“Afghan embassy”
Part I
“For Russia, very often encountered with the notorious English interests, the position that Afghanistan occupies is far from indifferent. It is located on the border of the Russian and Anglo-Indian territories. If we ever, for one or another political reasons, had to seriously think about going to India, then Afghanistan, if it was arranged in vain, would have become a serious obstacle and tenant of the difficulties of the campaign. Probably guided by these considerations, our government never lost sight of this country. In 1869, the so -called friendly exchange of thoughts regarding Afghanistan arose between him and England. England insisted on his neutralization, and the Russian government, with its usual peacefulness and straightforwardness, recognized the possessions of Shira-Ali that borders that he, exactly like the British office, considered it correct.
The quick successes of the Russian troops in Central Asia, however, excited again the suspicion characteristic of the ministers of her British Majesty. The capture of Khiva was also disturbed by Shira-Ali. He hastened to send the embassy to Shimlu to find out what kind of help England intends to provide him if Russia attacks the boundaries of his possessions. England considered it more prudent to restore complete freedom of action than to enter into any shy unions. A similar answer, of course, aroused in Emir a distrust of the named country.
A year later, the British cabinet found that his position regarding Afghanistan is unsatisfactory, and that it was time to change it. To this end, Lord Litton was instructed to enter into relations with Kabul and look at Emir that the Anglo-Indian government was eager to insure his possessions from any external encroachments, to provide and ensure his powerful patronage. In return, England demanded only one thing from the emir – confidence in it. Otherwise, she achieved consent from him so that the English observational posts in the person of agents and officers are allowed to be allowed to be throughout Afghanistan (except Kabul), whose duties would be to observe everything and to convey to everything to her government. Such a protectorate did not smile very much to Emir, who knew how expensive friendship is sometimes. Having tied relations with General Kaufman, Shir-Ali refused to accept the authorized Lord Litton. Then the latter proposed to Emir a date in Peshavar and Shir-Ali sent his minister Sind-Nur-Magomet-Shah there.
It turned out, however, that the powers of the Afghan ambassador were not as wide as Lord Litton wanted.
Taking advantage of the death of Sind Nur-Magomet-Shah, the Anglo-Indian government hastened to renounce the results of the negotiations begun. It hoped that the emir would be afraid of enmity with him and hasten to take a more friendly position.
These calculations were not justified. Shir-Ali some time later warmly met the Russian embassy, led by General Progonov. Then Lord Litton began to demand from the emir that the English embassies were also accepted for him. Emir, as you know, refused “
(Illustrated newspaper Neva, March 18, 1879)
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