1885
Disturbing action of Russia--Abdur Rahman Khan--The Rawal Pindi Durbar
--Unmistakable loyalty of the Natives
In March, 1885, we again visited Calcutta. The Marquis of Ripon had
departed, and the Earl of Dufferin reigned in his stead.
Affairs on our north-west and south-east frontiers were at this time
in a very unsettled state. Indeed, the political outlook altogether
had assumed rather a gloomy aspect. Our relations with the French had
become somewhat strained in consequence of their interference with
Upper Burma and our occupation of Egypt; while Russia's activity in
the valley of the Oxus necessitated our looking after our interests in
Afghanistan. These considerations rendered it advisable to increase
the army in India by 11,000 British and 12,000 Native troops, bringing
the strength of the former up to nearly 70,000, with 414 guns, and
that of the latter to 128,636.
Russia's movements could not be regarded with indifference, for, while
we had retreated from our dominating position at Kandahar, she had
approached considerably nearer to Afghanistan, and in a direction
infinitely more advantageous than before for a further onward move.
Up to 1881 a Russian army advancing on Afghanistan would have had to
solve the difficult problem of the formidable Hindu Kush barrier, or
if it took the Herat line it must have faced the deserts of Khiva and
Bokhara. But all this was changed by Skobeloff's victories over the
Tekke Turkomans, which gave Merv and Sarakhs to Russia, and enabled
her to transfer her base from Orenburg to the Caspian--by far the most
important step ever made by Russia in her advance towards India. I
had some years before pointed out to the Government of India how
immeasurably Russia would gain, if by the conquest of Merv--a conquest
which I then looked upon as certain to be accomplished in the near
future--she should be able to make this transfer. My words were
unheeded or ridiculed at the time, and I, like others who thought as
I did, was supposed to be suffering from a disease diagnosed by a
distinguished politician as 'Mervousness.' But a little later those
words were verified. Merv had become a Russian possession, and
Turkestan was in direct communication by rail and steamer with St.
Petersburg. And can it be denied that this fact, which would have
enabled the army in the Caucasus to be rapidly transported to the
scene of operations, made it possible for General Komaroff practically
to dictate terms to the Boundary Commission which was sent to define
the northern limits of Afghanistan, and to forcibly eject an Afghan
garrison from Panjdeh under the eyes of British officers?
Lord Dufferin took up the reins of the Government of India at a time
when things had come to such a pass that a personal conference with
the Amir was considered necessary to arrange for the defence and
demarcation of His Highness's frontier, the strengthening of Herat,
the extension of the Sakkur-Sibi railway to Quetta, and the
discussion of the general situation. Abdur Rahman was therefore
invited to meet the Viceroy at Rawal Pindi, where a large standing
camp was prepared, and my wife and I were bidden amongst a numerous
company, including Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess
of Connaught, the Ruling Punjab Chiefs, and the high officers of
Government from various parts of India, to be the guests of His
Excellency and Lady Dufferin on the interesting occasion.
The meeting was fixed for the end of March, and as there was scarcely
time for us to return to Madras and get back again before then, we
proceeded leisurely up country, visiting different places and one or
two old friends on the way.
At Multan I received a cipher telegram from Sir Donald Stewart
informing me that it had been decided to mobilize two Army Corps, and
that I was to have command of the first. This was exciting news, and
we lost no time in making our way to Rawal Pindi, where we should be
in direct communication with Head-Quarters, and hoped to hear what had
taken place since we left Calcutta to make it necessary to prepare for
war.
I soon found out that this action on the part of the Government was
forced on them by the representatives of Russia on the Boundary
Commission, who were persistent in their attempts to encroach on
Afghan territory, in order that they might be in a position to control
the approaches to Herat, a Russian occupation of which fortress we
could not permit.
Abdur Rahman arrived at Rawal Pindi on the last day of March; he was
about forty-five years of age, and although he required a stick
to walk with, being a martyr to rheumatism, and very stout, his
appearance was decidedly dignified and imposing. He had a manly,
clever, and rather handsome face, marred only by the cruel expression
of the mouth, and his manner was sufficiently courteous though
somewhat abrupt.
Several semi-private meetings took place between the Viceroy and
the Amir, at the first of which His Highness, after expressing his
appreciation of the flattering and cordial reception he had met with,
reminded Lord Dufferin that he had consistently warned the British
Government of the approach of the Russians towards Afghanistan and of
the unsettling effect their advance was producing on the minds of
his countrymen; and he advocated the necessity for timely action. No
attention, he said, had been paid to his warnings, owing, probably, to
the strife of parties in England, and to the excessive caution of the
British Government.
Lord Dufferin, in reply, pointed out that the Amir had been advised
to strengthen northern Afghanistan, and that the services of Engineer
officers had been offered to him for the purpose of putting Herat into
a satisfactory state of defence. His Excellency declared that England
was resolved that a Russian advance on Herat should be met by a
declaration of war; that preparations were then being made to give
effect to that resolve; and that it was now absolutely necessary for
His Highness to make up his mind which of his two powerful neighbours
he would elect to choose as his ally.
[Illustration: HIS HIGHNESS ABDUR RAHMAN, AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN.]
Abdur Rahman thanked the Viceroy for his offer of help, but showed
plainly that he had no intention of availing himself of the services
of our Engineers. He vowed that his own personal wishes were entirely
in favour of a close and practical alliance with the British, but that
his subjects did not share his feelings towards us. They were 'rude,
uneducated, and suspicious.' He hoped that in time they might become
more disposed to be friendly, but at present he could not pretend
to rely upon them. He then disclosed the real reason for his ready
response to the Viceroy's invitation by saying that he would
gratefully receive the assistance of the British Government in the
shape of money, arms, and munitions of war.
At a later visit the conversation turned upon the difficulty of the
position in which the British members of the Boundary Commission were
placed, and the impossibility of the Afghan posts being able to hold
their own in the face of a Russian advance was explained to the Amir.
A map was produced, on which the country to the north of Herat was
carefully examined, and Russia's claims were made known to him. Abdur
Rahman's ideas of topography were not very accurate, but he displayed
considerable intelligence in his questions and perception of the
meaning of the answers, and eventually expressed his willingness to
leave the question of the delimitation of his northern frontier in the
hands of the British Government.
On the 6th April there was a parade of the troops, 17,000 in number,
and that evening the Amir was present at a state banquet, at which,
after the usual loyal toasts, the Viceroy proposed the Amir's health.
His Highness, in reply, expressed a fervent hope that the prosperity
of the British Empire might long endure, as with it the welfare of
Afghanistan was bound up. He had watched, he said, the progress of
India under British rule, and he hoped that Afghanistan might flourish
in like manner; and he ended with a prayer that the Almighty would
preserve Her Majesty's troops in safety, honour, and efficiency.
Two days later the Amir was publicly received in durbar by the
Viceroy, on whose right hand he was placed, while the Duke of
Connaught occupied the seat on his left. After a few words had been
exchanged, Abdur Rahman rose, and spoke as follows: 'I am deeply
sensible of the kindness which I have received from His Excellency the
Viceroy, and of the favour shown me by Her Majesty the Queen-Empress.
In return for this kindness and favour, I am ready with my army and
people to render any services that may be required of me or of the
Afghan nation. As the British Government has declared that it will
assist me in repelling any foreign enemy, so it is right and proper
that Afghanistan should unite in the firmest manner, and side by side
by the British Government.'
On being presented, amongst other gifts, with a sword of honour, he
said in a loud and determined voice: 'With this sword I hope to smite
any enemy of the British Government.'
That same evening the Viceroy received news of the Russian attack
on Panjdeh, and communicated it to the Amir, who heard it with
extraordinary equanimity, not appearing to attach any great importance
to the matter, and attributing the defeat of his troops to the
inferiority of their weapons. He observed that the excuse given by the
Russians, that the Afghans intended to attack them, was a frivolous
pretext, and declared all that his men had done was very properly to
make preparations to defend themselves.
Abdur Rahman had expressed a desire for a British decoration, so
shortly before his departure from India he was invested, informally,
with the G.C.S.I. As the train was moving off, he said to the British
officers assembled on the platform: 'I wish you all farewell, and
commend you to the care of God. May your Government endure and your
honour increase. I have been greatly pleased and gratified by the
sight of the British Army. I hope and am certain that the friendship
now existing between us will last for ever.'
Abdur Rahman had, indeed, every reason to be satisfied with the result
of his visit, for not only was Lord Ripon's promise that England
would defend his kingdom against foreign aggression ratified by Lord
Dufferin, but the Amir was given, in addition to the large sums of
money and the considerable amount of munitions of war already received
by him, ten lakhs of rupees, 20,000 breech-loading rifles, a Heavy
battery of four guns and two howitzers, a Mountain battery, and a
liberal supply of ammunition for both guns and rifles.
On the Amir's departure the great camp was broken up, and the troops
returned to their respective stations, all prepared to move towards
the Quetta frontier at a moment's notice. The Native Chiefs, in taking
their leave of the Viceroy, were profuse in their offers and promises
of help should a recourse to arms be found necessary; and Lord and
Lady Dufferin's numerous guests, who, like my wife and myself, had for
more than a fortnight been recipients of the most profuse hospitality,
wished their generous host and hostess a hearty good-bye.
Interesting as the whole proceeding had been, by far the most
gratifying result of the gathering was the unmistakable loyalty
displayed by the Native Rulers who were present, as well as by those
in distant parts of India, on hearing of the unprovoked attack made
by the Russians on the Afghan troops at Panjdeh, and our consequent
preparations for war. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed, and the
various military camps at Rawal Pindi were crowded with men desirous
of joining the ranks of our army. I was literally besieged by old
soldiers, begging that they might be allowed to return to the colours
and fight once more for the _Sirkar_; and one Native officer, who
had been with me in Afghanistan, came to me and said: 'I am afraid,
_sahib_, I am too old and infirm to do more work myself; but you
must take my two sons with you--they are ready to die for the
_Angrese_.'[1]
[Illustration: MAP OF CENTRAL ASIA (THE RUSSIAN FRONTIERS).]
We hastened back to Madras, and reached Ootacamund after seven
consecutive nights in the train, with a thermometer at 104° in the
daytime, the only pause in our journey being at Poona, where we spent
a few hours with our friend General Sir John Ross.
I left my horses at Lahore, and for some weeks lived in daily
expectation of being ordered back to the Punjab to take command of the
1st Army Corps. A change of Government, however, took place just
in time to prevent the war. Lord Salisbury's determined attitude
convinced Russia that no further encroachments on the Afghan frontier
would be permitted; she ceased the 'game of brag' she had been allowed
to play, and the Boundary Commission were enabled to proceed with the
work of delimitation.
[Footnote 1: A Native corruption of the word 'English.']
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