The New York herald., 1879-03-01
Arrival Of the Afghan Ambassa-
doris in Tashkend.
INTERVIEW With GENERAL RASGONOFR.
A Russian Officers Views on the State ef AighanStan
and The Condition Of the Ameei
RUMORS OF SHERE ALrS DEATH.
(BY CABLE TO THE HERALD

BY CAblE 10 The dEhALDJ
TAsHKEND, Turkestan, Feb. "a, 1879
The Afghan ambassadors, whose arrival
at Tashkend have already announced,
were officially received to-day by General
Kaufman. The embassy is composed Of
the Ameer's nephew, the Grand Vizier and
! the Ministers OF Justice and of the Interior
(the latter having been the chief of
the last Afghan embassy which visited
Tashkend), and was accompanied by
the Russian General Rasgonoff. 1t left
Samarcand on the 10th of January. have
just had q lengthy interview with General
Rasgonof, full summary OF which trans
NIT in the following. was anxious to
learn particulars respecting the internal
affairs of Afghanistan at the present time,
and the truth of the rumors that have
reached us respecting the illness of the
Ameer
CONVERSATION WITH GENERAL RAsGoNoFF.
you leave Afghanistan?
RAsGoSoEF-The general disposition of
the people inclines to resistance, notwith-
standing the efforts of partisans Of the
English at Cabul, who act as spies on the
Afghans, and who calumniate the Russians
on every possible occasion.
CoRREspoNDENT-Then newspapers say that
the English lavish gold wherever they are
received What is the truth of the asser-
ton?
RAsGoNorr-The truth is that when there
was question of the Ameer going to st.
Petersburg, the English thought to gain
over the population to them, and during
the Ameer's progress, an Afghan, calling
himself an English deserter from Pesha-
wer, and who disappeared Immediately
afterward, offered 100, 900 roubles to Chanz,
one of the ambassadors who has just ar
rived here, if he would prevent the Rus
slams from intervening.
THE RECEPTION OF THE AMEER EN- ROUTE
CoRREspoNDRNr-How was the Ameer re-
ceived on his passage through Afghanistan?
RAsGoNoyF-He was everywhere received
with acclamation by men, women and chill
dren. Ten thousand people came out from
Tashkorgan to meet him. The Ameer an
nounced wherever he went his determine
tion to continue tho war against the Brit
ish forces.
CoRREsroSDESr-How goes on the war
now?
RAsooNoFF-The Afghans are doing moth
ing, and the English but little more. The
English are making military demonstrations
merely to diminish the amount of the sums
which they have to give in order to pur-
chase success.
CoRnEspoNDENT-How will it all end?
RAsaoNoFF-It will last long while, un-
less the Afghans find q good general, which
they may do. They have good soldiers but
detestable commanders They possess two
hundred cannon, scattered over their terri
tory, and numerous cavalry which is incom-
parable in quality, and could destroy the
invaders if properly handled.
CoRRt tspoNDENr-Then the party of Shere
Ali does not despair?
RAsoooNfr-No. They have not come to
that yet.
THE AMEER's ILLNESS.
CoRREspoSpxNT-Wh would the result
be If the Ameer should die?
RAsaoNoFF-Yakoob seems disposed to
continue the war. He sends daily reports
to the Ameer at Tashkorgan and seeks his
advice
CoRREspoNDENT-Is Yakoob sincere?
R,saoNorY-I cannot tell.
CoRREspoNDENT How did the Ameer's ill.
ness commence?
RAsaoSorr-He told me that he had
sore throat, but it was the opinion of the
mission that his illness was feigned. We
left him with this conviction, and were
greatly surprised to hear of the seriousness
of his case.
ConnrspoxDEST-Did not this illness sug-
gest political poisoning, to destroy tho
Ameer-the only bond of union between
Russia and Afghanistan-ju as he was
about to cross the fronticrP
RAsGoNorr-I am unable to form any
opinion on that subject. When I left there