The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-25
AFGHANTSTAN.
Notes ON the Countrywide Ameer's
Fighting Resources
EEiIE Tribes.
fCalcutta Letter to the London Times.

.JttICuLLh L6tJbE 10 LUo LOnuOu Il1nRS.1
Public interest both European and native Is
concentrated on the critical state of affairs upon
our northwest frontier. The commander in
cDtef is energeeicnly engaged in massing the
in strenuously pushing forward the commits
sariat. siege train and other military prepara-
tons. 1t is we'll to remember. however, In order
to avoid misconceptions as to the possibility Of
Immediate results, that an Afghan campaign
cannot In any circumstances resolve itself into
q military promenade That the ameer. be his
resistance ever 50 determined. must in the end
succumb to the force brought against him. the
authorities entertain no shadow Of doubt; but
we cannot efford to run the slightest risk of
even the appearance of a momentary check
the who le cam paign must be carefully and de-
liberately planned beforehand, and O success
full Issue rendered absolutely certain by the
consolidation Of large military reserves. Ac-
curate Information ,as to the ameers actu |
in addition 10 irregular levies. who form q
fighting material by no means to be despis, d.
he also Possesses q standing army. drilled and
disciplined after European models. and we'll
with which former governments In India were
wise and generous to provide him.
This. however. Is q condition Of things which
the government wi IL have little. difficulty in
measuring and adequately dealing with. A
very much more difficult question has to be en-
countered In the possible hostile attitude OF the
border tribes. All the mountain passes leadin
down from the Cabul highlands to the Indus
valley are IN the possesSion Of the Pathan
rees. owe direct allegiance to the ameer, and all
of whom are animated by a hatred of ourselves
more 70 it or less active IN character Nov: the
might excite into & blaze of warfare, raging
along our whole frontier of eight hundred
miles the suspended hostility of these various
tribes. The consequences of this state of things
would be that we hOuld be forced to carry on
an arduous mountain campaign with a formid-
able opponent. while engaged on all sides in q
guerilla warfare of a most harassing and ex-
1t has been estimated that these tribes can
easily turn out 100000 fighting men, and even in
time OF peace the government are forced to Sc
cure the frontier from their periodic irrup-
tions by a chain of about twenty forts and
ninety small military stations, held and garr-
soned by some $4,000 troops and over 5000 mill
tary police, A successful intrigue or etfectual
tribes into. active confederate allies more g.
pecially if he could hold out prospects of sue
cessful Faids on Indian territory. and so excite
their greed for plumber and lust for revenge
for past reyerses suffered at the hands Of the
English.
One Of the hill tribes which the English rely
nation of the Wazris. These peculiar people
are still one of the most lawess communiti q
of the Indian frontier. but the latest official re-
conduct Is from year to year visiby improving"
Nevertheless, according to the London Daily
4slgfgragh they continue to enjoy by stealth
Wesh khey Wazirls are still the best OF enemies.
Nor when In 1877 the ameer Of Cabul suddenly
E6lnlOTCbu HIS RhE[lSDu III blS huEHHl valley ana
In Khost were there, wanting turbulent spirits
to anticipate the disturbance that might be
pending by private hostiities. That action Of
it known why within the last year or SO his high
ness should have come to display SO remark
able partially IS, for this border tribe. The
summoned to Cabul. whence they return
barring handsome presents from Shere ALI
Khan, Perhaps the astute hill men knew more
than they chose to tell, but the appearances Of
Gen. Roberts with his Snlder rifles will. in q
T So dy Well 1T Eep t h Tba sn5ef @
stances. they will not face that arm. But as the
r. tae tsie9 10 for referrng
to this dislike. 1t is more pleasant to recall the
Nkes. next to easy plumber, is regular pay
Should demonstration among the fortified viii
lagos that nestle in the orchards and cornfelds
Of Of the kuram valley be called for, the
scouts and skirmishers. and even among
these wildcat races Of the frontier the
verbally punctual. For although they are es-
sentially fighting men. the Waziris are penny
wise; and while dreaded even by their rough
envled Tor the, source, of wealth which they
possess and clevarjy keep to themselves In
their famous breed of horses. 1t is distin-
ear. and remarkable among the horses of India
t 1G It5 WlrF hardy frame and high temper.
original .progenitors of their studs from the
royal stables of the Persian Nadir Shah when
ne invaded India. but the Waziris themselves
assert that the conuueror bestowed the precious
animals upon their ancestors in recognition of
,nelr brilliant Craftsmanship. And. indeed,
Nadr Shah would have had some excuse had
ne done So for these hill men excel on horse
PACK Among themselves they never shoe their
Ssteeds. put ride them barehoofed and often
; baarreoacked upon and down their dangerous
hllls as II they We're yeritable centaurs So
hlghly 20 they prize the exclusive possession
OF the breed that they will never sell mare
he sale Of horses.
Nurses and attendants In sick rooms, who
nave GOt mad the favor Oc1aha ri,