The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-04-17
AYOUB KHAN.
England Has Her Pensioned Ex-Ameer Ares
ted.

TEHERAN, April 1l.-Ayoub Khan, ex-
Ameer Of Afghanistan, who has been resid-
ing here for some time on pension of 81, 75e
per month, from the British government, has
again tried to leave Persia for Afghsnistan.
The British Minister has kept close watch
on Ayoub Khan ever since his return to this
city, after his attempt, several months age,
to leave Persia, and has redoubled Its vigil
lance since the Russo Afghan difficulty began.
Learning from letters which fell into his
hands that the ex-Ameer was again planning
to escape TO Afghanistan, the British Minis
ter complained to the Shah, and the latter
arrested Ayoub, and has confined him in the
citadel. Persian officials have taken posses
sion of Ayoub's house.
As instancipg some of the difficulties with
which the English have to contend in their
occupancy Of the scientific frontier" in
Afghanistan, and incidental to Ayoub Khan's
arrest and the Russo English complication,
we make the following extract from an ex
change:
alt 10 fortunate fer the British they have
been enabled, by q free use of money and pres
ents, TO keep the Ameer of Afghanistan on
their side. Yet Afghan friendship is one of
the most uncertain things in the world, and
keen. Drained must be the Englishman who
deals with the Amer or any representative
of Afghan tribes. The history Of British
connection with Afghanistan Is full of Illus
trations Of the perfdioIs character Of the
nnH artn ta do linz unit
The present Ameer Is the grandson of the
famous Dost Mohammed, whom the English
deposed from supreme authority ia 1880 for
the purpose Of setting upon the Afghan
throne q creature of their own-Shah Soda.
The puppet was overthrown by q powerful
insurrecton, and the English let Dost No
BANNED return TO power in 1S42, after Gen.
Elpbinstone had been severely whipped and
many British officers had been massacred at
Cabul. Out Of $1,000 British troops less
than 100 escaped alive. When Dost died In
1868 he left sixteen sons, and designated one
of them, Sbere Ali, to be his successor.
Shere Ali was Immediately sssailed by sew
eral Of his brothers and bis nephew Abdur-
rshman, the present Ameer; and IL required
four years to overthrow them, Abdurrahman
fleeing to Central Asia and becoming pen
sioner of the Russians. When Lord Lytton
scheming against Shsre Ali and forced him
into war with England, which resulted in
his overthrow In 1878 and his fight to Cen
trail Asia. Then Lord Iytton set up Yakub
Khan, Shere Ais SOD, as the British pup
pet. The fact that he was such Q puppet
insured his downfall. His soldiers in 1879
massacred Maj. Cavagnari, the British resi-
dent at Cabul, and his entire staff. This
affair brought an English army into Afghan
istan and Yakub took refuge in India, where
he was given fat pension and Is living now.
One of Shere Ais sons, Ayoub Khan, came
forward as . claimant for the throne, and
was opposed by Shere's nephew, Abdurrah-
man. A bloody struggle followed, which
ended In the establishment of Abdurrahman
at Csbul by British bayonets, and the settle
ment upon him Of 5000, 900 year to make
him abandon his Russian sympathies. Alb
durrshman had very weak ssdy Of support
ers In Afghanistan, and Ayoub was largely
favored favored by the tribes as Ameer. The
British government has had trouble each
time 1t has interfered In Afghanistan affairs.
Each time such interference has been brought
about by the fear that Russia would get the
control of the Ameer. The war 40 years
ago cost Sl00, 900, 900 and the interference of
five years ago cost something over that sum.
Yet 1t Is very certain that unless the British
or the Indian government occupies Afghan
istan as . province with strong garrisons,
there Is not the slightest guarantee that the
most influential tribes will not yield TO Rus
sian instigation and engage in bloody up.
rising"