The New York herald., 1878-11-29
THE TERRIBLE AFGHAN
Sir George Campbell'S Views on Bea-
cOnSfeId's War Policy.
VICTORY WORSE THAN DEFEAT.
Danger to England From the
lingo Madness.

While the gray mists of dawn still hung over the
bay and the city yesterday morning tall figure in
plaid ulster and tourists cap made its way board
the White Star steamer Republic at pier No. 52 North
River HERALD reporter recognized in the stranger
Sir George Campbell member of Parliament for Kir-
caldy and Ex-Governor General of Bengal whose
speeches on Indian matters have excited such wide
attention. Early the hour all hustle
board the vessel for she to sail at eight o'clock
sharp, and the decks thronged with passengers
and leavc-taking friends. The reporter made himself
known to Sir George. and. withdrawing to a some
what quiet corner. held brief conversation with
him concerning the Afghan difficulty in which Great
Britain is at present involved
II still adhere. said Sir George. 'to the opinions
have expressed in the House of Commons and every
where else Throughout. this whole disc usson. am
not military man-thoush have good deal
of the present sort of thing-and don't profess to
judge from military point Of view whether it is
right or not right to advance the frontier; but
from political and financial standpoint entertain
very strong opinions supposing it to be granted
that from purely military point of view it might he
right to advance the frontier supposng Aghanistan
to be country in which the people at all resemble
those of India of the portion of the Himalsyas
which ut all resembles India.
4 NATION SOLDIERS.
"You have in Aghanstan very mountainous
country, which. as the late Dost Mohamed
used to say produces only two thngs-stones and
men; ana the difficulty is not much the military
question the dilemma in which shall be put
when should have gained the country.
if we do gain it, 1t is case in which
victory viii be very perilous. and. indeed.
than defeat, because the country can yield
nothing. Every Afghan is born to fight from his
youth upward. and you must keep soldier to look
after each conquered subject while the country will
yield no revenue to pay for them. The policy which
is being pursued is absolutely identical with that
which was followed just forty years ago; but then
had Russo -phobian panic on account of the Rus.
sian advance Khiva and the mission of the ussian
officer to Afghan and we fancied that the then ruler
Dost Mohamed. father OF the present man.
friendly and while we did not wish to take posses.
sion of the country sought to set up friendly in
stead of an unfriendly ruler. We found then
friendly ruler.a refugee in our territory. and with
little difficulty set him up. but having set him w
we found that difficulties were only just begun
for the Afghans, who never before united any
tai thing whatever became at once united to resist
the man who was supported by foreign power.
TO BE
after two or three years found the country faI
too hot for and after series OF disasters with
which the world is familiar only too glad ia
get out OF it. We are now repeating exactly the part
present year might be told in the same words ia
which the opening of the former campaign is de-
scribed supposng we shall have an equal military
success, which may may not be, should in any
find it ruiaous to the business Of India because
since the mutiny have not been the great military
Power that Lord Beaconsfeld aud the lingo party
seem to suppose. On the contrary, since we have
discovered that cannot trust the native troops we
have been obliged. for both financial and political
| sons, to reduce our army to point which is very
little more than sufficient to hold the country. We
cannot put large army in the field; we have no re.
serves, and II We had We have no money to pay foR
them.
af tba npiff fxla ch11f fha vN1pfav
II believe, replied Sir George, '.that WITH per.
haps the exception OF Lord Beaconssld. these views
They certainly the views of the representative
! of the Indian department in the House OF Commons
and they have been supported always by me in up
LORD LYrroy's POLICY CONDEMNED
'.what do you think OF the policy Of Lord Lytton ?"
1T seems TO lne that the end OF the question has
| been forced by His Lordship who has put himself
at the head Of the extreme Jngo party. with with
out the connvance OF Lord Bcaconsfield. Lord
| Lytton has always been exceedingly anxious to do
what he has done now; but he was heretofore
strained and forbidden by the home government aud
things quiet until the Russians threw fly in
the shape ut the ent mission to Cabul which Lord
Lyton reediiy swallowed that being just the oppor
tunty he wanted to give him pretext for indulgng
III his aggressive policy. He made that the ground
for sending mission to Cabul and sending that mis-.
cepabe to the Ameer but to make it disagreesble ia
him in the highest degree. He put at the head or this
commission soldier of very ,gh rank well known
as having done more tnan any other man IN the way
Of fighting Afghan tribes. and sent with him o very
escort. grvat show and parade
and altogether giving to the mission not peaceful
character. but Of the precise character which the
Ameer most apprehended-nameiy, the character Of .
mission to dominate over him and to reduce him to
the position OF one OF the protected prime Of India.
ina, mission sent the responsibility Of Lord
Lytton. not that of her Majesty's government.
appears in Lord Campbcls despatch. Having sent
mission which was legal and properly constituted.
last had field carrying out his Russian pol
icy and AZ said. he has forced the hand Of the gov.
ernment ard got us into this war.
= BAD
lis the Ameer formidable enemy has been
generally reported here. Sir George?'
"yes; Lord Grey was perfectly right in saying thai
Afghanist4n equal to three Bcsnias without q
Christian population to assist u.s.
His subjects are said to be good and obstinate
lighters. Is that trucy'
'.rhc Mghans are not 80 much accustomed to Euro
pean WARFARE and not 50 united as the Turks.
although they are quite good soldiers. 1t 10
possible that VIC may nave RAPID military success,
but II Is by no means certain should we be success
fu however difficulties. ~ said before will only
then begin in good earnest. Whatever ruler may
set up wll ON that very ground alone, he hateful to
the people of Afghanisan. II support him il will
ruin US, and II do not support him II will dis
SIR oxoneE's IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA
While this conversation pro rcss the mist had
lifted from the river and few stra. sunbcams break
ing through the clouds gave promise of fair day for
the beginning OF the voyage The vessel to ieavo
the pier ut eight o'clock TO the minute and already
friends Of passengers notified to go ashore. Sir
George seemed unaffected by the hustle and from his
quiet corner took in the scene IN the manner OF
who had no particular interest la it, While the
were being cast OF the reporter asked him what
the principal impressions OF this country he had
obtained during his three months OF un ,atentatious
travel III il.
''oh could not undertake 10 give them out of
hand. he answered. with laugh. "its big. big
country.
..non't sec any rocks ahead of u.s. do your,
mo; take u very hopeful view OF the future Of
America. There are really difficult social ques.
tious between the blacks and the white population.
This particular question comes to mind frrt because
have spent most of my time in the south Indeed
i was to see and study that section that came over
have. however. been travelling good deal In the
North and West also. Tho blacks in the south
not do without tho whites, and the whites Ia turn
cannot dispense with the services OF the blacks, 70
that sne question will adjust itself
''Will you write book your return to Eng.
land p asked the reporter. innoccntly
Sir George looked little surpriscd; then he
smiled pleasantly he said, II won't say that
SHALL
"iou think you WILL however -
"Wcll, usually make of my travels;
nj toI