The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-01-22
aFGHANISTAN CLOSED COUNTRY
Foreigner Takes Life in His HAND
When He Goes Into That Land.


Christian enters on pain OF death'
has been made to the department OF
commerce by United States Consul
Henry D. Baker, on special CONNER
cia1 service in the Far East. says The
Washington Star.
Mr.. Baker calls Afghanistan the
huffer State between British India
and the Russian possessions in Asia.
It has an area of 100000 square
miles and population estimated at
100000, though no census has ever
been taken. Its inhabitants are
without exception Mohammedans,
and. save only Tibet, it is the largest
closed country in the world, present.
ing the anchronism of a nation in
the goth century which forbids the
entrance into it's territory of the
foreign missionaries either Of rell-
gion or commerce. as well as making
the profession of Christianity among
it's subjects punishable by death.
Guards Are Necessary.
If any person particularly wishes
. to visit Afghanistan, he can get into
the country only by interesting the
amir personally in the object OF MS
visit. which. however. it may be found
very difficult to do Mr.. Baker says:
No commercial traveller can get into
Afphanistan unless the amir might
be induced to take an interest IN ms
particular line of business. Even then
it would not be found convenient or
advantageous to undertake a trip into
Afghanistan unless the amir would
personally guarantee ones comfort
and safety and provide military es-
cort. to Kabul or Kandahar, or Wher-
ever else it was desired to go. In
fact unless the Afghanistan govern,
met itself assumed all expenses OF
such a trip and gave guaranty as to
a certain amount of profitable busl-
ness it would probbly never pay for
any American business or manufac-
turing firm to send a representative
into the country, as the expense OF
travel and of transport of personal
supplies would be SO great as to of
set any profits which might be ex-
pected.
Must Go at Own Risk.
After application has been made
to the amir for a permit, or firman.
to visit Afghanistan-and by .hav-
ing advanced some particularly
potent argument the firman may per-
haps be granted-the deputy secre-
tary to the government of India in
the foreign department, if he deems
it wise, will then grant permission
to cross the frontier at the travellers
own risk.
"A regulation letter granting such
permission to a representative of
business house in Bombay, of which I
have copy, reads as follows:
with reference to your letter
dated -, I am directed to inform
you that the honorable the chief
commissioner and agent to the gov
ernor general in the northwest from
tier province is being directed to al
low Mr.. of your firm to cross
the frontier, subject to the produc-
ton of him of his majesty the amirs
frman and the political agent in the
Khyber pass being satisfied that the
Afghan government has made ar
rangements for Mr.. IS escort
and transport.
al am to add that the government
Of India accepts no responsibility
whatever in connection with the OBJ
ject of Mr.. IS journey to or stay
in Afghanistan, and that he pro-
ceeds there at his own risk
Few Foreigners There.
About the only instances in which
Europeans or Americans have ever
been allowed to travel into Afghan
istan is when machinery or other
articles have been required by the
amir or his government, or special
medical assistance needed at the
court. At present there are under
stood to be six Europeans and two
Americans residing in the country
Among the very few European per-
sons who have for any length of
time sojourned in Afghanistan with
in recent years may be mentioned
E. T. Thornton, who established a
government leather and boot and
shoe factory at Kabul, and wrote, in
1909, book entitled Leaves from
an Afghan Scrapebook;' DR.. ]. A.
Gray, who was private physician to
the late amir, and wrote, in 1901, a
book entitled My Residence at the
Court of the Amir and Mrs Kate
DAILY, physician to the amir's harem.