New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-05
THE GREAT AMER.
THE LION OF CABUL WHO RULES THE
WOLVES OF AFGHANISTAN.

r,oI,,as" Such is the apology for himself put
forward by Abdur Rahman Khan. Ameer or
afohanistan and Il IS a worthy one. Inc ways
~ the Afghans are not our ways. Yet great
ness IS greatness everywhere. and he must be q
Martial Judge who reckons this man anything
other than a great ruler and leader OF men,
Y, other in all the history Of his country Is TO
he COMPARED with him. Reckoned among con-
te.rp,rary sovereigns throughout the world ne
easily maintains his title to place in the lore
most rank. There would be little eXtraFasdh'e'
indeed. in bracketing his name with those Vi
william l Of Germany and Victor Emanuei OF
I.aly. The great aim OF each was to reunl'e anu
Tchabiiitate ancient and iustriouS Iean
Zach devoted his life primarily. TO thd' ooJeo"
Each attained success. or the three ADuuI
pobDan's task was not the least arduous. and
f. NAV be that is results Will prove not ieas'
enduring.
In calling him the greatest or the Aneers II
must be remembered that he is only the s!Nth
OF them. They have all been OF the present
Rarakzie dynasty. Their predecessors OF 'he
Durani DYNASTY. were called Shahs or kings ana
the last Of them fen in 1888. The present title
&c i, accord with Mahometan principles, name
" that the world should be ruled by one Cahph,
n-i.b ,,,aars as his lieutenants. The first Amer
., his time in Asia, who aimed to make OF the
AFGHAN tribes a nation that should restore the
p,orjes Of those days when Afghans were the
cor,ror3ys Of all India He was for time de-
tbronad and imprisoned by the British. but was
restored and instead Of feeling resentment and
seeking revenge, was ever thereafter stanch
friend Of England.
This great sovereign left. however. legacy OF
trouhIe TO his people For he had several wives
and many sons His first and favOrite wife was
for many years childless while his second wife
bore him AfZul and Aim. These were his eldest
sons and considered to be his rightful heirs.
But some years later the first and favori;e wife
bore him three sons-Akbar, Gholam Hyder and
Shere Ali-whom Dost Mohammed put before
the others in the line Of succession. From this
circumstance have arisen all the Intestine wars
that have since convIlsed the Empire.
sHERE ALI AND HIS SONS.
Akbar was a brilliant soldier. and during his
fathers reign led the army in the first war with
England and annihiated the forces of the latter
in the famous battle at Koord Cabul He also
Slew the British Ambassador with his own hand.
This latter deed was never forgiven by MS
father. who punished him for it by putting INN
to death. Soon after the second Of these three
sons. Gholam Hyder. died. and so Shere All sue
ceeded to the throne on the death OF Dost MO
manned. lie was hostile TO England. ana soon
became eHbroiled in a and was dethrOnec.
This was largely due to the reasonable mach-
nations OF his two elder half-bro;hers, Aizul and
Aim who. after his dethronement, for time
ruled Afshanstan. Afzul was known as the
virtuOus' and Aim as the dissoute' The one
soon died and the other was expelled from the
throne by Shere All. who returned in triumph.
Afzul, the vrtu1us' left one son. Abdur Rah
man, the present Ameer. Aim, the dissolute.
also left one son. lshak Khan, who has for years
been one of the foremost preterders to the
throne, and in whose interest attempts have
been made to murder the sons Of Abdur Rah-
man.
Shere Ali had several sons. The eldest. Mo-
manned Ali, was killed in a fight Thereuron
his father passed over the second, Yakoob and
made the third, Abdullah Jan. his heir Iakoob
was thrown into prison and almost killed by
cruel treatment But when a British army in
vade3 the country Shere Ali glad to re
lease him and send him to lead the army and
70 succeed TO the throne Prison life had how
ever 50 broken the princes spirit that he could
no longer contro! his troops, and the massacre
OF = r Louis Cavagnari and his comrades fol-
lowed For this Yakoob was unjustly held re-
sponsiblc, and he was therefore deposed and
made State prisoner for life at Mussourie. lie
passed on his title to the throne 10 another
younger brother, Ayoub. a brave and capable
prince who has since been d pretender to the
throne, living in exile in Persia. Shere Ais
third son and chosen heir, Abdullah Jan having
died the succession was passed by British
thoHty t. Abiur Rahman, who is the eldest
son II the eldest son Of Dost Mohammed. and
Therefore. according to British notions. the
rlgh,ill sovereign.
FIGHTING PRINCE
Ahdur E.um.n WIS only nineteen years Old