The Afghan Difficulty

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 9, 2 July 1885, Page 2

The Afghan Difficulty

News has como to h*nd that a serious rising has take j place in Afghanistan.

Isa Khan, who is said to be aided by ' Eussian allies, lias broken out into open revolt against Abdullah Khan, the Afghan governor of the province of Khunduz, in the north-eastern part of Afghanistan. He has taken forcible possession of the town of Khanabad, a short distance from the capital of the province, and has there seized treasure, belonging to Abdurrahman, i the Ameer of Afghanistan, to the extont of one million pounds sterling. We may confidently accept as a fact that part of the telegram which states ' the rebels are assisted by Eussian allies. The assurances of the Eussian Government of their pacific and honourable intentions on the question of the Afghan frontier may be true to the letter, but the naturally deceitful character of the Muscovite is shown by their promoting rebellion under such conditions that a further advance of Eussian bayonets may be justified, or a reasonable pretext found for such advance. With the inflammatory and bellicose gentlemen who now compose the English Cabinet, we may safely predict that very little further provocation will be needed on the part of Hussia to involve the two countries in war. Lord Salisbury is not likely to earn the same reproaches as Mr Gladstoke by sacrificing the honor of his country to please the "peace at any price" party.