The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-12-12
The Last British War in Afghanistap

pure vi Inc ancient Persian Empire. and. indeed
inciudes Bactria tnow BalkJ. into which the eng
mites VI Darius pursued him, slew him amt
brought his spoils to Alexandria 1t il separated
from British India by the Indus and in the middle
ages formed part of the dominions Of the Great
Mogul. Its robber chiefs exercised consideyab BIZ.
influence in the affairs of his successor. heinz
always ready to head Mahommedan revolt
whenever the Emperor or his War was suspect
ed OF being too favorable to the Hindoo poruIa-
ton. Between 1871 and 1903 Afghan chiefs hy
their open interference with the affairs OF the
Emperor at Delhi. kept all his vast dorninions III
aperpetual broiI Finally. the last successor o,
the Great Mogul having had his eyes put out
and being held prisoner. the English Govern
ment st epped in, assumed the protectorate q
his disorganiZed domnions and restored him to
personal liberty. but governed thenceforward in
his name. The chiefs OF Afghanistan not being
included In the English lule chose themselves Il
nominal superior. But the position OF the Shah
OF their creation soon became that OF Roi Eaine e.
mt, governed by his Mayor OF the Palace her
editary Vizier. One OF these Ministers, u very
distinguished man i'll Oriental politics, was
treacherously murdered by his master his faini
ly were driven into exile and brought to great
misery. He had twenty sons. The eldest Fatal
Khan, sought refuge in Persia.
In process of time the elder brother came back
with an army from Persia, and associating his
younger brother With his fortunes, seems 10 have
ignored the remaining eighteen. Then ensued Il
war OF succession in Afghanistan, the brothers
supporting by turns various candidates OF the
royal family. At last a certain Shah Mahommed
was placed upon the dangerous throne, on condi-
ton OF his comforting on the elder brother the
post OF Vizier; the younger, Dost Mahommed
being in fact If not in name. Commander i'll Chief.
III one of his expeditions he offered gross insult
to a lady CT the royal family. Tor which his broth
err, the Vizier, was torn in pieces, and bitter
war ensued, resulting in the total overthrow OF
the family of the insulted Princess and the eleva
ton of Dost Mahommed to the dignity OF Ameer,
or Commander of the Faithful Though a mau OF
great talents, he had always been sayage-and IL
drunken savage up to that period. but on being
chosen Ameer by his brother Chiefs he entirely
1orSook the dlsslpated habits OF his youth. He
earnestly desired to reanneN to his dominions
the fertile province of Peshawar which had fallen
under the jurisdiction of the Sikh, Chief Runiet
Singh. He solicited the interference of the Eng
fish in this matter which not proving satisfacto-
ry, especially as the Chiefs Of Peshawarwe mn
willing 10 come under the tyranny of one whom
they considered usurper, he threw himself into
the arms OF Russia. Arms, money and Persian
army, maintained by Russia, were offered him
The British Governor eneral, GLord Auckland
backed by Lord PalmePston, thereupon offered
its support and protection to an old gentleman
who, thirty years before. in his youth, had been
reigning sovereign of Afghanistan, Shar Shuja
by name BY help OF British troops he was soon
established in his old dOmnions, especially as
the hill chiefs were much dissatisfied with the
cruelties OF Dost Mahommed. and alarmed at his
rece ption OF the Russian Envoy, Captain ...o-
vich. Dost Mahommed escaped into Bokhara
and in August, 1889, Shah Rhuja reentered Cabul
Sir William McNaughton and Sir Alexander
Burnes were the English Agents appointed to di-
rect the old sovereign in his course of govern
ment. They made SO many iniudicious reforms
and waged so impolit.c against abuses that
the wild chiefs of the hills, hitherto their friends
and well-wlshers, became disaffected. Food, too
rose speedily to an enormous price, owing to the
purchases OF grain made by the English commits
sariat, which put the necessares of life out OF
the reach OF the common people. The English
aat grew as unpopular with the Shah as with his
chiefs and people. and the chieftains, taking adj
vantage of an irrtated expression o.. the Shah's
part, that he was mo king, but slave" organiz-
ed an insurrection The English Commissioners
we're repeatedly warned of what was brewing. but
they refused to show any signs OF fear or to take
my precautions. Their pluck was misplaced
On NoveMber 2, 1871, a general massacre of the
English took place in Cabul. Sir William Nc
Naughton was killed, with circumstances of es-
oecial atrocity; Sir Alexander Burnes was muir
Tered without resistance, having previously tied
lis cravat over his eyes in order not to see the
blows that put an end to his existence. His SON,
Burnes, slew six Afghans before he
vas himself cut to pieces. Shah Shuja was also
murdered.
We can many OF us remember the deep indig-
alton and anxiety produced throughout Eng
the whole civilized worldly this
trocity. Lord Palmerston was greatly blamed
or having attempted any interference with
chiefs, whose frontier lay beyond the
British rule. twas determined to punish the
massacre. and afterwards to withdraw from all in
ervention in Afghanistan affairs. Under Sir
tichard Shakespeare and Sir Robert Sale, the
English army in 1912 accomplished its vengeance
nd retired from the country, having first placed
he Oldest son OF the murdered Shah Shuja on the
hrone. But the new policy of evacuation com
'elled them to abandon the new sovereign andail
heir allies among the Afghan chiefs to tneacruel
y of their enemies. 1t was the general cutlery
N the departure of the English that they had
deceived and punished their own friends, caus-
ng them to stand against their own countrymen 4
nd leaving them in the mouths of lions.'' The =
1oment the rear guard OF the English disappeo
d, the new sovereign FASTENED to divest nv
his dangerous dignity. His brother
oy was chosen in his stead, but ran awas
is throne with equal precipitation Do
ommed was then suffered by the English
urn to his former kingd ON. and since tn
I'd to the present day the English have
from Ill Interference with the fercs
hiefs of the mountains of Afghanista,
lore American.
BROUGHT OvER.-In accordance with .t. N
Judge RiveS to have the negroes. Bur