RUSSIAN EXPLANATIONS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 92, 17 April 1880, Page 4

RUSSIAN EXPLANATIONS.

The Nbvoe Vremya gives the following ekplanaiipn of the discovery of Russian uniforms and money at Cabul: When we read that the Marquis of Salisbury bad not sent an autograph to the journal composed for the fete pot op by the Paris Press in aid of the Buffer era from the inundations in Mur* cia because he was so busy counting the Russian uniform buttons discovered in Cabul, we thought that somebody was perpetrating a joke. But our London correspondent iv forms us that the Pall Mall Gazette and one or two other papers have made a great <?eal tc-?o about a very simple affair. The Afghans are very fond of anything Bhowy, and civilians as well as soldiers •re* excessively addicted to buttons. They use English buttons and Ros?ian buttons, having a decided preference for the latter, especially those marked with the Russian half-imperial. The Afghan envoy at Tashend, who wts instructed to borrow from our military organisation whatever seemed to him Worth copying, made a point of presenting Shere AH the mala! buttons and gold lace worn by our officers, of which be purchased a large quantity in various i depots, and which were eventually stored in the Bala Hissar. This was the residence of the Ameer, and everyone knows that in Asia the royal palace is also the arsenal and the military storehouse, When, therefore, the English occupied Cabul, they naturally lighted on these articles which have so surprised them. Then with regard to the Russian cein, about; which they ere so excited. The Afghans feavo no gel J coit s of their own, the money in circulation being Dutch^ Russian, Persian, and perhaps English. Kussian money is to be found not only at Cabul, but in all the towns in Afghanistan, end the gold pieces are quoted at from seven to seven and a hnlf rupees by the moneycburgers. When we sent an embaseey (o Cabul the members of it were provided with goll and silver from Bokhara, as it was net certain whether our money would be accepted. As in Asia the State treasure is loged in the Royal palace, and as the Afghan soldiem received their pay regularly, it follows that there was an abuudance of specie of all kinds, and what more natural than that there should be Russian money among it ? Tbe English caonot hove been unaware that Russian money circulated in Afghanistan, for it is to be found even in India.