The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-03
In AfEbanistan.

To TIP EDITOR OP INV SIN MY ne
prolonged stay Of the British embassy in the
capital Of Afghanistan is not difficult TO I'M
derstand. The starting of the mission In the
month Of December was 40 timed. but n
was probably thought that a mere visit TO
the Amir would suffice. and that the EN-
bassy would return TO Peshawar by Christ
mas In the months OF January and Feb
ruary the whole country is covered With
deen snow. and il would be impossible for
the Amir 20 communicate with the Cover
nors and elders" Of the outlying provinces.
The Amir Is not an autocrat. There Is a
general impreGsion that he is one, but when
Dost Muhamnad dethroned she King OF
Cabul he did not assume the title Of Shah
or King. but merely that OF Amir. which II
supposed TO imply that the ruler will consult
the "durbar" or assembly OF the people with
regard to all negotiations The Amir OF
ATghanistan cannot act without the indorse-
ment Of his people As ] have indicated In
former letters the basis Of all negotiations
with the British Government has always
been that the AfChans shall possess the trans
Indus territory. including the Valley Of
PeshAwaT right down To kurraCM, thus giving
the AfRhRns a seaport This ] have on the
verbal statement Of the late Nur Muhammad
Khan, who repre- 5ented Shere Al Khan
In his conference with the late Sir Lewis
Pelly This is the snag against which every
British embassy runs. Alexander Burns
McSaughton aud Cavagnari had to deal with
this question. The late Lord lawrence was
80 thoroughly convinced Of the Justice Of the
claim that during the Indian mutiny o { 1857
he actually advised the British Government
20 retire to the other side Of the River Indus,
or course in these days such a thing IL ahso-
mtely i'm possible and the British Government
naturally pleads that in Wrestling Herat
from the hands Of the Persians and giving
1t 10 AfRhauistan ~ has more than compen-
stated for the possession OF the intensely
Afghan province Of Peshawar. The Afghans
course what the Amir wants IL the rule OF
the entire Pushto speaking people
You never find this condition OF things re-
The Afghan character Of IeshaWar is abso-
Iutely ignored by the British Government,
the last few years It has ceased TO be part OF
the proyinCe Of the Puniab, and Is now IN
charge Of a British resident.
There is something alarming in the mere
suggestion that The Afghan troops should
be drilled nv English othGers. II seems q
Changed the English words Of command
which had been INTRIGUED S{ ms ms Is'h9eP
post Mnhamm98d lhey o usea 70 ,t ." ne ae,
we're changed 10 Pushto. the language Of
the AfRhAns. II 10, Of course. no secret
raising Of an enormous Afghan army, rot
only within the limits OF the hlngoom OF
Cabul but among me lndepen9rnt tnoei on
the Afridis, who have never submItted them.
selves to the rule Of the Amir. But think
ever the The Russians and The British meet IN
conflict IL will he on tho plains Of India. and
that the Skhs and Gurkhaz, and not the
1fehans, viii stand shoulder to shoulder with
the British las they did In the muilny and
defend the emnite. The AlHhans are Mos
lens and the Sikhs and Gurknas are Hndus
and Buddhist-. and the great and unexpected
rise Of the military forces o. Japan intenSi'ies
tho determination Of the Engl 81 Government
10 meet Russia with Buddhist and Hindu
troops rather than with tar6tical Molems,
who only dream Of az empire ~ me i iiIgI
Of the Arabian Prophet.
think !; will he found that the object Of
railways anl to CabGi and Candtpar, not with
any intention Of plaei9s fiIIish roo9ps On
their peculiar state Of isolation, which is
he real obstacle 10 negotiations,
70 dRr r S't he SePsl subsidy oSerSd by iRhs
British Government is the advBrced position
NE h no onT va al PSsRswsr but IN caeta
and the inc will come sooner or later went
by force Of arms the Amir ot Neha1is,an
he mIst choose between Russia and Great
britain This condition Of things brought
fyttcn. the poet viceroy NJ India, wrote 20
rot floating down the rapid river o. tmo
YOU on either side. and sooner or later you
must be crushed ~ vas on iegeipt o. this
R.mself into the arms Of Russia,. and within
twenty-f -four hours Of the receipt NJ tile Amir's
rcnIv The British army seized Az Musiid
| can see no chance Of Amir Hahi bullah
smfifvlug the ayoWcd policy Of his prede-
ceesors the policy of his great -Ereat- Grand
father. tie host NJ his grandfather. Af2ul
Khan. and Of his father, AbdurTahwan. A.
yell as OF bis distinguished uncle, shere ~
IL was In the month 81 January. 1872. that
% ON mon. women ard children b0longinR
10 Tho British army Iershed m The. snows Of
the worry passes through which the British
on bsssy nuat travel This Of itself wa
epcuy h 10 account FOR DELAYS Rut unuucz.
tiGuablv the situation Is As clear as MONDAY
Nfeu Russia has been thoroughly de- oated
and Inundated hy Japan, then lord CurYon,
whose views are pretty clearly defined bon
his inriugs Russia will nrohahlv seek TO
restore her prestl Je IN the East by a military
move In TrTEfs an. England viii bun glo
and hunRle again, A. she did IN the Beer war,
and has done In two occupations Of AfghAnis.
Tan hut I believe the present generation will
liye 10 see AfChaulstau thorOu ghly opened
10 The Western world for the purpose Of com
rncrce aud not OF war ard bondshed Blt
as she great Semitic statesman h said N have
mVs' be the humiliation Of the NuEcovite
Dieraeli always spoke Ike ar sraehtish seer,
and he seems n have beheld az by a vision
RussIa's great conflict with Oriental peOnles
with tho outcome Of the visible assertion
Of the military siren eth ~ Eastern peoples
/ venture 70 predict that We are now on the
eve Of very Interesting evoluious Of British
policy in the East. No wonder that the
Emperor o. Germany Il keeping his powder
dry and Rooseyslt wants a 3lg navy.