The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-22
ENGLAND AND THE AFGHANs.

concerning her army in Afghanistan.
And, judging from the latest advices,
there is good cause for this general anx-
ety. 1t must be considered that all the
information that has been communicated
is derived from British officials connected
with their Afghan army, and must con-
sequently bear the best aspect that the
situation can be made to assume. And
this is certainly bad enough.
1t has been repeatedly announced that
the British war was ended; that Cabul,
the capital, had been seized and was held
by British arms. Close upon this fol-
lowed the announcement that the At
ghans had risen and had slain the Com
missioners and their guards left to hold
the capital. A renewal of hostilities i'm
mediately ensued. The British army re-
turned to Cabul and proceeded to take
vengeance upon all suspected of COM
plicity in the massacre of the Commits
sion.
As is their custom, the Afghans at
once disbanded and disappeared from
before the British arms Once again
it was proclaimed that the Afghans were
subdued, and the war was ended. By
this time the winter had come. Snow
was obstructing the mountain passes
General Roberts, commanding the Brit
ish forces, took up his winter quarters
at Cabul.
Soon afterwards the dispersed Afghans
reassembled, and, being joined by the
hill tribes adjacent, appeared in revolt
with overwhelming numbers. The Brit
ish again gave them battle, and were de-
feated, with loss of artillery. Embol-
dened by this success, the Afghans as
sumed the offensive, drove the British
from Cabul, and compelled them to take
refuge in their fortified encampment
some two miles from the capital. There
they remain, up to latest advices, about
10000 strong, surrounded by about 49,
600 Afghan troops The situation is
certainly perilous.
Up to "a recent date the telegraphic
communication remained uncut. The
gravity of affairs was made known, and
reinforcements were forwarded with all
possible dispatch by the Viceroy of In
dia. But the way was long, the march
difficult. And now we learn that the
reinforcing column has been stopped by
the hostile tribes in great numbers, and
who hold the mountain passes against
both the advance and retreat of the Brit
ish. Taking advantage of their winter
| season, the rigors of which the India
troops can not well endure, the Afghan'
have placed both columns of British
r troops in position of extreme danger
r What the issue may be can scarcely b.
conjectured.
Y Unquestionably thee British soldiers
will fight like heroes. Yet numbers may
overwhelm them. In the late skirmishe
: the British have discovered that the AT
l ghans are supplied with arms of precis
ion, and that they use them efectually
1t has also been ascertained that they
have at length found leader in SOM
man of ability as military officer. Will
i artillery they are not supplied to an.
great extent. So that, while within thei
: fortified camp: the British may hold the
Y foes at bay for some time, possibly til
/ relief can arrive.
| But, if they can not, then what? ON
e shudders to think of the result tina
= would follow. England has heretofore los
e two armies at the hands of these tribes
! One of them was decimated, the remnan
= escaping only through hardships and mis-
: cry; the other was utterly destroyed, no
a remnant remained. 1t would be a sa,
: day for England were she now to suffe
3 the loss of a third army in the invasion
of that far-off and semi-barbarous regiol
r of Central Asia.
y What British army was sent ther
G for the world, if it ever knew, has almos
J. forgotten. 1t all proceeded from a mer
r. matter Of punctilio. The Viceroy of In
IS dia had written an arrogant letter to tn
It Ameer of Cabul, which the Afghan SOY
it ereign did not vouchsafe to answer. Tha
p was the casus belli that led to invasion
!? and long, expensive and hazardou
Is war; and the end is not yet.
10 All the world knows that British rul
a. in India has ever been. characterized b
h arrogance Of manner and not untainte
1t with cruelty and wrong. Those Asiati
Is races are known to "treasure up wrong
10 without limit Of time; and will seize a
V occasion to wreak terrible revenge
E. There are indications of such spirit i
h thu prosent outhreak- And IL NAV ne