The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-09-30
THE AFGHAN DIFFICULTY.

r0pe by the signing OF the treaty OF Berlin be-
fe1e the mutterings Of war were heard In the
far East This time Afghanistan ID the
6nlse of tho disturbance and probable
future conflict. This country, inhabited by
IN inttnctabe egnd warlike people. lies between
ttussia In Asia and British India, separating
the two empires and presenting u space be-
tween them Of about 400 miles. ITS ruler.
Shere All, the Ameer Of Cabu. has long been
known to l,ehostiIe to British interests In the
East and his evident leaning towards Rus
sa has besn viewed with jealousy and suspi-
eon by the imperial viceroy. Recently an
embussy from t5. etots1bussts tttss seeesi ststs
with special honors ut Herat. and In response
10 letters from the Gar bore buck with 1t
dispatches from the Ameer. The contents
Of these communications remain unknown;
but the evident success Of the Russians OK
cited the alarm and indignation Of the Indian
authorities. and 1t was resolved to send
mission to Shere Ali, informing him Of the
determination Of the Indian government to
prevent the possibilities to which Russian In
trigues nt Herat might give rise. This mis-
sion had for Its head Gen Sir Neville Cham
berInin, one Of the most distinguished officers
in the Indian army, and warm friend Of the
Ameer. The personal influence OF the Indian
representative. aE well as the power behind
him. was expected to be potent for the fulfill
ment Of the viceroys desires. 1t was hardly
within the range Of probability that the
Afghan ruler would solicit n rupture
with the british empire by refusing to
grant It's accredited agent at least Il
respectful hearing, and yet that is
what occurred. When the Indian embassy
attempted to enter ono Of the mountain
passes separating India from Afghhnistan
1t was confronted by tho A,neer's COM
mander with sufficient force to compel obe-
dieDce to his orders, who warned Gen. Cham
berlain off, and positively refused to let him
proceed on his mission. llntreaty expostula-
ton and threats were alike unavailing, and at
last the hardy Afghan informed the British
officer that II he did not retire he would fire
upon his party. The embassy then returned
| to peshawur.
The British people were not likely to sub
nit quietly to this insult The home and In
dian press Mt once demanded that the inso-
ence Of tic Ameer should be punished, and
the storm of war s already gathering around
that savage ruler. Twelve OF fifteen thousand
troops are being concentrated at Peshawur,
and It Is expected that d forward movement
will be ordered ut once, and certain strategic
points in Afghanstan, on the road to the cap.
ital occupied before cold weather sets In and
prevents further military operations.
At the same time the government ID not
unmndful of the fact chat Russia may be ut
the bottom OF Shere Als action. and Lord
LOTUS has been instructed to PROFOUND Ger.
tain categorical questions ut Ut. Petersburg
among others, Whist will be Russia's action in
the event of II war between Great Britain and
Afghanistan. Tho government Of the Czat
has refused to give direct answer to this
question. and leaves the matter open to con-
lecture, which In the English mind points tc
but one unravorable conclusion
Thus. events in the Last are SO shaping
themselves as TO disturb the peace Of Europe
SO recently patched up ut Berlin. 1t cannot
be denied that the Ameer's course IL justified
by the conduct Of the Indian government. He
has an undoubted right to choose his aIlies
And, what Is more, he has the right to assert
and maintain his independence Had Sill
Neville Chamberlnins mission been success
full, Shere Ali would have found himself q
|
who proposed 10 establish protectorate over
Cabul; 10 insist upon the rupture of all agree
ments which might have been entered into
between the Ameer and the Russian envoy
and upon the removal Of the latter from
Afghan territory; to claim for England
the right Of appointing her own agents
on tho northern and western frontiers
Of Afgbanistan, and of free access
Mt any time to the Ameer's territory
OF course tho concession Of such demands
would have meant only the total obliteratior
Of Shere Ali as an independent ruler. His
refusal to concede them was proper and hgf
spirited. Yet 1t was hardly prudent to do 81
in the terms delivered to the British agen
ut Candahar Pass. Such Il course could only
arouse tho British people, and bring upol
him % severe punishment The excitemen
throughout the British empire is very great
and even the anti administration press insis
that the Ameer must be brought to terms ant
taught lesson In good manners. This means
utter subjugation to England and the disap
pearance Of Cabul as separate power.
That Shere Ali has all the moral features
of the question with him Is unquestionabIe
and yet circumstances force aggression upol
the British government. It's Indian posses
sIons would be constantly menaced with Rus
sian influence paramount at Herat. 10 pre-
vent this was the object of the Viceroy, ant
this object receives the hearty approval 0
the homo government At any cost furthe
Russian advances towards India must b
checked. Afghanistan, therefore, must b
, under British protection or remain entirel
independent. AS the latter course Is no longe
J open to the Amer, and as he has apparently
chosen to court Russian favor, there re
mains only one thing for England to do
Russia is to be prevented from extending he
, frontier to the borders of India. And that
to make war upon the Ameer and establish
British Resident at Herat.
Afghan wars have cost England dear. TIL
half-savage tribes are the most warlike |
Asia. and defend their country with energ
and skill From 1887 to 1857 the British GOV
eminent attempted to conquer a peace wit
, l. =