Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1878-11-14
AfgEAanFsfaEl. a


The refusal of the representative
Of the Afghan Ameer to allow the
English Embassy to enter the coun-
try may prccipitate events of world
wide Importance:
AfShanistan is country contain
ing some 100000 square miles and
a population of nearly 10000, 700.
1t lies to the northwest Of India,
being adjacent to Scinde and the
Puniaub. To the north of it lies
Bokhara, in Tnrkinstan, a country
wholly under Russian influence
Tho great bugbear OF England is an
overland invasion CT her rich Indi-
an possessions by Russia, and the
only feasible route for such an in
vasion is 5y way Of Bokara through
Afghanistan. A Russian army
gathered in Bokara could cross the
Hindoo Kosh mountains, which
separate Tnrkistan from Afghanis-
tan, and then moving east could
cross the Solymn M ounta ms,
through the famous Khyber pass,
and find themselves in India:
Well aWaie Of tho strategical
value of Afghanistan as barrier to
Russian advance, England, since
1888, has labored assiduously to
secure standing in that country
either as conqueror, protector or
an ally. Thus far these efforts
have been, in the main, most
] costly and bloody failure. There
| are many living who will not have
i. forgotten the long and useless war
which ragged between the English
9 and Afghans. In 1889 the Eng
lish army entered Ii c country
}. through the Bolan pass-which lies
south of the Khybcr pass-witb a
. heavy force, which at first gained
. some temporary advantages. The
:, principal cities were captured, the
! greater part Of the country was over
= run; and ruler friendly to tho
7 British-Iudian interests was install
:. ed.
o This was in 1910; but during
IS that year and the following one in
: surrections broke out in every di-
, rection, and were only held in checl
s. by an expenditure of nearly $40
n 100000 per annum. In the earl,
II part of 842, the British garrison
e we're attacked t5 The insurrection
lists, and in every instance they wer
is either captured by storm or force
1t to capitulate. Thousands OF til
ID Indiana and English troops wer
/ massacred as they were marchin
out of tho country. In one case a
a, army of some 5000 men and som
sa 10000 camp followers, who ha
"a "a capitulated, and wore marching ct
lp of the country under safe conduc
~ were waylayed in the detiles of tt
10 Soly.nan mountains and massacre'
.t with the exception Of single ma
ls Another army, some months aite
cd succeeded in entering the countr
in and gaining a few small successe
oh but the forces soon after recrosst
ey into India. Thus ended the a
is tempt of England, whose failur
III ilo O4SSi etSC, Ait'o ~ t'At'oi
.th modern English history.
W. Since that time the English ha
ed never invaded Afghanistan, a
led though upon one or two occasio
the Afghans have carried the W
into Africa by crossing the inou
tains and making a descent up
India. Latterly, the English hs
confined themselves to intrigl
whose purposes have been the
curing of friendly ruler Upon
Afghan throne. Up TO the |
yoar, the British have had much
do, in moral way, with a ,
which ragged between 4acub
and his father ; and they have {
labored to secure such a separat
between Afghahistan and Rokll
as would have the effect TO imp
the advance Of Russia. For
last eight years the relations
England and Afghanistan has b
of quiet and rather friendly
/. tnre.