A KNG’S WIT AND WISDOM

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 18

A KNG’S WIT AND WISDOM

STRIKING AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE AMEER,

Few recent books have bceta so startlingly candid and so pulsating with life as the a a'fobiography of the Ameer of Afghanistan, published by Mr John Murray. The book is edited by the Sultan Mahomed Khan, the Auiew’s Secretary of State, and an English barrister, and in the revision of the proofs Mr Murray has had the assistance of Miss Lillias Hamilton, M.D., for long the Ameer’s medical adviser.

Kings and Ameers are not in the) habit of writing autobiographies, and this record of the adventures, the policy, and the opinions of a man at once a very important Sovereign and, as his secrotirv terms him, “a very witty and I amorous genius,” is of tho greatest importance and interest.

Born in 1844, during the reign of his grandfather, the Ameer Dost hemmed, the first twenty-five! years of his life were a long series of frontier and civil wars. After his gran (lather’s death his uncles and his father succeeded to the throne, and Abdnr Rahman sometimes found himself an important prince at the head of a large army, and sometimes a fugitive hardly knowing where to get his next meal. EXILE IN RUSSIA. Tn 1869, during the asendany of his uncle Shere Ali, he was obliged to fly to Samarkand, in Asiatic Russia, and he stayed in Russian dominions till 1880. During this time, with the cunning watchfulness always characteristic of him, -he thoroughly mastered the trend of Russian policy in Asia, and conceived the 5 belief in its persistent treachery which he has neveb lost. This belief has been the key-note o. his reign : “The Russian policy in Asia is that in any way, rightly or wrongly, friendly or unfriendly, with peace or war, the Islamic kingdoms should be washed away from the face of ,thef Asiatic continent.” In 1880 Shere Ali, who till then had been on good terms with the British . Government, began to make overtures to Russia, not having, as Abdnr Rahman say 3, sufficient sein.se to* understand that property which is not saleable in one market was of no value in the other.”

Ah English army defeated Shere Ali in the Khyber, and he had to fly to Balkh, in the north, leaving his son Yakub in Kabul. Yakub ceded certain towns to the English and received Sir Louis Oavagnari as British Ambassador. According to this narative, Oavagnari behaved with great arrogance and infuriated the Afghans; but, howdver that may be, he was murdered in Kabul, and then followed the occupation of the Afphan capital by Lord Roberts and Sir Donald Stewart.

ABDUR RAHMAN MADE AMEER. During the'se events, in some way not clearly explained, Abdur Rahman had persuaded the Russians to allow him to cross their frontiers, and on his arrival in his country he was quickly joined by large and increasing riumbers of adherents, who*recognised that he was not only the rightful claimant to thd throne, but that he was the only member of bis family able to restore something like a stable government. The British Government reVsognised" this too, and, through Sir Lepel Griffin, confirmed the choice of his countrymen. The one condition was that he should not communicate with any foreign Government etxcept through the Viceroy of India. Internally he is in the fullest sense an independent Sovereign, and he was promised that the British Government would at all times protect him against foreign aggression. Abdur Rahman set himself at once to the business of restoring order out of chaos, trusting mainly to his own wisdom, of which he obviously has the highetet opinion. That he is Cromwellian both in bis methods and philosophy may be shown by quoting his favourite text from the Koran: ‘"'Place your confidence in God, but watch your camel.” Under his reign the whole country has changed in twenty years. Manufactories for engine®, rifles, machine-guns and artillery, tanneries, soap and candle factories, tailors’ shops_ and printing presses have sprung up in Kabul. Foreigners like Sir Salter Payne and many others have been encouraged to settle in the capital and teach the natives their crafts. Modem drill has belen introduced into the army, which is now armed, with breech-loaders, fully equipped in everyway, and ready to take the field, according to the Ameer, nearly a million strong. Unlike most Oriental innovators, he does' not make the mistake of forcing the development of his people unnaturally. Railways he will none of, perceiving that they will rob his country of its greatest protection, its inaccessibility, and that they might prove far more useful to Russia or England than to Afghanistan. Here is another piece' of sagacity : “It is my opinion that some of the Orientals who go to the! West to be educated, instead of acquiring the abilities and metrits of the Western people import Western vices into their own country. Many, too, lose all faith and religion. I prefer to have the young people educated fonder my own supervision.” His task has not belen an easy one, and often he has felt ready to abandon it. “On many occasions,” he savs, “I get quite discouragedi on account of the quarrelling and intriguing of my people. I get very

weary, and feci it would be well for me to retire from this life of everlasting anxiety and struggle. But this would be a cowardly action and a refusal to fulfil the dutiek ordained by the Almighty Master and Sovereign.” Abdur Rahman has, he says, always been faithful to the English alliance, because, while it is obviously tho policy of Russia to dismember Afghanistan, it is obviously the policy of England to protect its integrity. He is convinced that Russia, wants India, and that Afghanistan is the greatest obstacle in her way. His faith in England has had many rude shakings. In 1885, while meeting Lord Dufferin at Rawal Pindi, news was brought bim that the Russians had seized tho town of Penjeideh, that the English officials had fled, and that the English Government did not propose to force the Russians back.

“I was not a man to get excited, and therefore took the matteir calmly as a lesson for the future,” says Abdur Radman. It is idle, his Highness remarks, to tell him that Mr Gladstone was in power or it would not have happened. Who can assure, he! asks, what will be the Government when the next incident happens ? “There is no. changing in Russian policy. It is not the case with them, aa with some other countries, that efvery party that comes into power can undo the work that has been, done by the party before.” Policy, however, him and the whole Muslim world to England, who, he! says, should eta courage a strong alliance between Turkey, Persia and Afghanistan, because if hostilities ever broke out betweeu Russia and Greiat Britain “the whole Mahommedan Sovereigns and communities would support England.” SOME OPINIONS. __ In leaving this fascinating book it may be interesting to quote some of the Ameer's opinions of the Englishmen ho ‘ has known. “Lord Dufferin was such a statesman that a wiser or more clever than he has never ruled in India.” “Lord Rip on was the most liberalminded of Viceroys. He had no prejudice against caste, colour,'or creed.” ■ “The Duke of Connaught is a very kindhearted, good-natured, honest, straightforward, smart soldier.” Lord Curzon, whom he met in 1894, hei describes as “a very genial, hard-work-ing, well-informed, and ambitious young man, full of wit and humour.” Lord Lansdowne bitterly offended him by the manner of his despatches, and he seems to have always feared that Lord Roberts had designs on his dominions. The visit of N asiullah Khan to London in 1895 was made mainly to persuade the English Government to* allow the Ameer to be officially represented at the Court of St. James, and the failure of this mission was a bitter disappointment. However, he consoles himself with the thought that everything takes time, and leaves to his successors the task of carrying on his work and Making Afghanistan a great nation.