The New York herald., 1879-12-26


GHuzAIs.
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD.1
LONDON, Dec. 20, 1879.
The Standards correspondent at Lahore re-
ports that a suspicious movement is noticed pro-
cceding from the Afghanistan frontier Afghans
in small parties are travelling to different parts of
India Every train for the interior takes from
twenty to forty Afghans. The authorities are
on the alert, and will watch the travellers
Another curious circumstance is the fact
that large numbers OF Arabs are con-
stantly arriving at Bombay, and, al
though they are stopped at the rail-
way stations whenever there is any ground for
suspicion, they make their way to various cities
of the interior by the by-roads. The matter is
attracting the earnest attention Of the govern
ment.
PREPARING FOR THE ATTACK.
The Daily Ne,cs' Lahore despatch, dated
December 25, announces that General Cough
has joined General Roberts without opposition
from the enemy. Three thousand Ghilzais at
tackled Colonel Norman Mt Jugdullak on the
afternoon of the 23d inst. but were beaten off
with loss and dispersed. Major Thackeray
was badly wounded in the fight, and one Sepoy
was killed and one wounded. The Standards
Bombay despatch dated Wednesday, says
Yesterday small column of infantry cleared
the close country between Sharpur and
Cabul. This action has restored confidence
in the city, where the most influential
people are with us. Were it necessary to save
them General Roberts says he would attack the
enemy Immediately. If no opportunity to strike
n blow offers before General Cough arrives Cen
eral Roberts will make ON attack the day fol-
lowing his arrival" The Times despatch from
Cabul says the first move Of General Roberts will
be to eject the enemy from Bala-Hissar and
the city. This effected, the troops may be
spared further offensive efforts during the win
ter. 1t is possible that the combination against
us, which is not national, but feebly religious,
will collapse from irres9lution. The combine
ton has within the last few days apparently
lost much strength.
A MOMENT OF EXCITEMENT AMONG THE
ARABs-woRK OF THE MooLLAHs AT MECCA
AND cABUI-THE sHEIK OF DERGAr.
1t is worth recalling that there believed at the
present moment to be great religious. political and
social ferment among the Arabs. letter from
Aleppo, published in the st. Petersburg Gasette
in June last, gave some account Of the move
ment. Since 1875 the Arabs have looked upon the
events which have taken place In the Turkish En-
pire a sure sign of its coming downfall, and in
December Of that year tho Arabian Messiah, as
the Shek of Derejah calls himself issued an appeal
to tho Arabs, urging them to take steps for
their preservation in view of the disasters which
were threatening the Empire. In this document
he said that "The Khalifate usurped by the Otto
full Of danger for all true believers. and
especially for the Arabs. The fundamental idea of
ters of unbeief-have long been repudiated
by the Sultan. Mahmoud II. abolished without
scruple the manners and customs of our ancestors
and even the principles of the Koran. The Turkish
Empire still clothed itself in the rags OF dshgured
Islam, but its soul was already gone, and under
About Medjid and Abdul Aaiz even the outer
franc has fallen to pieces. Whence is saliva
ton to come? From Arabia. the home Of
Islam. Here must the sun appear that would in
spire o new and rejuvenated life in the declining
world OF Mohammedanism. In the following year
q number of sheiks. ameers. ulemas, molahs
and dervishes met at Derejah and debated
several weeks as to the best means Of
liberating Arabia from foreign rule. 1t was
at length decided to establish political organi-
zation with this object. the Central Committee.
sisting of the sheik. Ave amoers. Ave alemas and
three treasurers. being located at Derejab.
This Central Committee has now established
subcommittee in various parts Of Arabia. consisting
OF the principal Of their respective districts.
There is now district Of Arabia to which the
agents of the movement have not penetrated, and at
the beginning OF tho present year 10000 persons
were enrolled members, each of whom has to
pay fifty silver piastrcs to the subcommittee
of his district and to pledge himself on the
Koran to hold in readiness such the Central
Committee might prescribe. Even in Mecca and
Medina the majority Of tho inhabitants belong to
the organization. and mon go openly about the
streets with parti-colored stones (denoting
member OF the society in their turbans.
It is added that each subcommittee IL now In
position to assemble all tho members in each dis
tric fully armed and equipped. at any point within
the district at three weeks notice. The funds of the
society said already to amount to nearly
X onn QOO ailver piastrca.