Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-01-18
The Afghan Campaign.

The Sepoys seem to have as good
luck as the Russians in "a winter cam
paign. The detiles on the Afghan Dor
der are already in their possession, and
nowhere has their advance been se-
riously resisted. Two of the three
columns are on the edge of the basin
i'll which lies the Ameer's capital. 1t
now seems probable that the Indian
troops will not remain on the heights I'M
Ill spring, but will descend into the val
leys without delay and make dash for
Cabul. There are, of course, extreme
dangers from the climate, il not from
the warlike tribes. When the Rus
SLAMS scaled the Balkan last January
there were 20 900 men in the hospitals
at the front, while 100, 900 men had
been sent to the rear; and out of these
l2O, 900 disabled men at least sc, 900
were victims of cold and exposure on
the mountains. The British COM
manders cannot afford TO be equally
reckless in defying the climate. They
cannot allow their Swarthy warriors to
freeze to death on tho mountain roads,
for their main columns number barely
81, 900 men. But it VIII / q no colder
in the valleys than on the heights which
command them, aud the temptation to
press on and push the enemy to the
wall Is very strong. The column which
has won SD brilliant a victory in the
koorum Valley can reach Cabul within
nine days, and the division which
marched through Khyber Pass is even
rearer. The rumor that the Ameer
ho1 Italian raft,na -, ~, ha. NOT
been fully confirmed and doubtless is
premature. but unless his forces are
handled to better advantage than they
have been thus far, a collapse of his
arms seem to be close at hand.
But if the Viceroy drives out Shers
Ali and keeps him out, who is to take
his place? The succession to the At
CHAN throne now depends upon the ca
price of the Ameer, or rather of his
favorite wife. Not long ago the heir
apparent, who was the son of the wife
of his old age, died quite suddenly,
and suspicious were exsit.d that tue
lad had been poisoned. The success
sion is now undetermined. Even il
the Ameer sues for peace and is suf-
fsred to keep his throne, this question
VI buCCcSolOu Will uuNt W b6 b6btlcu III
advance, and there are intriguing wives
and restless children and grand.chil-
dren who will be supported by jealous
chiefs and rival factions. Among the
claimants to the throne are Ibrahim
Khan, the eldest son; Yakoob Khan,
the second son, concerning whom there
have been SO many contradictory ru-
mors; Ayub Khan, the third son, who
is now in exile; Ahmed Ali, q grandson;
Abdul Rahman, the eldest son of the
eldest brother; and many wandering
or imprisoned heirs. If Shere Ali is
allowed to govern his dominion, the
succession will be dictated by the con-
querors; and whatever choice they may
make will cause disssnsion. How can
the defeated Ameer, or any successor
who may be appointed, be kept on the
throne, unless the whole country is
permanently occupied? There will be
three Bosnias in one Afghanistan, and
warlike race, which can never be con-
verted into horde of auxiliaries, will
have to be kept in subsection. Whether
the Indian troops withdraw from CO.
bull or remain there permanently, the
hostility of heirs, chiefs and tribes will
open the way for Russian intrigues.
The campaign has opened most bril-
liantly, and may not drag on many
weeks, but there is no end of fidget in
reserve for timid Britons.-N Y. Tri-
bune.