REUTER'S SPECIAL AFGHAN SUMMARY.

Southland Times, Issue 3315, 4 February 1879, Page 3

REUTER'S SPECIAL AFGHAN SUMMARY.

— r ; :: / v . ; ; iQNDQN, Dec. 20. , ; * '-< After the victory of Geaerai Roberts at the- ; Pfeiwar Kotul (particulars : of wHicli have : ' already been published) the Afghans precipi':tately withdrew abandoning all their guns. ,' : IS in number, and a quantity of . amis. General, Roberts has since then pushed on r . to the. Shutar GArdanPass, which was found unbccnpied by 'frie : "' enemy. , . Arrangements •■;. are now being; made, with f some of the tribes: ViGr, 'protecting tte,rpad !in his rear. . £ ' ' The news from .General Biddulph's column is equally favorable, his force having occu- ■■ pied> the Khojuk Pass unopposed, subsequently pushing on to_ Chamal Chpki, a fort on the Candahar side of. the pass. ' . ; : '"".'■• .' General Donald Stewart; the commander '.-.':- in-cUief of this,- the i Queftah division, joined General Bidduiph at JKh'ojut „, lord Ly.ttpn left Lahore on the afternoon of the 19th.in'8t. )( for/O^cutta. ;. ■■: Previous 'to his departure, His Excellency reviewed "a feudatory contingent composed of upwards. , of .3000 men of alLarms, with ten guns, belonging to the chiefs of Puttiala, Jhend, , KuperthuUa, and others. After the review, the ; Viceroy made a speech, addressing itiie corps, of each state separately, and ~r referring in warrii terms' Jo. their services in : "'1857, and to the readiness of their. rulers at /the' present time /to .'..assist the Government, . ,'Npt only all, the^mp'prtment Sikh; Rajpoot, '; and Ittahomedaii ciiiefs, but also the, Sirdars, natives, and officers of the. Government had spontaneously and /promptly offered, their setvic.es, .and all were equally anxious to place tneir ! iswbrds and personal 'influence at the disposal of the' Queen . .' .. ~ .. ~ /The viceroy, in' referring to the .war, said tie British 'Governmentwas neye r r an ungenerous foe, but justice must precede generosity. • The . Government would be nn worthy of the loyalty of 'its subjects and.its noble allies, were it unable or' unwilling to punish an • insult, or , to effectually protect from a .foreign nienace the. peace and. pros- , perity which it yras endea vpring to promote ' within its borders. . . " , .'.%■/.'.'■> "After concluding' his speech the Viceroy ■'■ assured the Maharajah;Of Cashmere that if"tbe war should, extend ,bey,ond' .the spring'the Government would ayail^itself of his troops. The contihgent, v which Is under the command of General, "V^atson, starts op Saturday for Peshawur, and will, i£is proposed, hold the Cabul River and Khyber passes, in order; ' ...... to allow the .regular^, jtrpops p to. advance. : 'British officers of all b'ranches.pf the service ~ m= '~; are attached to the cpntingent. ;, ,