The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-10
The War with the Ameer a Tame
Sort of an Affair.
Mountain Passes Unattended and the Sow
ereiun q Refugee 10 Russian Territory
-Ameer's Letter to the viceroy.
Parliamentary Thrusts nj British Polic,
The Littleness and Meanness
OF n Great Nation.
ENGLAND.

ghanistan, to the Viceroy OF India, in re-
ply TO his ultimatum:
Be it known to Your Excellency that ]
have received and read from beginning to
end, the friendly letter which Your Ex-
eeliency sent in reply TO a letter | dis
patched by Nawab Ghalan Hussim Khan.
With regard to the expressions used by
Your Excellency in the beginning OF your
letter, referring TO the friendly character
OF the mission and the good will Of the
British Government, leave II to Your
Excellency, whose wisdom and Justice
are universally admitted, to decide wheth-
er any reliance can be placed upon good
vii, Il evidenced by words only. But u,
on the other hand, il good will really con-
sists OF deeds, then it has not been man
ifested by various wishes expressed and
the proposals made by the British officials
during the last few years TO the officials OF
this God.granted government, propo-
sails which, from their nature, it was
impossible for them to comply with.
One OF these referred to my un-
dutiful son, the ill-starred wretch Nah
moud Yakoub Khan, and was contained
in letter addressed by the officials
OF the British Government to the Brit
ish agent then residing at Cabul.
It was written in that letter
that il Yakoub Khan be released and
set at liberty our friendship with Afghan
istan will be firmly cemented, otherwise
it will not. There are several other grounds
Of complaint OF similar nature which con-
tain no evidence OF good will, but which,
on the contrary, were effective in increas-
ing the aversion and apprehension already
entertained by the subjects OF this God
granted government. With regard to my
refusal TO receive the British Mission, Your
Excellency has stated that it would appear
from my conduct that was actuatcd by
direct hostility towards the British
Government. assure Your Excellency
on the contrary, that the officials OF this
God-granted government in rcpulsing the
mission were notint1uenced. by any hostile,
inimical feelings towards the British Gov
ernment, nor did they intend that any in
suit or affront should be offered, but that
they were aiIaid that the independence OF
this Government might be affected by the
arrival OF the mission and that the friend.
ship which has now existed between the
two Governments for several years might
lie annihilated.
A paragraph in your excellency's letter
corroborated the statement which has
been made to this Government The feel
ings OF apprehension aroused in the minds
OF the people of Afghanistan by the mere
announcement OF the intention OF the
British Government to send mission to
Cabul before the mission itself had actu.
ally started or arrived at Peshawar, have
subsequently been fully justified by the
statement in your excellency's letter that
should be held responsible for any in.
jury that might befall the tribes who acted
as guides to the Mission, and that should
be called upon TO pay compensation for
any loss they might have suffered, and il
at any time those tribes should meet i'll.
treatment at my hands, the British Gov
ernment would at once take steps to pro-
tect them. Had these apprehensions
proved groundless, and had the object OF
the Mission been really friendly and no
force or threats OF violence used, the Mis-.
sion woulda as matter OF course have been
allowed free passage, as such Missions are
customary, and OF frequent occurrence be.
tween allied States / am now sincerely
stating my own feelings when say that
this Government has maintained and will
always maintain the friendship which
existed between the Governments, and
cherishes no feelings OF hostility or oppo-
sition towards the British Government.
1t Is also incumbent upon the officials OF
the British Government that out OF respect
andconsideratlon for thegreatness andem-
inenee OF their own Government that they
should not consent to intiict any injury
on their well disposed neighbors, or TO
impose q burden OF grievous trouble upon
the shoulders OF their friends, but on the
contrary they should exert themselves to
maintain the friendly feelings which have
hitherto existed towards this God.granted
government, in order that the relations
between the two governments may remain
on the same footing US before, and II in
accordance with the custom OF allied States
the British government should desire to
send purely friendly and temporary
mission TO this country with small es-
oort, not exceeding twenty or thirty mem
bers, similar to that which attended the
Russian mission. this servant OF God will
not oppose its progress.
THE THwARDSESs OF BRITISH PoLICY-NIGIIT
MAKES RIGHT.
In the House OF Lords this afternoon
Lord Cranbrook, Secretary OF State for
India, on moving aresolution that the ex-
penses OF the Afghan war may be defray.
ed from the revenues OF India, said
that the estimated surplus was 2,l360O0
pounds, therefore there would he q sub
stantial surplus after paying the war ex-
pepses, which were estimated at less than
i,95O,000 pounds for the present fiscal
year.
Lord Cranbrook declared that the Gov.
eminent assumed full responsibility for
Lord Lyttoa. There was not room for
both England and Russia in AiShanstan.
The Ameer's letter was no answer oi Eng
lands ultimatum, but mere IvasiOn.
England must be o paramount In AZ
ghanlstan, which must be friendly jani.
tor 10 the doors OF India, or England must
hold the key herself. viscount OF Hall.
fax moved an amendment censuring the
Government.
Lord Lawrence, iormerly Governor Gen.
eral OF India, deprecated the pushing for
ward OF the frontier under any circurB.
stances. He thought that the war shoul,l
be concluded speedily. Nothing should
be eSactcd nom the Aighans, and they
should be assured ofaid against foreign Ia.
vasion. II England did not pay al the
costs OF the war there would be indig.
nation and despair in India.
Lord Derby said the Government in
only summopipg Parliament after war
was declared placed the country, which
protessed to be seltgoyeruing, In q peCu.
liar position. He pointed 70 the differ
epco in the Government attitude towards
Ameer and towards Russia. He was oi
the opinion that there had never been
any clear wish to avoid tho war and that
tho war was not unoonnected with pro
ieCts Tor the rectlfcatlon Of the frontier.
Lord Carnavon declared that war wa,
irreconciliable with anyidea OF justice ant
policy in furtherance OF which ithad beer
undertaken. 1t was dangerous and dSlu
sive.
Debate adjourned.
HoRE truth THAN POETRY.
: In the House OF Commons Mr.. White
bread moved a resnlntion disnnbroyinv n