The Worthington advance., 1878-11-28
THE AFGHAN WAR.

LONDON. Nov. 2l.-The dispatch published by
| the government from Lord Cranbrook, secretary
| of state for India to Lord Lytton. is an indict
ment Of the frontier policy of Gladstone's ad-
| ministration and defense of the policy Of the
present government. 1t says the consistent aim
| of the British government during a series of
years has been t" establish on its northwestern
border strong, friendly and independent state
with interests in unison with those If the In
dian government, and ready to act in certain
cventualitics as auxiliary in the protection of
the frontier from foreign intrigue aggression.
! 1t was considered that the objects of the gov
ernment would be best obtained by winning
the friendship and alliance of Sheere Ali and his
people by friendly recognition of tho ex-
| listing order of things, and a policy of nom
| interference. The outposts of Russia were then
distant from the borders of Afghanistan, and
| his iorctship's government attached no special
Importance to the probability and danger of
| the growth of the former pnwer in the direction
| "f India. which they considered could IN any
! case best be restrained innocuous by a
friendly understanding on the subject between
the English and Russian cabinets, and early in
1869 friendly negotiations were Initiated at st.
| Petersburg which terminated IN q very distinct
| understanding and in a recognition BY the
car S government of the limits of the ameer' S
| territories, in com plete accord with the wishes
| of Shcerc Ali and the British government. The
capture or khiva by the forces of the czar in
the spring of 1873, and the total subordination
of that khanat to Russia, caused Sheere Ali
considerable alarm, and led him to question the
value Of the pledges with reference TO
Afghanistan, which had been given BY
! the car to England and communicated by
England to the amecr. Lord Nnrthbrouk was
| prepared to assure the aneer that under GER
tain conditions the government Of India would
| assist him to repel unprovoked aggression. but
| her nlajeGtFA hnma did
| share his hlShness' apprehension, and the
| viceroy ultimately informed the ar eer that
| discussion OF the question would be best post
| poncd to more convenient season. The effect
of this announcement on his hghness, although
| conveyed in concilitory language was not
favorable. The policy which dictated it was
unintelligible to bis mind, and he received it
with feelings of chagrin and disappointment.
His reply was couched in terms of ill disguised
| sarcasm. he took no note of the viceroy's p, o.
| posal to depute British officer te examine the
| northern frontier of Afghanistan. He subse-
qnently refused permission to Sir Douglass
| Forsyth to return from Kustgar to India
through Cabul. He left untouched gift Of
money lodged to his credit by the Indian gov
crnment, and generally assumed toward it an
| attitude Of snllen reserve.
! Such was the position of affairs when her
| majesty present advisers assumed Office. The
maintenance of Afghanstan, 2 strong friendly
| power had at all times been the object of the
British policy. The method adopted in obtain
ing that object had not met with the success
! that was observable. Its accomplishment was
| nevertheless a matter of grave importance
and it had now TO be considered with reference
| to the rapid march of events in Turkestan
! Her majesty's government could not view with
indifference the probable influence of those
events upon the character of an Asiatic prince
| whose domlnions were thereby
brought within g eteaaily nsrrowne
| ,rf.!a katpaaO fSSn
| although no Immediate damage appeared to
| threaten British interests TIE frontier OF
! Afghanista1l. the position in Central Asia had
become sufficiently grave to suggest the neces-
| sity of timely prec.ution. Her majcsty's gov
ernn,ert considered that the frs: step necessary
was au improvement of their relations with the
Amcer himself. Consequently, when Lord
! Lytton sent to India he was instructed to
| offer the Ameef the protection he previously
solicited, namely substantial pecuniary aid,
the recognition Of his dynasty and the pledge
| of material support against unprovoked for
| eign aggression, cunditionally upon the Amcer
allowing British agents to have access to posi-
| ti"ns in his territory except Cabul, where they
could acquire trustworthy intelligence OF
| evcnts likely to threaten the tranquility
and independence of Afghanistan. Such access
| was necessary RS 4 substantial proof OF the
| unity Of the amccr's interests with those of
| Great Britain. The abortirc endin: of the
commission Of Col. Sir Lewis r,.lly is then mar
rated, and facts are brought out that the offers
| to the amtcr we're exceedingly liberal. and the
| demands upon him not oppressive, but he met
| both by rehearsal of grievances dating FROM
1872. and though negotiations at Peshawur
were terminated by the death of the ameers
envoy, yet Sheere Alis Language and conduct
had been SD inimical rs to Justify Lord Lytton
| in assuming that his oyerturcs were practically
releated. The amecr per- listed in his nnfrientily
| relation and ultimately having two years ago
declined fn rornivn british a,,toy
| porarily within his territory, the ground
| that he conld not guarantee his safety, and
would not thereafter he left with any excuse
| for declining to receive Russian missions, he
has enclosed with every appearance of os.enta-
| lion an embassy from the car dispatched to
| his court at = time when there were Indications
| that the interruption of friendly reIa'ons be-
| tween this country and Russia might be immi-
nent.
| In these circumstances, your excellency rep
| resented to her majesty government that the
| policy Of inacti'n could no longer be persisted
! in. and that the ameer s reception Of the Rus
| sian lnissi III at such time, under such cir
| cnmstanccs. left him no further excuse for de-
! clining to receive at his capital envoy from
| the British government. Your exccllency pro-
| posed. therefore, to demand the reception of
| missiun at Cabul. headed bv an officer Of rank
in the person of Gen. Sir Neville Chamberlain.
whose name and family are held in high esteem
| by the amccr.
| The dispatch goes on to say the conduct Of
J the Ameer in refusing to receive the mission
| was wholly without Justification. lie was
aware from various communica,ions addressed
to him by your excellency'e predecessors that
the Russian government had given assurances
| to the government of her majesty to regard his
territories completely behind its sphere Of
action. He was equally aware that the whole
policy of the British government, since his ac-
I cessiou to the throne, had been to strengthen
| ri md tI,Nvl lfv md tn i
from foreign aggression, although the methods
adopted for doing 30 may not have accorded
| with his highness own view. He had received
from the British government evidence of
good will manifested by large gifts of
money and arms, rs we'll as by its
government its formal recognition Of a fixed
boundary, agreeable to himself between his
| kingdom and eighboring khanatcs. His sub
jccts had been allowed to pass freely through
out Judca, to the great benefit of the trade
and commerce Of his country, and in no single
| in.tancc has the ameer himself. any of hi.
people, been treated unjustly Or unhospitably
within British jurisdiction. By every bond
| of international courtesy as we'll Us by treaty
engagement Of 1885, existing between the two
countries, binding him to be a friend of our
friend and an enemy to our enemies. the
| ameer was bound to line Of conduct the
reverse of that which he adopted. Her
majesty's government were unwilling to
accep, the evasive letter brought from Cabul
by Naval Ghoiaam Hussam Khan, as Sheere
Airs final answer, and determined to give him
short time for reconsideration. While,
therefore, her majesty's government acknowl-
edged fully binding them the pledges
given by Sir Neville Chamberlain to the friend
! ~ chiefs and people who undertook the safe
conduct of his mission, they desired to make
| an effort to avert tho calaulit es of war. and
with this object instructed your excelency to
address to his highness Il demand in temperate
language, requiring full and suitable apology
| within given time. for the affront to which be
has offered the British government, the recep-
tion of permanent British mission
within ms territories, and reparation for any
injury inflicted by him the tribes who at
tended Gen. Sir Neville Chamberlain, and
Major Canagnari, we'll as undertaking not to
molest them hereafter. These instructions
were promptly carried into effect by your cx-
cellency's government, and the a,ncer has been
informed that unless clear and satisfactory
reply be received from him by the 20th of No