Tempo:
CHAP. VII
RETROSPECT
:
AFGHANISTAN
187
independent chief with the British Government. But 1829-32. the several brothers were jealous of one another, many fri^dship desired separate principalities, Dost Muhammad aimed or protecat supremacy, rumours of Persian designs alarmed ^'o" "^ the them on the west, the aggressive policy of Ranjit Singh English gave them greater cause of fear on the east, and the s!khT* mo chance presence of English travellers in Afghanistan again led them to hope that the foreign masters of India might be induced to give them stability between contending powers.- In 1832 Sultan Muhammad Khan again attempted to open a negotiation, if only for the release of his son, who was a hostage with Ranjit Singh.-^ The Nawab, Jabbar Khan of Kabul, likewise addressed letters to the British frontier authority, and in 1832 Dost Muhammad himself directly asked for the ^ost mufriendship of the English.^ All these communications '"'^'"'"^d were politely acknowledged, but at the time it was the^'^ame^ held desirable to avoid all intimacy of connexion with 1832. ^
rulers so remote.^^ In 1834 new dangers threatened the usurping Ba- The Barakrakzais. Shah Shuja had defeated the Sindians and "*^' ^pp""^had arrived in force at Kandahar, and the brothers .
Qf^gjj^ah
once again endeavoured to bring themselves within thfe shuja, verge of British supremacy. They had heard of Eng- again press lish arts as well as of English arms; they knew that -or an aiuall were accessible of flattery, and Jabbar Khan sud- ^'^^^ ^^^^ denly proposed to send his son to Ludhiana, in order, ^^d Jabbar" he said, that his mind might be improved by European Khan sends science and civilization.*' But Jabbar Khan, while he his son to Ludhiana, Capt. Wade to Government, 19th May 1832. The brothers eth Mayi834. had already (1823, 1824) made similar proposals through Mr. Moorcroft. (See Travels, ii. 340.) 1
2 Mr. Fraser and Mr. Stirling, of the Bengal Civil Service, were in Afghanistan, the former in 18fi6, apparently, and the latter in 1828. Mr. Masson also entered the country by way of the Lower Punjab in 1827, and the American, Dr. Harlan, followed him in a year by the same route. I)r. Harlan came to Lahore in 1929, after leading the English authorities to believe that he desired to constitute himself an agent between their Government and Shah Shuja, with reference doubtless to the ex-king's designs on Kabul. (Resident at Delhi to Capt. Wade, 3rd Feb. 1829.) The Rev. Mr. Wolff should be included
among the travellers in Central Asia at the time in question. Capt. Wade to Government, 19th May and 3rd July 1832. Capt. Wade to Government, 9th July 1832, and 17th Jan. 1833. Col. Wade in the Narrative of Personal Services, p 23, note, regards these overtures of Dost Muhammad, and also the increased interest of Russia and Persia in Afghan affairs, to Lieut. Burnes's Journey (to Bokhara, in 1832) and to Shah Shuja's designs. 5 Government to Capt. Wade, 28th Fab. 1833. 6 Capt. Wade to Government, 9th March 1834. 3
*
RETROSPECT
:
AFGHANISTAN
187
independent chief with the British Government. But 1829-32. the several brothers were jealous of one another, many fri^dship desired separate principalities, Dost Muhammad aimed or protecat supremacy, rumours of Persian designs alarmed ^'o" "^ the them on the west, the aggressive policy of Ranjit Singh English gave them greater cause of fear on the east, and the s!khT* mo chance presence of English travellers in Afghanistan again led them to hope that the foreign masters of India might be induced to give them stability between contending powers.- In 1832 Sultan Muhammad Khan again attempted to open a negotiation, if only for the release of his son, who was a hostage with Ranjit Singh.-^ The Nawab, Jabbar Khan of Kabul, likewise addressed letters to the British frontier authority, and in 1832 Dost Muhammad himself directly asked for the ^ost mufriendship of the English.^ All these communications '"'^'"'"^d were politely acknowledged, but at the time it was the^'^ame^ held desirable to avoid all intimacy of connexion with 1832. ^
rulers so remote.^^ In 1834 new dangers threatened the usurping Ba- The Barakrakzais. Shah Shuja had defeated the Sindians and "*^' ^pp""^had arrived in force at Kandahar, and the brothers .
Qf^gjj^ah
once again endeavoured to bring themselves within thfe shuja, verge of British supremacy. They had heard of Eng- again press lish arts as well as of English arms; they knew that -or an aiuall were accessible of flattery, and Jabbar Khan sud- ^'^^^ ^^^^ denly proposed to send his son to Ludhiana, in order, ^^d Jabbar" he said, that his mind might be improved by European Khan sends science and civilization.*' But Jabbar Khan, while he his son to Ludhiana, Capt. Wade to Government, 19th May 1832. The brothers eth Mayi834. had already (1823, 1824) made similar proposals through Mr. Moorcroft. (See Travels, ii. 340.) 1
2 Mr. Fraser and Mr. Stirling, of the Bengal Civil Service, were in Afghanistan, the former in 18fi6, apparently, and the latter in 1828. Mr. Masson also entered the country by way of the Lower Punjab in 1827, and the American, Dr. Harlan, followed him in a year by the same route. I)r. Harlan came to Lahore in 1929, after leading the English authorities to believe that he desired to constitute himself an agent between their Government and Shah Shuja, with reference doubtless to the ex-king's designs on Kabul. (Resident at Delhi to Capt. Wade, 3rd Feb. 1829.) The Rev. Mr. Wolff should be included
among the travellers in Central Asia at the time in question. Capt. Wade to Government, 19th May and 3rd July 1832. Capt. Wade to Government, 9th July 1832, and 17th Jan. 1833. Col. Wade in the Narrative of Personal Services, p 23, note, regards these overtures of Dost Muhammad, and also the increased interest of Russia and Persia in Afghan affairs, to Lieut. Burnes's Journey (to Bokhara, in 1832) and to Shah Shuja's designs. 5 Government to Capt. Wade, 28th Fab. 1833. 6 Capt. Wade to Government, 9th March 1834. 3
*
©
2026
Lehal.net