The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-19 00:00:00

THE INTERCEPTED MISSION TO
SHERE ALI.

Further particulars of an interesting character have been
recently published of the now historical interview between
Major Cavagnari and the Ameer's Commandant at All
Musjid, saps the Correspondent of The Times in a letter
under date Darjeeling, Oct. 13:—

"On the memorable 21st of September, 1878, the
Mission started at one o'clock a.m. from Peshawur
for Jururood, a picturesque fort lying just within
British territory and held for us by the chief of a
village in the neighbouring plain. Our cAmp was
pitched to the east of the fort. The total number
accompanying the Mission amounted to not quite
1,000, of whom 11 were British officers four Native
gentlemen, and 234 fighting men. The rest were
camp followers. The carriage consisted of 315 camels,
250 mulep, and 40 horses. The whole formed a cortege
considerably over a mile in length. Conflicting
repo: ts had reached Peshawur as to the intentions of
the Ameer. It was known that the Mir Akhor,
or Master of the Horse of the Ameer, was present
at Ali Musjid, and as he was known to be pos-
sessed with a fanatical hatred of the English, it was
deemed unwise to send the whole convoy into the pass
until accurate information should have been obtained
38 to the intentions of the Commandant. Major
Cavagnari was, therefore, directed to lido forward,
taking with him a small escort of the Guides and the
head man of our own frontier villages and of the
friendly Khyberees. Directly they were perceived,
the fort walls were manned, and shortly afterwards a
number of troops lined the opposite ridge. After con-
siderable delay a messenger arrived and announced that
the Commandant would come out to meet Major
Cavagnari and three others at a spot indicated by the
side of the stream, half way between the two ridges. -
"Shortly afterwards he was seen approaching, and
Major Cavagnari, taking with him the Commandant
of the Guides and two of his escort, and accompanied
by the head man of the tribes, went forward to meet
Faiz Mahomed, the rest of the escort remaining on
the ridge. On his way, the chief of one of the other
Khyber tribes friendly to the Ameer attempted to
stop him, on the plea that he was accompanied by
more than the stipulated number. Major Cavagnari,
however, put him aside, saying that he had come to
talk not with him but with the Ameer's officers. On
meeting Faiz Mahomed, Major Cavagnari shook hands
with him, and the two parties sat down, surrounded
by a couple of hundred of Faiz Mahomed's soldiers.
The conversation, after the usual friendly greetings,
was opened by Major Cavagnari, who said that both
he and the Commandant were equally servants of
their respective Governments, and, therefore, only
carrying out their orders. There was, therefore, no
necessity for the discussion being carried on in any but
a friendly spirit; that he, Faiz Mahomed, must be
aware of the intended advance of the Mission, and
that Sir Neville Chamberlain had sent him on to
ascertain from his own lips whether he had received
orders relative to the reception of the Mission. If
there were any latitude in the terms of his orders, he
felt sure that the commandant would be aware of the
heavy responsibility he would incur by preventing the
advance of the Mission, as his act would be accepted
as the act of the Ameer. Faiz Mahomed replied
that he himself was actuated by friendly feelings
towards Major Cavagnari, in proof of which he
pointed out that, instead of coming down to
meet him, he might have ordered his men to fire
on his party when it appeared. He proceeded to say
that he had already been severely reprimanded for
allowing the Viceroy's Envoy, Nawab Gholam Hussein,
to pass, and that, therefore, he could not permit the
advance of the Mission. He begged that Sir Neville
Chamberlain would halt, till he could communicate with
Cabul. This, Major Cavagnari replied, was not only
impossible but unnecessary, as the Cabul authorities
had long been aware of the approach of the Mis-
sion. The conversation continued in this strain
for some little time, Major Cavagnari urging
the weight of the responsibility Faiz Mahomed
would incur, and the latter repeating his inability
to allow the Mission to pass without a permit
from Cabul. At last, on Major Cavagnari again point-
ing out the friendly nature of the Mission, the
Afghan. showing for the first time some warmth, said
the object of this friendship was merely to stir up dissen-
sion in the Ameer's dominions by bribing his subjects
to disobey his orders—' by bribing you and others'
(here alluding to the negotiations with the Khyberees
for the safe conduct of the +mission). At this an
ambiguous murmur was heard from the soldiers, and
Major Cavagnari replied that that was not a subject
for subordinates to discuss, and that if the Ameer
had any complaint to make, no doubt the
Government would give him a satisfactory reply.
He then asked for a final answer whether he
was distinctly to understand that the Mission
would be resisted by force. Faiz Mahomed replied
that he had no alternative if the Mission were pressed.
On this Major Cavagnari asked the chiefs with him
whether they considered this a sufficiently clear
answer, to which they replied that it was perfectly
clear. He then thanked Faiz Mahomed for his
courtesy, and expressed a hope that they might again
meet in more agreeable circumstances. He again
shook hands with him and departed. It was then
perceived that the Ameer had no possible intention
of receiving the Mission, and it was accordingly
dissolved."