New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-21
THE AMEERS OF KABUL.
THE ROMANTIC STORY OF THE AFGHAN
MONARCHS
Constantinople, August 3.

Constantinople, August 3.
The last Of the Ameers" is a title which one
often hears applied to Abdurrahman khan' the
present ruler of the Afghans. Like most prepne
cies IL has some show of reason for existence, and
also some grounds Of possible failure thus far
Abdurrahman's reign has been a stormy one; and
inst now the storm clouds are dcnser than ever be-
fore. Russia Is aggressive. and Afghanistan itself
s convused with rebellion More than half the
nation, IL it can be called nation. is at war
against tho ANGER Yet Abdurrahman is strong
and resourcefu! man, and it is BY no means impos
sible that he will weather this storm SAFELY ana
that six more Ameers will in succession bear sway
at Kabul.
There have been only six Ameers, including the
present The old Durani dynasty bore the title OF
Shah But when the Barakzai dynasty came upon
the scene in 1880. the title Of Amcer, or Einlr'
WIS adopted. This was to conform with the Ma
hometan idea that there shall be In the world
one supreme Caliph, the vicegerent of the Prophet
with number of Emirs as his leutcnants.. The
BaralSzai Amcers have all ruled at Kabu being
indeed, properly speaking, Ameers Of Kabul rather
than Of Afghanistan, and the story Of their sway
Is one Of the most thrilling and romantic OF
modern times.
Dost Mohammed was the first of them and his
name is still name to cOniure with from Herat
to tho Pamirs. He deserves indeed TO be ranked
among the greatest chieftains Of the world. Had
he lived few centuries before, be would have
rivaled Genghis Khan and Timur Leng In
more civilized country he would have been Ma
poleon. As it was, he succeeded as no other man
had ever done IN uniting the warning and savage
tribes of Afghanstar into a nation, and in arous-
ing in them much OF that old spirit that once
made the Afghans the masters Of India and OF
nearly all of Asia. So formidable did his rising
power appear that England was constrained, for
the safety Of her Indian Empire, to put forth her
might land lethrone him. bloody war fol-
lowed, and finally the Dost was restored to his
throne.
Il was then that be showed his greatness. For
he madc treaty of peace with the English, who
had been his foes. He promised to seek no re-
venge for his wrongs, but to be faithful friend
and ally Of the English. And that promise he
kept few kings have ever done. When the
Sepoy mutiny came on many OF his relatives
and leading men urged him to take side with tho
rebels There were several English officers at
Kandshar, and his own son. Gholam Hyder. who
was Governor in that city, proposed to Kill
them Let us make clean sweep Of tlem!'
he said But Dost Mohammed said no, and not
only protected the Engllshmen. but remained
faithful TO his English alliance all through that
troublous period. 1.-THE Great Ameer" he is still
called all through Afghnnstan, and we'll he de-
the title.
Yet Dost Mohammed himself left legacy which
has proved the ruin Of the empire which he
founded lie had several wives and no less than
twenty-five sons His first wife was for many
years childlcss. So Afzul and Azm, sops Of his
second wife were his elicst SONS, and regarded
,ba Il beira 10 frat wifi
his favoritc, however, esteemed far above the
others. and when at last she bore him three sons,
Akbar, Gholsm Hydcr and Sherc ALI he declared
THAT to them should the succession Of sovereignty
pass and not 10 their elder brothers Thus jealousies
and bitter animositics were aroused, and thus
eross those fcuds that have more than once rent
the Afghan realm asunder.
England distrusted the three sons Of the first
wife, su.pectine them Of Russian sympathes: and
consequently Fin sIish influence was exerted In
favor Of Afzul and Ann. And indeed the three
younger sons were not friendly 20 England. The
attitude OF Gholau Hyder at Kandahar has al
ready been mentioned. As for Akbar the eldest.
he was a mighty warrior In his early years In
the battle Of the khyber he personally engaged
and slew the great Sikh general, Hari Sir William
Macnaughten with his own hand. and led the
Afghan army which annibilated the English forces
in Juddulluk Pass. Yet fle gallanty gave up his
paanqnin TO Lady Maonaushtcn although he was
himself so badly wounded that he could scarcely
sit upon his horse. His father never forgavc him
for killing Sir William Macnaughten, and finally
poisoned him TO dcath-so Afghan reports declare.
Akbar being thus removed and Gholam
IIyIer having died, Shcre All became the heir, and
on the death of Dost Mohammed succeeded 20 the
throne Of Kabul He was n worthy son Of his
SotL Nh Ia lsffe rkah
in a high degree. lie WAS not as his brothers
had hcen, hostile 20 the English for he had lived
in India and had learned to regard them friends,
md to respect ticir power lie sought a closer
alliance with them. AID for that purpose went, in
grand s,yle ~ have conference with Lord
Mayo at Umbala. Lord Mayo managed the affair
badly; AMI sent the Ameer away dissatisfied. But
tho con inference has been made immortal by one re-
mark OF the Amecr. The festivities at Cmballa iu-
cuded ball at which the ladies werc Nil in dccolr
lete gowns AMI many Of the men in Highland Scot
fish uniforms Referring 10 this. Shere All said.
on being asked az Kahul what he had seen at
Umballa Il have seen how the English dress. The
women are naked down 10 the waist, and the men
arc naked up to the waist
The English misunderstood and maltreated him.
Yet he chung TO the alliance. He even srove 10
introduce English civilization into his realm. lie
organized his army on the English. system. lie
took TO wearing English clothes. and made his
wives do lilSewise--though not after the fashion
he had observed at Umballa. Yet the English per-
sisted in unfriendly treatment Of him. and lit
orally drove him into the arms OF the Russians.
Then they made uron him and helped to drive
him from his throne.
Shere Ali was an intense patriot and earnestly
strove TO maintain the Afghan national spirit
which his father had called into being lie strove.
also, for progress In every useful art lie in
troduccd stcayn engines into Afghanistan. and