THE TROUBLE IN AFGHANISTAN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1629, 6 August 1887, Page 3

THE TROUBLE IN AFGHANISTAN

. — _ -*— ■■■ " With reference to the reoent troubh * In Afghanistan,. the London oorresponder • of the " Melbourne Age " writeB :— " Tii r Ameer himself is playing into the hand 9 of the Czar, for his merciless tyranny an J his grinding exactions, often amouotio 5 to actual confiscation, have aroused th | most bitter hostility to h'.a rule and hay - taught hia subjects to regard with favc J any possibility of a ohange of the oondl > tlons of existence. Abdurrahman 1 throne is, therefore, very insecure, an b aB his people most cordially hate him, i i is but a question of time before he wi! I be either assassinated or deposed. S far an England is conceraed the position of effurs is extremely delicate. If i oonaeqaanco of auy menacing advance oi the part of Rassia British troops wer thrown into Afghanistan, there is ever, probability that the Afghans would regan such a proceeding as a hostile demoDstm tlon, aud such they would resent, possibl; inviting the assistance of Russia to punlsi it; and yet if a Russian advance h allowed|to take place without a oounte move by Britain, iherd is but a sma) chanca of keeping the Ameer on th< Afghan throne Russia will be tot cunning to place hereelf m a false position by any hasty action, but as aoon ai the various intrigues hare baen broogh to a laooessful itioe a swift and sar< blow will be struck. It is a poouliai ooinoidenoe that ever flince the Cs*r's at tentlon has been diverted from Bulgarii rebellion* and insurrections have come t< an end there and that no sooner has th< Russian Agent appeared m Gentral Aid than revolts oconr and mutinous out breaks follow each other m rapid tooosession. The Oaar has a clever way ol making his enemies fight his battles,"