh was perfectly quiet" (the movement referred
to in the second communication was not, in General
Lumsden's opinion, an advance) ; "that every endea-
vour was being made by the Russians to induce the
Afghans to begin the fight; that no such agreement
as that of the 17th had been received; and finally that
no assurance would be given that the Afghans would
not be attacked without notice." How is General
Komaroff's explanation to be reconciled with these
explicit statements? General Komaroff is silent as
to his negotiations with the English officer, but his
admissions are sufficient to corroborate the principal
statements contained in General Lumsden's telegram.
These were that the Russian officer ignored the
agreement of March 17, and that the Russians
attacked the Afghans. General Komaroff has failed
to give a satisfactory explanation of his attack on
Pul-i-Khisti just as completely as the Russian
Government have failed to give a just reason for the
presence of their troops within the debateable terri-
tory.
THE VICEROY AND THE AMEER.

Telegrams from Rawul Pindi on Sunday, April 12,
were as follows: The Viceroy bade farewell yester-
day to the Ameer, who left here this morning, being
escorted to the railway station by the Foreign Secre-
tary and Lord Dufferin's private secretary. Troops
lined the route to the station. Addressing the officers
assembled on the platform, his Highness wished
them all good-bye and entrusted them to God's keep-
ing. He added that the greatest pleasure of his visit
was in seeing the army, and expressed the confident
hope that the friendship between India and Afghan-
istan would continue until the end.

Tuesday's information from Teheran states that
none of the Englishmen who are with Sir P. Lumsden
lost their lives in the snowstorm by which they were
overtaken when travelling last week, but seventeen
camp followers and fifty transport animals perished.
The Russian authorities are exerting themselves to
procure the release of .Ayoub Khan, who is closely
confined in the citadel of Teheran.

A reconnaissance has been made to Otao, eight
miles beyond Handoub, and an abundant supply of
water has been found. A special correspondent at
Soua,kim, telegraphing on Wednesday, says that the
advance on Otao was to be made on Thursday, and
on Friday to be continued seven miles further to
Tambouk Wells.