THE CAPTURE OF CABUL.

Kumara Times, Issue 1022, 10 January 1880, Page 4

THE CAPTURE OF CABUL.

(EUROPEAN MAIL.) At last General Roberta has succeeded in entering Cabul—a feat which was achieved on October 12. Our troops worked splendidly. For several days they had been without, tents, and rations had to be levied for want of transport. About 140 guns were captured—some of them Armstrongs—and the enemy, who made bat a feeble resistance, made off in all directions, pursued by the British. Force having accomplished its object so far, the country is anxiously waiting to know what Diplomacy is going to do. It is clear we are embarked upon a troublesome, if not a dangerous, enterprise, and we can leave no more Missions in that country to be slaughtered by Afghan fanatics. The man who could propound a scheme by which we could retire from this conflict with honor, and achieve the objects for which it was entered upon, would be hailed with gratitude from one end of the country to the other. Russia never baited a more effectual trap for us, and now she is laughing in her sleeve at the trouble, cost, and anxiety which her bad faith has cost us. However, so far we are masters of the position, and being masters we are responsible for what is to follow. We cannot partition Afghanistan as we have Zululand, even if such a course were desirable, which may be considered very doubtful, and to break it up and to share and share alike with Russia would be only to justify Russia’s action, and to make ourselves the laughing stock of Europe. The abdication of the Ameer Yakoob Khan has not tended to simplify matters. General Roberts advised him to reconsider the matter, but he remained firm in his resolution. He intended taking this step earlier, but was then dissuaded. General Roberts is accordingly making provisional arrangements for maintaining order and carrying on the administration of the country. From the particulars published of the attack on the British troops at the Shntargardan and Sirkai Kotal on 14th October, it appears that the latter place being threatc ned, Major (Jollis was sent there with reinforcements. He was attacked by 2000 of the enemy, who were afterwards reinforced by 2000 more. A desperate attack was made on the British camp, but it was repulsed at the point of the bayonet, and the enemy fled, leaving 40 killed and 200 wounded. Our loss was two klled and 14 wounded. The stern work of retribution has commenced at the Afghan capital with the execution of five influential ruffians who were proved to have participated more or less in an attack on the Bala Kissar. The greatest criminal of the quintette would appear to have been the kotwal, because his office rendered him by prescription the custodian of law and order. A telegram in a morning contemporary uses the word “ kotwal” as if it were the name of the executed man, and further credits him with being the chief of the mollabs. A kotwal really is a sort of mayor, and no more directly connected with the priesthood than the same functionary in England. It is said that this official caused the decapitated bead of Sir Louis Cavagnari to be dragged through the streets after the massacre had been finished. Oddly enough, this is the first

intelligence that has been received, bearing anything of an authoratative character, in which mention is made of the remains of the deceased envoy. The other four malefactors appear to have been men of considerable position, one being even credited with Royal descent. This may be taken as a satisfactory indication that General Roberta has no intention of allowing the social standing, or wealth, or power of guilty parties to screen them from justly deserved punishment. The news of the dispersal of thetribes in the Shutargarden is confirmed. The investment was once so close that the water supply was threatened. General Roberts has received a hundred Kohistan chiefs, now in the camp. They promise friendship, and it is hoped they will furnish supplies, it Is most important to secure their good will, Kohistan being the chief recruiting ground |of the Ameer’s army. The Bala Hissar magazine, it is found, contained a million pounds of powder unexploded, and thus must have been collecting ever since Dost Mohomed’s death. What remains of this fortress will undoubtedly be destroyed. Nothing has been decided with regard to the future government of the country. On the one hand it has been suggested to put up the young son of Yakoob Khan, with a regency, and, on the other, to allow the leading chiefs to elect an Ameer, subject to the confirmation of the British Government. Ayoob Khan, foster-brother of the late Ameer, and now Governor of Herat, has also been spoken of as the future Ameer, but as many of the tribes distrust him, he probably has no chance. General Roberts, however, who appears to be fertile in resources, will perhaps be able to suggest a way out of the difficulty.