The New York herald., 1879-09-10
Difficulties that Prevent the
British Advance.
SENDING TROOPS FROM ENGLAND
Open Revolt of the Northern Provinces
of Afghanistan
YAKOOB KHAN IN DANGER.
lBY CABLE TO THE HERALD

LONDON, Sept. 10, 1879.
1t is reported that Cabul itself has been
sacked by a mob. The Press Association re-
ports that III consequence of the proportions
which the outbreak i'll Afghanistan has reached
the officials consider it probable that General
Roberts will await the cooperation of other
columns before advancing Cabul 1t
is also stated that the military authori-
ties in India have been empowered
to hold back any troops whose term of foreign
service has expired. Large reinforcements Of
troops are to be despatched from England to
India to operate in Afghanistan, the first batch
leaving Portsmouth on the 10th of the present
month by the troop ship Malabar The troop
ships Jumna and Euphrates will follow speedily
with renforcements.
AN IMMEDIATE ADVANCE IMPOSSIBLE.
A despatch from Allahabad to the Daily Ne,rs
says that though some trustworthy sources
give the assurance that General Roberts will be
at Cabul in fortnight, it is said in military
circles at Simla that the 9th of October is the
probable date of the beginning Of forward
movement, because of the deficiency in wheeled
transportation. The correspondent of the Daily
Telegraph at Simla also fears that there will be
no forward movement in force before the end Of
September. BY those who know the position Of
things an advance is declared to be impossible.
The Daily Nc,cs' correspondent at Lahore says
Kurum and Candahar are quiet, but the north
ern districts are turbulent. Badakshan threat
ems to revolt. The Ameers position is believed
to be perilous The Cabul roads are closed.
SITUATION AT THE SEAT OF WAR.
The military correspondent of the Times, re-
xyiax fba ,<xyf
cent of the native troops on the frontier have
gone on furlough. The season has been an un
usually sckly one. The hospitals are full of
men unfit for service by fever and hardships of
the campaign. There very few infantry
regiments in 1.-THE Trans-Indus provinces which
could muster 500 men, and there is prob
ably not cavalry regiment in the Pun
jaub which could put 800 men on parade.
The transport departments have been broken
up and their reorganization will be difficult.
Upward of sixty thousand camels are officially
reported to have perished in the late campaign.
General Roberts may have sufficient mules and
camels to admit OF the hasty advance Of q
brigade in light marching order; but the gov
ernment Of India will have to strain
every nerve to guard his communica-
tions and keep him provsioned. Unfortu-
nately, the regiments in India nearest to AT
gbanistan have mostly suffered from cholera
and are numerically weak, the men being dcbil-
itated, and they will require heavy drafts to
bring them up to their war strength, and at
least two months must elapse before men to
recruitthe regiments can arrive from England
despatch to the Daily Ne,cs from Allahabad
announces that the infantry and some of the
guns have already advanced through the Shr-
targardan Pass. 1t is expected that the cavalry
will advance on Khushi in a week
WHY NOT DIVIDE THE CoUNTRYl
The st. Petersburg Gazette advocates direct
junction of the English and Russian dominions
in Central Asia by dividing Afghanistan be-
tween the two Powers, thus destroying the
present intermediate zone, which is the cause Of
continued trouble between the two countries.
ONLY A FREAK OF THE APGHANs
Sir Stafford Northcote Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer, speaking at Exeter on Monday. said
that the outbreak at Cabul appeared to have
been unpremeditated. So far as could be
judged the Ameer has been entirely true to tho
British, and it was certain that the assistance
he implored would not be refused. There seems
to be great, doubt, he said, whether prompt
advance is possible.