The New York herald., 1879-01-05
the first day-a fact carefully concealed by
the English journals.

HERALD CoRREsPoNDENT-How did it hap
pen that the English, beaten on the first
day, were victorious on the second?
General KAuFMANS-By bad generalship.
The Ameer had scattered his troops to have
some everywhere, and, consequently, they
were in force nowhere. Thus in the last
battles the English, having sixteen bat
talions, had only to fight on one occasion
four Afghan battalions, and on another
fve although the English would
have been beaten on the first day if
the troops had not been scattered.
The Ameer having at his disposal ninety
battalions should have had immediate re-
Inducements ready, and the English checks
would have become disasters. This is un-
fortunate for the Afghans. They are ex-
cellent soldiers, but wretchedly. COM
manded.
ENGLISH MuNoHAUsENIsMs.
HERALD CoRREspoNDrNT-It is rumored in
Europe that the Afghans are directed by
Russian officers.
General KAurMANN-I learned that by
Lord LOTUS, the English Ambassador to
Russia, saying at the Chancellerie in st.
Petersburg that the journal de Cabo,d had
announced the arrival of my aide-de-camp
in the Afghan capital To that replied by
stating that I had long been in relations
with the Ameer through native horseman,
whom the Cabul journal mistook for an
aide-de-camp.
THE AFGHAN SITUATION.
HERALD CoRREspoNDENr-To return to the
war, General; what, may ask, is the actual
situation
General KAurMANN-The Ameer has left
his son, Yakoob Khan, at Cabul and retired
north over one hundred and fifty miles, as
far as Mazar-i-Sharif, close to our frontier.
The last letter I received from him was
dated the 9th of December and announced
that he would quit Cabul in couple OF
days. He arrived at Mazar-i-Sharif
probably to-day (31st Of December), and
was to write here immediately. l shall
know his intentions about the 18th of
January. and would advise you, therefore.
to delay your departure, so as to learn with
certainty the residence Of the Ameer. You
will lose nothing by the delay, for can
keep you informed Of all events occurring
who was kept waiting while the Afghan
Ambassador was taking his leisure here at
Tashkend. Rasgonoff was literally pris-
oner, and have still to learn whether, not
withstanding the departure Of the Ameer
from Cabul, Rasgonoff will be permitted to
return. The Afghans are very susceptible
people, and do not like to have witnesses to
their disaster. 1t is possible, again,
that they would receive you badly,
perhaps imprison you. Who could
say, then, when you would be permitted to
! return? European influence is powerless
there now more especially as I have just
declared that Russia will not intervene. I
own this duty was very painful to me.
A JOURNALISTS DIFFICULTIES.
HERALD CoRREsPoNDENT-The Embassy
that came from the Ameer to solicit your
aid is leaving to-day. l should like to fol-
low it.
General KAuFMANN-I thought of it during
the conference, but observing the manner
in which my refusal on the part of His
Majesty the Gar was received, renounced
the idea declare to you that should
feel it my duty to prevent your departure.
Acting in the interest of your journal your
mission would be failure if you could not
correspond with it.
WILL THE ENGLISH ADVANCE?
HERALD CoHaEsroNDENT-To sum up, then
the Afghans are beaten; the English are
victorious and will not advance.
General KAuFMANS-They will not, SO as
to avoid disasters such as that of 1912
no PERMANENT SOLUTION.
HERALD CoIIr spoS DENT-And should the
Afghans violate q treaty made by Yakoob
Khan, where will be the solution of the
difficulty?
General KAuFMANN-There will be no
solution for if the Ameer recommences n
war that is difficult and almost impossible
for the English the latter can derive no
more advantage from it than they have OBJ
toip ad at prasent and TINT is nothing.