AFGHANISTAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16820, 27 May 1919, Page 7

AFGHANISTAN.

ENEMY HEAVILY BOMBED. KRUPP GUNS CAPTURED. j r Australian and N-2. dale Asm. LONDON, May 24. The Viceroy of India reported on Thursday that the dissemination of the Afghan forces along the whole frontier was intended to raise the tribes against Britain. All the tribes are reported to be still quiet. Our aeroplanes successfully bombarded the houses at Jellalabad from which shots were fired. We also bombed the Afghan headquarters and barracks and dispersed a parade of 2000 troops as well as a marching column. Five guns were captured on May 17. They were all of Krupp manufacture. PANIC IN BOMBED TOWN. Received 8 p.m., May 26th. ■ SIMLA. May 24. When our aeroplanes bombed Jel&ilabad the inhabitants were panic-stricken and the town was almost deserted, Afghan troops leading the flight. Loot ers helped themselves liberally to the unprotected army stores. ' , Generally the tribal situation is more settled. . .....-_. ■ PEACE ENVOYS.

After; the Ameer's chief armistice envoy had been sent back big two companions produced the Ameer's firman, in which he stated that he had been informed that discussion "between the Afghan envoy and Foreign Secretary and the Government of India regarding the cessation of war had opened a door for peace. The Ameer therefore authorised three envoys to proceed to the British camp to "discuss terms of peace, if you find ground favourable for peace inform me." The two remaining envoys have now been sent back, with the information that there was nothing to add to the message already handed to the chief envoy. BOLSHEVIK INFLUENCE. A Bolshevik wireless message from Tashkent announces the receipt of two letters, from Kabul dated 7th April, and addressed to the President of the Russian Republic. In one the Ameer declared that Russia by raising the standard of Bolshevism had earned the gratitude of the whole world. In the other Mahmud Tarzi. th e Ameer's Commissary of Foreign Affairs., expressed a hope that permanent friendly relations between Bolsheviks and Afghanistan would now be established. Another Bolshevik wireless message from. Tashkent, addressed to the eastern propaganda bureau, asks Barkatnlla-, a. renegade Indian agitator, to finish, his promised pamphlet on "Bolshevism in the Koran" and despatch a hundred thousand copies in the HinduFtani, Persian and Arabic languages. A fnrther message from Kushk addressed to all eastern stations announces that Afghanistan is rallying the mountain tribes with a "view to securing an exit to the sea by gaining possession of Karachi port.