The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-13
RUSSIANS AT CABUL.

THE RUsso-AFGHAN VERSION OF THE AMEER's
CONDUCT TOWARD THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
LAST DAYS OF ABDULLAH JAN.
The Cabul correspondent of the Golos, who must
have been member of General stolietofs mission.
writes long letter hs third, dated the 18th Of Oc
tober, as to the manner in which the Russian en-
bassy was received in the capital Of the Ameer He
says:-
The mission OF General Stolietof arrived in Cabul
on July 20. In the evening the city was illumina-
ted. y At about every day the Vizier,
Dabir-ul-Mulk, paid the General q visit. and con-
sultation regarding the convention then followed.
Several times Stoetof went straight to the Ameer,
particularly when there any Misunderstanding
between the two treating parties. The convention
embraced the Afghan form of government in
general, the question of succession, the recog-
milton by Russia of the existing order of things
in Afghanistan &c. As regards an offensive ana de-
is simply invention of the English press. ever
ready to magnify fly into an elephant. know fos
q certainty that in the written convention nothing
OF the kind is mentioned. However, in that docu.
ment Russia promises to support morally the invio
bility OF Afghanistan Meanwhile the other members
of the mission began feel weary of the monotonous
life they spent within four walls Every one was ex-
tremey anxious to visit the town to see its %
ut any ratio to take drive ride around Cabuls
which lay temptngly at the foot Of the palace occu
pied by our mission. Vain desire! At the palace
gates stands the guard Of honor which allows no one
to pass without the permission of the vizer. Watch
stationed ut every wall. All this appeared
too reverential the members of the embassy. They
several times expressed General Stoeto their de-
to visit the city its environs. but always met
with a decided refusal. which was explained on the
ground that there nothing worth seeing in the
town. Another reason adduced was the fear of ex-
citing the fanaticism of the populace.
VISIT TO THE DYING PRINCE.
The physician to our embassy at last had an OPP
portunity of visiting the city, On the I'd Of
August he was sent for by General Solicitor, who
informed him that he requested to pay profess
sonal visit to the heir apparent Abdullah Jan. who
had been suddenly taken ILL., TO reach the
part of the town and through the bazaar. In per-
forming his journey he observed that tho
buildings and the general appearance of
the streets were the same as in all
the towns of Central Asia--narrow. close streets.
with low, dirty houses and shops. The house in
habited by the Prince consisted, usual, of large
courtyard surrounded by high walls Along the walls
stood number of covered palanquns. Moreover.
some palanquins carried in and figures dressed
In white with faces concealed. emerged from them
while others were taken away with women In them
similarly wrapped up IL appeared that the physician
in the harem and that the young Prince was in
his mothers palace In the middle of the courtyard
ion with-what IL in the East-large glass
windows 1t was quite light in the pavilion, which
built such an eminence that the greater part
of Cabul could be seen from its windows. Tho
furniture consisted of two ordinary beds and several
armchairs The windows looking to the sun had
the pavilion number of people gathered round
bed on which an old man. with an Uzbeck cast of
countenance. was seated, holding the young Prince
in his arms. The Prince fifteen years old. No
European had ever beheld him. The physician to
our embassy was the first and unfortunately tho
last European that ever saw Abdulah Jan. He
approached the patients bed, examined him an0
then told his dresser what medicine to prepare.
Those who surrounded the sick Prince respectfully
and serviley regarded the doctor. anxious to know
what he would say. II appeared from the hyscians
inquiries that the patient had previously suHertu
from pa pitation, cure which he was sent to the
hills, from whence he had returned three days ago.
feeling comparatively WELL As soon, however, as ma
returned TO Cabul the symptoms of his old complaint
returned. and with increased severity Then the na.
tive DOCTORS according to the rules OF tner ART gave
him strong cathartic, which brought on an attack
of dysentery. After two days suffering the patient
lost consciousness. and remained IN that state I'LL hs
death.
The negotiations between the Afghan officials and
General Stolicton continued from day to day. aud be-
fore any final agreement arrived at the treaty
written and rewritten several times. When the nego.
tiatons were over shere Ali Khan informed General
Soli,toT that he had received that the English
also desired TO send mission to Cabul and wished
TO know whether the Ameer would receive IL. The
Amccr then remarked that In his opinion the English
had no business In Cabul and that therefore he had
decided to refuse their request. However. thc
Ameer asked General Stolietofrs opinion as to how
he should act in such case The General answered
evasively without giving decided reply either af
Amecr understand that the simultaneous presence OF
the Embassies of two countries almost ut
nifty with zach other would not prove quito
10 reject the English Mission. The excuse
for the refusal was the danger of the road through
promise that the English would not be subjected to
ill-trcatmcnt on the way
The subsequent conduct of the British officers aud
the Ameer are well known.
RUSSIANS
The next day. the 18th OF August. General stoe-
toH, with the physician to the Embassy and ten
Cossacks, started for Tashkend. From information
have just received Stolictoi arrived In Tashkend
ON the 4th september, having travelled 300 versts
goo mies) of difficult road In twenty-five days Tho
following members OF the Russian Embassy have
remained IN Cabnl Colonel i,azgonon the topog..
raphcr Bcnderski, Secretary Malevnsk Lieutenant
Nazarof and zsaman Beck, with servants and eleven
Cosssct