Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1878-11-28
THE AFGHAN WAR.

OF state Tor Anuia TO Lord Lytt0ns II an lnutcb
ment of the frontier pulley of Gladstone's adj
ministration and defense of the policy of the
present government. 1t says the consistent aim
of the British government during series OF
years has been tn establish on its northwestern
border strong, friendly and independent state,
with interests in unison with those of the In
dian government and ready to act in certain
eventuaiities as auxiliary in the protection OF
the frontier from foreign Intrigue or 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 the ex-
listing order of things, and policy OF non
interference. The Outposts of Russia were then
distant from the borders of AfghaniStan, and
his lordshp's government attached no special
Importance to the probability and danger of
the growth of the former power in the direction
of India, which they considered could IN any
case best be restrained or 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 very distinct
understanding and in q recognition by the
cars government of the limits of the ameer's
territories, in complete accord with the wishes
of Sheere Ali and the British government. The
capture or Khiva by the forces of the car 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 ear to England and communicated by
England to the ameer. Lord NorthbrOok was
prepared to assure the ameer that under GER
tain conditions the government of India would
assist him to repel unprOvOked aggression, but
her majestys government at home did not
share his highness' apprehension, and the
vceroy ultimately informed the Ger that q
discussion OF the question would be best post
puned to a more convenient season. The effect
of this announcement on his highness, although
conveyed in concilitory language, was not
favorable. The policy which dictated it was
unintelligible to his 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 viceroys pro
posal to depute British officer te examine the
northern frontier of Afghanistan. He subse-
quently refused permission to Sir Douglass
Forsyth to return from Kashgar to India
through Cabul. He left untouched a gift of
money lodged to his credit by the Indian gov
eminent, and generally assumed toward it an
attitude of sullen reserve.
Such was the position of affairs when her
majestys present advisers assumed office. The
maintenance of Afghanistan, a strong friendly
p"wer 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 matter of grave importance,
and it had now to be considered with reference
ia 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 All Asiatic prince
whose dominions were thereby
brought within steadily narrowing
circle between two great military empires, and
although ma immediate damage appeared to
threaten British interests on the frontier of
AfghanistaI the position in Central Asia had
ha.,, SfNG
sity of timely precaution. Her majesty's gov
ernment considered that the frststep necessary
was an improvement of their relations with the
Ameer himself. Consequently, when Lord
Lytton was sent to India he was instructed to
offer the Anleer the protection h. previously
solicited namely, substantial pecuniary aid,
thu recognition of his dynasty, and the pledge
of material support against unprOvoked for
eign aggression, conditionally upon the Ameer
allowing British agents to have access to posi-
tions in his territory except Cabul, where they
could acquire trustworthy intelligence of
events likely to threaten the tranquility
and independence of Afghanistan. Such access
was necessary as substantial proof of the
unity of the ameers interests with those of
Great Britain. The abOrtive ending of the
commission of Col. Sir Lewis Pelly is then mar
rated, and facts are brought out that the offers
to the ameer were 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 ameer's
envoy, yet Sincere Ais language and conduct
had been so inimical as to justify Lord Lytton
in assuming that his Overtures were practically
rejected. The ameer persisted in his unfriendly
relation, and ultimately having two years ago
declined to receive British envoy, even tenn
porarily within his territory, on the ground
that he could not guarantee his safety, and
would not thereafter be left with any excuse
for declining to receive Russian missions, he
has enclosed with every appearance of Ostenta-
ton an embassy from the czar dispatched to
his court at time when there were indications
that the interruption of friendly relations be-
tween this country and Russia might be immi-
nent.
In these circumstances, your excellency rep
resented to her majesty's government that the
policy of inaction could no longer be persisted
in, and that the ameers reception of the Rus
sian mission at such time, under such cir
cumstances left him no further excuse for de-
Ginning to receive at his capital an envoy from
the British government. Your excellency pro-
posed, therefore, to demand the reception of
mission at Cabul, headed by an officer of rank
in the person of Gen. Sir Neville Chamberlain,
whose name and family are held in high esteem
by the ameer.
The dispatch goes on to say the conduct of
the Ameer in refusing to receive the mission
was wholly without justification. He was
aware from various COMMUNICATIONS 8OOTeSeeQ
to him by your excellency's predecessors that
the Russian government had given assurances
to the government of her majesty to regard his
territories as completely behind its sphere of
acti He was equally aware that the whole
policy of the British government, since his &C
cessiun to the throne, had been to strengthen
his power and authority, and to protect him
from foreign aggression, although the methods
adopted for doing so may not have accorded
with his highnes's own view. He had received
from the British government evidence of
good will manifested by large gifts of
money and arms, as well as by its
success full efforts in obtaining from the cars
government its formal recognition OF fixed
boundary agreeable to himself, between his
kingdom aud neighboring Khanates. His sub
jects had been allowed to pass freely through
out Judea, to the great benefit of the trade
and commerce of his country, and in no single
instance has the ameer himself, or any of his
people, been treated unjustly or unhospitably
within British Jurisdiction. By every bond
of international courtesy as well as by treaty
engagement of 1855, 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 q line of conduct the
reverse of that which he adopted. her
majesty's government were unwilling to
accept the evasive letter brought from Cabul
by Naval Gholham Hussam Khan, as Sincere
Alta final answer, and determined to give him
a short time for a reconsideration. While,
therefore, her majesty's government acknowl-
edged fully as binding on them the pledges
given by Sir Neville Chamberlain to the friend
ly chiefs and people who undertook the safe
conduct of his mission, they des red to make
an effort to avert the calamit es OF war. and
with this object instructed your excellency to
address to his highness demand in temperate
Language, requiring full and suitable apology
within given time Tor the affront to which he
has Offered the British government, the recep-
tim of permanent British mission
Within hls territories, and reparation for any
injury inflicted by him on the tribes who at.