The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-19
ENGLAND AND THE AFGHANs
FIGHTING AT CABUL-sTRAGGLERs MURDERED
NEAR sHARPUR-GENERAL COUGH, WITH
FIVE DAYS PROVISIONS, SURROUNDED AT
[BY CABLE TO THE HERALD

by CABLE TO THE HERALD
LONDON, Dec. 10, 1879.
The Afghan excitement is now at fever heat.
and the scarcity Of news from the front seems
to intensity rather than abate it. The new and
stringent regulations recently issued by the
government of India for the guidance of news
demned on all sides. 1t is felt that at so crit
ical moment as the present any news would
be preferable to the silence which prevails.
The papers are busy this morning with discus
slons of the situation, with accounts Of the
relative positions of friend and Toe, and with
descriptions Of the camp in which General
Roberts is beleaguered and of the roads by
which the government is endeavoring to send
troops to his assistance.
DIsCoRD IN THE BRITISH CAMP.
In the first place it is roundly declared that
the relations between the English generals are
anything but harmonious and there is constant
danger that the disagreement which in former
days wrought so much mischief between Gen.
erals Mott and Pollock may to-day be repeated
at Cabul There was much hesitation about
giving Sir Frederick Roberts local rank. For
fear of creating jealousies Lord Lytton was
slow to extend the popular leaders power
in Afghanistan. Without authority from
Calcutta the latter could not open the
line from Gundamuck to Cabul. He had to
wait for the other columns movements. General
Macphersons brigade, being sent to recon-
noitre the Luttebund Pass and the Khurd Cabul
dcfle, marched across the Hupt Kotal and
were making their way to Kutta Lung, when
they came in sight of General Coughs flying
column from Gundamuck, and ut once halted,
losing much valuable time. This procedure
has been constantly repeated. There is no
very friendly feeling among the generals ut
Cnbul General Roberts has strictly prohibited
the practice of looting, and has logged hun
drcds of Scpoys who were caught in
the act General Baker has regarded
the offence with lcnient eye, and is
by fur the most popular leader in the
field General Hill. the British Governor O..
Cabul, who for month sat daily in the Kot.
wall and sent scores of Afghans to the gallows.
was almost condemned for his rigor by Sir
Frederick Roberts, who Is as mild in peace as
he is slap-dash in scriinmagc. Nor is there
mnch .halinony in the ranks. The infantry are
still sore with the cavalry for having allowed
the enemy to escape after Charasiab and the
troopers are still jealous of the praise which
General Roberts, in his official dispatches, Law
ished ON the foot regiments.
WAITING FOR Supplies.
But there is no doubt that all these differ
enccs will be forgotten in face of the foe. "A
greater danger is that the troops marching to
General Roberts relief may be cut oil by stress
of weather force of arms. The first snow fell
ut Cabul more than month ago. Five months
supplies had been collected in the Sharpur can
tonlncnts. For forage arrangements had been
made with Daud Shah and other Afghans in
whom trust was placed. Villagers showed them
selves willing to bring in supplies More than
half n million Snidcr cartridges, which with
friction tubes for guns and stores of all kinds
were found in the Bala Hissar, were speedily