Year: 1879

tance has been heard from the British forces
in Afghanistan. Some vague hints and
rumors have been put forth from time to
time that efforts were on foot to negotiate
with the Ameer's son left at Cabul, but
these have been contradicted almost as
soon as reported, Accounts Of hardship
in the advance, Of bad commissariat,
of elephants and camels killed by
cold and want. of discomfort among the
troops-this was the staple OF the last
definite report from the military columns
in Afghanistan. 1t has been the opinion,
freely given by persons well acquainted
with the military problems involved in this
frontier war. that England could not be
sure Of Afghanistan till she had conquered
it all as far as Herat, and that opinion is re-
peated by General Kaufman in our de-
spatches. With the state of the army as
reported that conquest Is not imminent,
and the difficulties in the way as well as
the troubles in South Africa may well slim
ulate efforts to negotiate with Yakoob Khan.


Russia's policy with regard to Afghanis-
tan and it's fugitive sovereign has evidently
been distinctly communicated to the COM
mander Of the imperial forces in Turkestan
while Shere Ali loitered by the way; for the
lines of that policy as exhibited in the in
terview Of our correspondent with General
Kaufman are in notable contrast for dis
tinctness with the dim farcies the General
had on this subject when our correspondent
was in conversation with him some weeks
since. Royal honors are to be paid to the
Ameer upon his arrival at Tashkend, for he
is the sovereign of a neighboring State who
pays friendly visit, the object of which
visit will be known when he communicates
it. Should the Ameer's. throne fall
into other hands while he is thus
absent from his own country he will
cease to be q sovereign-will be only
a pretender anda person of correspondingly
less Importance. Russia cannot touch the
quarrel between the Ameer and Great
Britain, lor she has treaty with Great
Britain by which she binds herselfto refrain
from any acts in that direction, and will re-
spect the treaty. 1t is true she sent ON off,
Ger to the Ameer's Court last year; but that
was only courtesy. and did not infringe
the treaty. Moreover, last year there was
trouble in Europe in which England was
likely to become involved; and if she had
been involved all treaties would have
equally lost effect, and Russia thought it
wise to be ready for eventualities. Such is
Russia's present policy, which is compre-
hen ~ible on the clear ground of common
Sense.


pQuf dispatches give some of the opinions
of one Of Shere Ais nephews on the chances
of the future; and as these are the opinions
Of IA expert, a man especially acquainted
with the Afghan variety Of human nature,
they may prove of especial value as indica-
tions Of the possible upshot of the war.
How England was to get out of it has been,
as noted above. one of the difficult prob
lens with everybody in Europe who dis
cussed the subject. In the theories of this
nephew an issue is shown. He believes
that his cousin Yakoob Khan, now in ac-
tual possession Of the throne, will hold on
to it, to the exclusion Of Shere Ali, and
that he will make treaty with the English
and accept on English Resident at his capi-





against his father. Certainly there could
be no easier issue than this to Englands
ENHANCEMENT in that direction. Hold the
country she cannot without an expense it
is not desirable to add to the Indian budget
and she does not want to push protracted
operations, even successful ones, for the
same reason. Besides, if she should be
forced into the expensive proceeding Of con-
quering Afghanistan, she would thereby be
left in worse position strategically than
she was in before the invasion. She is there
far from her own resources and compara-
lively near to those of her enemy. Conse-
quently the probability presented by the
opinions of Abdul Akman is q glimmer of
light for her in those complications.


England went into Afghanistan under the
impulses Of an aggressive, imperial policy;
not to punish wrongs done her by neigh
Dor, not to make British subjects secure by
showing the danger of disregard to their
rights, but in order to enforce brace of
fine fancies as to imperial policy and Dig
nifty, in order to teach barbarian poten-
tate the peril OF assuming an impudent
demeanor toward Her Majesty's representa-
tives, and in order to secure o scientific FROM
tier that will be useful some day if anybody
should attempt to invade India on that
side. In South Africa the Zulu war
has resulted from ideas Of the same nature.
Between the Transvaal and the Zulu coun-
try there is n disputed frontier, and Eng
land in this dispute has taken the view that
gives the largest periphery to the country
she has absorbed. But it is evident that
the dcpreiations which Cetywayo has COM
mittod in that country are Of doubtful
nature, and may be regarded variously rs
one side or another is taken in the frontier
dispute. English officials regard the depre-
dations as Of slight account and rs more