Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-10-26
CONDITIONS AT kABUl
LIFE OF EUROPEANS AT THE CAPI-
tai OF ALGHANIsTAN.
An EnRIishman Chief Engineer to the
Ameer-A German Gum
maker.
From the London Chronicle, October IL.

From the London Chronicle, October IL.
In a recent interview with a Reuter- rep
resentative Mrs Frank Martin, wife of the
chief engineer of the Afghan government,
and the only Englishman in Kabul, spoke
of conditions in the ameers realm. Mrs.
Martin said:
There are two British subjects in Kabul
Mrs. DAILY, lady doctor in the ameers
service, and my husband: but there are
two other Europeans, Mr. G. Fleischer,who
is In charge of the gun factory, his wife,
a German lady and their little son. l have
not heard from my husband since June.
have not the slightest apprehension regard
ing the safety of the Europeans In Kabul,
as all of them have endeared themselves to
the people. 1 have known the Kabulis
long enough TO feel assured that the for
eigners are safe In their hands, once they
have made them their friends. Personally
1 never experienced anything but the
greatest kindness at the hands of the At
ghans, from the ameer downward, and re-
Gently | travelled alone with my little son
ali the way to India, attended by only an
escort OF Afghan soldiers. and never felt
the least apprehension or received anything
but the most kindly treatment. No one
was more anxious than the ameer that no
harm should befall foreigner in his coun-
try, and so he always insisted upon each
of us having an Afghan guard.
Each of the Europeans lives In specially
guarded houses in the vicinity of the Bos-
tan Serial Palace. in the Andorabi quarter
of the capital, and within a short distance
of the workshops and arsenal. The Kabu-
lis used to say to me, You are quite safe
here. as we cont kill English people But
the ameer once remarked: There are mad
people here as everywhere else. and you
must have a guard He then added, re-
ferring to recent murders by Ghazis. The
English seem TO be killed at Peshawur'
1T Is a mistake to regard Kabul
turbulent city. Perfect order prevailed all
the time / was there, and the ameer had a
very fine system of making the oldest man
In every street responsible for the good be-
havior Of his particular neighborhood."
Prince HabibuIlah.
Referring to the new ameer, Mrs. Martin
said:
Prince Habibullah is man of strong
character, like his father, and Is adored by
the Kabulis- Even among fearless people
like the Afghans he Is distinguished for
his personal courage. He speaks a little
English, and is especially considerable to
anything or anybody British.
On my arrival In Kabul my husband and
/ were invited to dine with Prince Habibul-
lah and sat with him at the same table-a
most unusual privilege. 1 do not know
anything of politics. and 1t Is not wise for
any one to NEEDLE with them in Kabul !;
but i can say that during my nine months
residence there / never heard anything Of
Russia or of Russian intentions. But, on
the other hand one hears much OF Eng
land. One OF the first questions that is
asked OF the people regarding any new inn
portation is. did it come from London?"
and If the answer is in the affirmative they
are perfectly satisfied.
The new ameer has been taking an active
part in the government for some time past.
For years he has presided over the great
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