The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-09

Our Dispatches from Tashkend-Com-
ments OF the London Press.
Our correspondent in Tashkend reports
to-day the receipt there of intelligence from
General Rasgonofi, the Russian officer with
Shere Ali, to the effect that the fugitive
Ameer had reached Mazar-i-Sharif and was
persistent in his intention to 60 personally
to the Russian capital in order to lay before
the Emperor his difficulties with the Eng
lish. This despatch is dated January. On
Sunday we published a despatch from
the same place, dated January 2, in
which was recounted the dismissal
of the Afghan emissaries by General Kauf-
mann, the Russian commander, with an I'M
favorable answer to their appeal for Russian
assistance. In that despatch it was stated
that they would rejoin Shere Ali at Mazar.
On Tuesday we printed second despatch
from Tashkend, dated January 5, in which
it was reported that General Kaufman was
informed of the Ameers intention to cross
the Russian frontier. and that the General
had telegraphed to st. Petersburg for in
structions. Shere Ali left Cabul on Decem-
Der - and probably arrived at Mazar near
the end of the month. He will await there
the return of his embassy from Turkestan,
sin.- that is the rendezvous given. Before
he is ready to leave that place, if he should
still be resolved to go to Russia despite the
positive character of the unfavorable an
swer given at Tashkend, the commander
there will be undoubtedly in full possess
sion Of the views of his government as to
what course it is deemed proper to pursue
in the circumstances.
At Mazar the Ameer is, under the treaty
of 1871, out Of his own dominions and in the
country of Bokhara, which, after all, is
pretty much the same as being already in
Russia; so that General Kaufman in say
ing the Ameer was near the Russian FROM
tier spoke accurately enough for the loose
limits Of those Asiatic districts, and the
London writer's are unduly susceptible to
cover for new Russian territorial pre-
fences. By the law Of 1871 Mazar is in
Bokhara and Bokhara is at least one Of
the ripe fruits that will fall whenever
Russia cares for it. But if the ANGER is not
in Bokhara he is in his own dominions, for
all that country was part of the Kingdom Of
Cabul under Dost Mohammed. He is in
this view not sovereign driven from his
dominions in the hope to be restored by
foreign arms, but only one who has ADAM
doned a city in his own kingdom which he
is induced to believe untenable for another
where he is more at ease, and from which he
can reach such yet safer places as Herat. He
will, perhaps, stand on this theory if refused
permission to cross the Russian frontier.
Doubtless the Russian Chancellor may
look upon the Ameer as white elephant,
and will reflect that his government has no
present use for that sort of animal, or at
least that it has no use for him in its capt.
pretender to throne of which the English
will consider they have the right to dispose.
If they put prince on the throne and
establish treaty relations with that
prince pretender to that throne
is q menace to their policy, and can only
act in contempt of the authority they
will contend is theirs by right of conquest.
And the sovereign who entertains such a
prince, who extends to him the hospitality
of his court, thereby gives him aid and
comfort, and puts itself in IN attitude that
may Justly be deemed offensive by the
other government. He nourishes his
enemies grievance. These points are not
different in Asia from what they were in
Europe, and the principle is the same for
great or small pretenders. The Chevalier
st. George ut ST. German was to England
an offensive feature Of French policy, and
Shere Ali at st. Petersburg would be not
more pleasant to the new powers at Cabul.
And we do not believe Russia intends
just now to be offensive to England or to
burden her policy with an accidental prince
whose presence at her capital might pro-
woke unfriendly sentiments, but who could
in no case render an equivalent advantage
In the ample extracts which we give to-day
by cable from the London papers may be
seen some indications of how ready
England is to take offence on this
point of Russia's policy in Afghanis-
tan. These extracts are from leaders
in all th> London papers discussing
our admirable despatch from Tashkend,
which is referred to above, as published in
the HERALD on Sunday last One journal
regards the answer to the Ameer as the re.
suit of Russias determination to abstain
from meddling' in Afghanistan. Another
uses this same word ''meddling" in this
connection, and third refers to Russia's
"unscrupulous intrigues in Afghanistan.
Now, Russia's relations to Afghanistan are
closely analogous to the relations of Eng
land to Turkey in the recent war. She has
the same rights there, if any, and has GER
tainly the same embarrassments. She has
interests which she believes will be en-
dangered if that country is in the hands of