The New York herald., 1879-03-01
THE AMEER's JoURNEY-RUMoRED DEsERTIos
OF PART OF sHERE Ais EscoRT-AsIATIt
REPORTS.

THE AMEERs JoURNEY-RUMoRED DEsERTIoN
OF PART OF sHERE ALIs EscoRT-AsIATIc
REPORTS.
TAsHKEND, Turkestan. Jan. "a, 1879.
Since the 18th. the date of my last telegram. we
have been entirely without news here. All that we
know is that the Amcer Shere Ali is staying
at Tashkorgan. where his harem had preceded him.
This double piece of information was sent to Gen.
eral Kaufman by of his aides-decamp,
to whom he had given orders to take
charge of the Afghan mission on its re-
turn. This officer. in passing through Shirabad.
learned the following facts from the Bey of that
place. The Bokharian functionary informed him
that he had been apprised by General RasgonoT Of
his approaching passage and also of the fact that the
Ameer, who had left Cabul with escort of 1000
men. had only 400 Of them left when he arrived at
Tashkorgan. the 600 others having deserted The
Bey added that robbers. whose boldness had in
creased tenfold since the war. had entirely
cut the communications between Cabul and the
frontier, that the Ameer Is absolutely without
of what is occurring in his capital. He can
console himself with the reflection that he resembles
the rest Of the world in this seeing that the English
journals unable to furnish them with any in
formation on the subject The news which we re-
ceve here. through the Russian journals which re-
produce the English kilograms and which only reach
us at intervals of three weeks, speak of journey
which Yakoob Khan has made to Jelaabad surrounded
by an English staff. The statement was pronounced
to be false. Then again. the London journals re-
ferred to the principal nstgator of the present war;
and indicated him to be person named Benderski.
Now it happens that NJ. Bendersk is a simple subal
tern in the Russian mission. 1t is surprising that
even his name should have reached the newspaper
correspondents. But the English journals do not
eniov monopoy Of srch blunderS.
THE AMEER's ESCORT.
On a soil almost unknown and which its inhabi-
tants wish to keep closed to the rest of the world.
the Bey of Shirabad, Of whom make mention above.
was evidently influenced by the old hatred of the
Bokharans against the Aghans when he spoke of the
desertion Of the Ameer's escort. Mention had. in
fact. been made in the beginning Of his journey OF
the strength of the force which Shere Ali was bring
ing with him; but letter from General Rasgonof,
which since reached here, stated that he had left
with only 400 Besides the people in charge
of the baggage and the servants, this is just the
number that arrived at Tashkorgan. This same
Bey in his anxiety to impress his hearers as to the
extent of his information. stated that wherever the
English had made their appearance they had de-
clared the country annexed Being entirely without
news from General RasgonoT could not tell
whether this was true false. Afghanistan becom-
ing more and more inaccessible to us recent
example will show. The Ameer had requested
the Russian authorities to send him q
physician, on account of the prevailing fevers
which were raging The doctor, escorted by
only six Cossacks. reached Balkh where he
brought to dead stop. the Ameer having neglected
to apprse the Governor Of his arrival. 1t is super
Huous to dwell the reality on the absence Of
news in letter which takes from thrtyfve to forty
days to reach New York. and which will evidently be
anticipated by telegraphic dispatches. have merely
referred these facts to give your readers idea Of
the degree Of confidence which they should accord to
any news except that arriving from official
source-that is to say. from General Rasgonof,
who alone has personal means of verifying
what he writes. This source OF accurate
information will be in measure closed to us by the
Generals return. and shall be compelled to
tent ourselves with messages letters from the
Ameer who. according to General Kaufman, is one
of the most veracious OF the Asatics. which saying
however must not be taken in too absolute a sense.
Then your correspondent will cross the frontier and
see everything for himself but he will have neither
the post the telegraph at his command. and you
will have await his return to learn what that mys
terious country. Afghanstan. conceals in its noun
tainous danks.