The New York herald., 1878-11-18
NO LONGER A MYSTERY.
THE TRUE STORY OF THE FAILURE OF SIR LEWIS
PELLy's MISSION TO THE AMEER OF CABUL.
From the London Globe.l

THE TRUE STORY OF THE FAILURE OF SIR LEWIS
PELLY'S MISSION TO THE AMEER OF CABUL.
From the London Globe.]
The following information, which has reached us
from entitled to every confidence. has very
important bearing at the moment. account of the
clear view it presents Of the chain of events which led
up to the present critical situation on the Indian
frontier The excusable anxiety of the public for
thentic information in connection with Sir Lewis
Pellys mission and its results has led to demand
in quarters for the publication of the official
papers connected with the mission. We have
to believe that what publish represents mat
ters as faithfully in all essentials the official
dispatches Themselves
In the autumn Of 1876 Lord Lytton sent invi-
tation to Ameer Shere Ali to attend the great Delhi
Assembly. when the Queen Of England was declared
Empress Of India. 1t Is not certain whether the
Ameer of Cabul really comprehended the precise ma
ture of this addition to the "style and titles" Of
Briains Sovereign but thing he clearly that
to accept such invitation would be to yield his po
sition ~ independent monarch. 1t was hardly to
be expected that independent ruler possessing
army OF 60 900 troops should deign to place himself
on level with such minor satellites as the Rajah Of
Cashmere and the Khan of Khelat. The invitation
thus sent in the name OF the Queen Of England was
treated with and the Vccroy waited in vain for
a reply. 1t was q clever move the part OF the
viceroy but the bait did not take.
sULKs.
Sundry rumors then reached the Indian govern
rnent through their native agent Ut Cabul that the
Ameer was suky and moreoyer Y that Russian spy
tain Bokhariot Such being the state OF things the
Indian government thought it well to test these
rumors by inviting the Ameer either to in per-
son or TO send properly accredited envoy TO meet
the Governor Generals agent at Peshawur. politi-
cal conference was arranged. The British plen-
potentiary selected for this mission Colonel
Sir Lewis Pely, and the envoy appointed by
the Ameer syud Nur Mohamed Shah. The
January 1877 and lasted period of some six weeks
Throughout the whole conference it evident that
the AIneer was not amenable to argument The de-
mands of the Indian government were moderate and
reasonable. The present state OF affairs i'll the East
required that Her Majesty's government should be in
possession of the most Trustworthy information with
regard the affairs of Central Asia and the time had
now arrived when England desired to place English
officers as agents at Herat, Bakh and Candahar. As
il was known that tho Ameer objected to having an
English Envoy at Cabul, that would not be pressed,
although the principle that such an agent might
eventually be sent even to the Cabul Court In
THE GOOD OFFICES or ENGLAND.
In return for this England prepared to enter
upon treaty both offensive and defensive with the
Ainecr to restore the subsidy at granted to
his father. Dost Mohaned. and II the Anecr wished
il The succession the throne OF Cabul Of his ia
vori.e son, Abdulla. would be guaranteed The pro-
posas were, Of course. submitted by letter 20 the
received by his agent. The Amcer Of Cabli was
inexorablc. He needed no help he required no
treaty be had borne with the English long enough
What had the English done for himg When
he dethroncd by his brothers, Mzul and
Aim the English had recognized the usurpers the
-
traton with reference to his difficulties with Persia on
the Seistan question the English had decided in favor
OF his enemies! When his Yakub in open re-
beon against him the English had tried 10 interfere
In his rebel sons favor! And they had even
threatened his kingdom by the occupation of Quctsh
For six long weeks did Sir Lewis Pelly try his dplo-
matte skill to the utmost to find remedy. but he left
Pcshawur April 2. with the draft OF the treaty
signed in his pocket. while the whole country around
him was breathing threatcnngs Of a religious war.
THE PRESENT stRPRIsEg
There was, IL is true, report circulated that the
,.v ftat at Dsala hal
brought the conference TO AN untimoly end. but no
one knows better than Lord Lytton himself that
Aicer Shcrc All Khan had virtually declared dur
ing the very sittnys Of the political conference at
peshawur From March 2i. 1877, the day on which
the Aneers envoy died at peshawur. until the day
which Major Cavagnari was insultcd In the Khybcr
Pass not single communication has been re-
ceiv,d from the Ame.r of Cabul More than per-
son has been killed by order of the Amccr
pectcd British spies at his court while eighteen
months ago he openly summoned the chiefs Of the
different tribes TO join him In Jehad against the
British. All this has been going on day by day and
month by month for the last two years. and yet our
impending with Afgnanistan takes the whole
british nation by surprise.