The Washington herald., 1914-12-13


Began Barrier in 1909.
Great Britain began as far back as
1909 to build up Afghanistan as a bar
rier against the Russians. II was then
that the British saw the intention OF
the Car to invade India by way of Per
sia and it was agreed between the two
principals that Afghanistan was to be
controlled through Britain and that all
negotiations OF Russia were TO be car
ried on through the British foreign Of
fiCe.
But the ink on the official documents
recognizing this right was hardly dry
before Britain discovered that a Rus
sian mission had been established in the
Afghan capital and the first Afghan
war started. 1S3S-1s42.
Shir Ali Khan was found holding the
AmeeT's Teins in 1883, his Golfers filled
with British gold for the defense OF his
western frontiers.
But only a score of years passed
before Britain found that she had gain
ed little and that Russia was still in
control of a large part of the Ameer's
affections and the second Afghan war
resulted in 1873. The third war came
along only a year later. In this the
command was in Sir Frederick. the late
Lord Roberts. and his success was so
VI AHdN HIS mas b'fll INN
ed with the war ever after.
Britain Plans MaSterStrOke.
In 1850 the hand OF Rus,,a was seen
again pulling the strings. She succeed
cd in getting Afghanistan to name Alb
duTrahman. whom the British had
driven out the year before, as Ameer.
The British acQuiesced apparently
but Lord Dufferin. governor general. in
4. a - Il ion -,
Calcutta and Abdurrahman left with
the promise of fat British subsidies to
reorganize his army and place his
country on a sound basis.
Britain prided herself that this was
a masterstroke and that all was well
in Afghanistan. but after accepting
this substantial help A bdUrrahman de-
clined further cOurtesies from that
quarter, the hand of friendship being
extended by the Ameer only in reaching
out for the periodic financial aid of the
British.
Abdurrahman's son. Hahib UI1ah
Khan. played the game with as much
craft as his father. He was polite but
unenthusiastic when further advances
of friendship were made.
In 1904 a British mission went to
Cabul. the Afghan capital. headed by
Sir Louis Dane, foreign secretary at
Calcutta. The mission bore a new
treaty that would have spread a more
ever charging crack between the Az
ghans and British government.
Russia Laughs Again.
The new treaty was presented as also
were many expensive presents. The
Ameer was delighted with the presents
but not with the treaty. This he de-
cIined to sign and presented one of his
own.
The authority to accept this pact had
to come from home and Dane was con-
fronted with a wait of six weeks. He
and his mission waited. accepting the
hospitality of the Ameer, who to obvi-
ate the danger of listening to insidi-
Gus words of persuasion took to his
bed with an attack of gout that lasted
up to the very moment of the British
departure.
The long expected permission to sign
the Ameer's agreement came. Dane
then found that Hahib Allah Khan had
changed his mind and would only re-
new the declaration OF friendship that
had been drawn up in the reign of his
father.
Russia was heard to laugh heartily
again.
RussIa's New War Road.
In 1907 the Ameer decided he would
accept an invitation to visit the Brit
ish in Calcutta. This was the first un-
bending of the Afghans since 1885.
Hahib Allah Khan went to Calcutta
but before leaving home he made the
visit right in the eyes of his Russian
subjects by posting declarations to the
effect that he had abrogated the treaty
with Dane.
in Thibet and there, too. she holds the
balance OF influence. Already the foun-