THE AFGHAN WAR.

Kumara Times, Issue 1132, 15 May 1880, Page 4

THE AFGHAN WAR.

[FROM THE EUROPEAN MAH.).

It is abundantly evident from the tone of the telegrams to hand that the resumption of hostilities cannot be much longer delayed. From the day when Sir F. Roberts, reassured by the appearance of General Charles Gough’s brigade on the heights above Bootkbak, issued forth from the Sherpur entrench ments and rolled back Mahomed Jan’s undisciplined masses from the neighborhood of the capital, Afghan and Briton alike have felt that the final struggle for mastery was but deferred to a more convenient season. The country of the Kohistanis and of the Ghilzais has been visited by Generals Bright and Baker, and the surveys now completed will prove invaluable should Mir Eatcha or Asmatullah again venture to throw in their lot with Mahomed Jan. The fortifications of Sherpur have been completed, and now can bid defiance to the united strength of the Afghan nation. The energies of our political officers have been directed towards detaching tribal chiefs from the enemy’s cause, and liberal payments for commissariat supplies have proved efficacious in securing the services of many of the lesser known clansmen. If we on our part have not been idle it is very plain that our gallant and skilful foe Mahomed Jan has been striving his utmost to prove himself a foeman worthy of our steel. He has been incessant in his endeavours to draw the Sunni clans around him, and his emissaries have penetrated into every valley where the Afghan tongue is spoken. He has much shrewdness in this proceeding. He has made no attempt to collect the clans prior, jbo the final attempt to oust us from the country, knowing that jealousies would soon break out, and that before, active operations commenced one half of his following would be at open enemity with the other half. He, therefore, has merely warned the clans of the imminent prosecution of another jehad, and has directed them to hold themselves in readiness to join his standard at the first summons. All disciplined Sepoys who are willing to join his regular army are drafted into regiments and receive regular pay. These men are massed at Ghuznee, and with commendable skill, Mahomed Jan has thrown up a small fort in the Maiden Yalley for the purpose of affording protection to the small body of horsemen who even now haarass our foraging parties. Whether Mahomed Jan will join forces with Ayoub and Abdur Rahman, and the three make common cause against us, it is impossible to say, but the balance of opinion is against the probability of such a step. Ayoub seems a poor miserable puppet, possessing no authority beyond the walls of Herat, and very little within them, Abdur Rahman, a brave man, has learnt the rudiments of diplomacy during his enforced retirement in Turkestan, and apparently declines to show bis hand until Mahomed Jan has played his card. In fine, the situation stands thus :—On our side, Sir F. Roberts with an exceptionally well-equipped force of about 10,000 men, stands prepared to strike at Cabul. Holding the ground between him and Peshawur, his base, lie the divisions of Generals. Bright and Ross, numbering about 20,000 men. These are destined not merely to guard the difficult line of communication between Afghanistan and India, but afford assistance to Roberts, should he need it. In the Knrrum Yalley a strong brigade, about 6000 strong, under that distinguished officer General John Watson, V. 0,, 0.8., is massed ready to hold in check the turbulent tribes in the neighbourhood of the Sbutargardan and to take them in reverse should they offer opposition to our advance on Ghuznee. At Oandahar Sir Donald Stewart, at the head of a division nearly 15,000 strong, is preparing for a forward move, his advanced guard already occupying the fortress of Khelat-i-Ghilzai, 90 miles on the road to Ghuznee. A Bombay division is within reach of Oandahar, and will take over the garrison duties of that place when the Bengal forces move northward. Should no change come over the political horizon, we may expect to hear that active operations have been resumed about the end of the month, and there is no doubt what direction they will take. Leaving General Phayre in • Oandahar, Sir Donald Stewart will advance on Ghuznee, Sir F. Roberts at the satae time detaching a force to co-operate with him from Cabul. Gallant and skilful though Mahomed Jan be, there is no fear that he will be able to stand for one moment against the strong force Sir Donald can bring against him. Having captured Ghuznee, our hold on the country will be greatly consolidated, and thus the way will be paved for the final political measures which Mr Lepel Griffin, in conjunction with Mr Lyall, has been commissioned to undertake. Winter is fast passing away, and we are now entering on the fourth, and, we trust, the last phase of the second Afghan war. The lessons learnt around Sherpur will not be thrown away on our troops, and we may reasonably expect, overmatched as the Afghans are, their resistance will quickly collapse.