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THE TABLET A IVeekly Newspaper and Review D um VOBIS G R A T U L AM U R , A N IM O S E T IA M ADDIM U S U T IN INCGEPTIS V E S T R IS C O N S TAN TER M A N E A Y1S. From the B r ie f o f His Holiness Piles IX . to T he T ablet, Jims 4, 1870#' Vol. 52. No. 2007. L ondon, S e ptem ber 28, 1878. P r ic e 5d. B y P o s t s^d [ R e g i s t e r e d a t t h e G e n e r a l P o s t O f f i c e a s a N e w s p a p e r . C hronicle of th e We e k :— Pagje Repulse of the Mission to Cabul. —Additional Details.— Probable Military Arrangements. — The Russian Retreat from Constantinople.— England and Asia Minor. — Turkey in Europe.— M. Gambetta’s Programme.— Counsels of Moderation. — Mgr. Freppel’s Reply.— M. Louis Blanc— The Past and Future Convention.— The Reichstag and the Socialists. — Eruption of Vesuvius. — The Last Chapter of a Miserable History.— South Africa....................... 385 C O N T Page L e a d e r s : An Appeal. — Financial Diffi­ culties of the Holy See .. 389 The Rejection of the Mission to Cabul . . . . . . . . 389 Exceptional Legislation in Germany .. . . . . . . 390 Irish Intermediate Education Act 391 A Red Despotism . . .. . . 392 The Policy of the Holy See . . 393 Property of the Religious Orders in Italy .. . . .. . . 393 R e v i e w s : Colonel Fougas’ Mistake . . 394 A Life’s Hazard . . . . . . 394 S h o r t N o t i c e s ; The Donalds .. . . . . 394 First Principles of English Grammar .. . . . . . . 394 E N T S . S h o r t N o t ic e s (Continued): Page The Watchmen on the Walls . . 395 The Illustrated Monitor .. . . 395 The Foregleams of Christianity.. 395 Select Poetry for Children .. 395 Gretchen’s Gift . . . . . . 396 Life of P. Hermann Joseph . . 396 Stories of the Saints .. . . 396 C o r r e s p o n d e n c e : The “ Month” and Mr. Petre .. 396 “ The ‘ Month ’ and the Bishops” 396 Perversions of Ecclesiastical His­ tory . . . . . . . .. 396 Catholic Education . . .. 397 St. Vincent’s Home .. .. 397 The Premonstratensians .. . . 397 “ I f the Trumpet Gives an Uncer­ tain Sound” . . . . . . 397 Hospital at Cadiz . . . . . . 398 I r e l a n d :— Letter from our own Corre Page spondent . . . . . . ... 398 R o m e : — Letter from our own Correspondent . . . . . . 401: D io c e s a n N ew s Westminster.. . . . . . . 403 Southwark .. . . . . . . 403 Beverley . . .. . . . . 403 Clifton .. . . . . . . 403 Salford . . . . . . . . 404 Shrewsbury .. .. . . . . 404 S c o t l a n d . . .. .. . . 404 F o r e ig n N ew s France . . . . . . . . 404 Germany . . . . .. . . 405 M e m o r a n d a :— Religious . . . . . . .. 406 G e n e r a l N ew s . . . . . 407 CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK. TO CABUL. T REPULSE OF THE MISSION HE serious nature of this week’s news from India can hardly be exaggerated. The friendly embassy which had been actually despatched to Cabul has been turned back with contumely, no doubt by the order of the Amir. Sir Neville Chamberlain, with the whole mission, to which two native Indian Princes were attached, had reached Jurnrood, the old frontier fort which watches the entrance to the famous Khaibar pass. Here “ arrangements ” were made with the Afridis who infest that pass and its surrounding mountains, and who sometimes go by the name of Khaibarris. In other words, their friendship was hired for the occasion in the same manner as is that of a tribe of Bedouins through whose country travellers have to pass. They seem to have executed faithfully their part of the contract, and a party under Major Cavagnari, a distinguished and able officer who is familiar with the hill tribes and with Cabul, was sent forward through the pass to Alimusjid, where Shere Ali’s messengers were known to be, in order to arrange for the further journey of the mission to the capital. But the Afghan commandant o f Alimusjid, acting no doubt under the orders brought by the Amir’s officers, Mufti Shah and the Mir Akhor, or Master of the Horse, peremptorily refused permission for the advance of the mission; and after three hours’ argument, Major Cavagnari found himself unable to overcome his opposition. Nor was the commandant content with a mere verbal refusal, he made a demonstration of the resistance which was to be offered by massing troops on all the surrounding hills. Such a direct insult to the Crown of this Empire as the public refusal to receive a friendly embassy places us in a most disagreeable position, especially when its effect upon public opinion in India is considered, and the actual impossibility of submitting to it is increased— if that were possible— by the fact that two native Princes were witnesses of the rebuff. A Council was immediately held by the Viceroy at Simla, and General Roberts was forthwith despatched with secret orders to Peshawur, where he will take command of the force of twelve thousand men which is already massed upon the frontier, 'and which will doubtless be reinforced. The first step, in all probability, will be a demonstration in force, but it is hardly likely that Shere Ali will yield to that and make a sufficient apology, for he would scarcely have gone as far as he has, unless he had made up his mind to enter on a quarrel with us, backed by at least the moral support of Russia, whose envoy, General Abramoff, is all this time at Cabul carrying on the friendly diplomatic intercourse to which the Amir refuses to admit New Series, Vol. XX. No. 516. the English. And it is further alleged that Shere Ali has sent an envoy at Constantinople to urge a Russian alliance on the Sultan, a report which is only consistent with a former statement respecting a letter said to have been addressed by him to Abdul Hamid to dissuade him from any reliance upon England. All these rumours about what the ruler of Cabul has been saying and doing in the way of hostility to this country— rumours which in an exaggerated form have been current in the bazaars of India— will be strengthened and rendered more mischievous by the overt insult which the Amir has now offered to the British Crown. It is satisfactory, therefore, to know that the IndianGovernment has acted with promptitude. It was only on Saturday that Sir Neville Chamberlain and his mission left Peshawur for the frontier, and on Tuesday we had already received the news of the orders issued to General Roberts. But it would have been still more satisfactory if that Government had been able to ascertain, before actually despatching the mission to the frontier, that it would be allowed to enter the country. As it is, we are placed in the disagreeable position of being obliged to conquer the ruler of a country which we have no desire to annex, and it is just possible that we may be forced to annex it. But we do not want Afghanistan for ourselves, or to advance our frontier close to that of Russia. Our interest demands that Cabul should be a friendly State, but an independent one, which may serve as a kind of “ buffer ” between British India and Russia. The mission is already broken up. General additional Sir Neville Chamberlain is to return to his details. command at Madras, and Nawab Gholam Hussein Khan, C.S.I., who had been entrusted with the two letters from the Viceroy to Shere Ali, has been recalled from Cabul. To those letters, dated on the 14th and 23rd of August respectively, no reply whatever has been received, and the animus which dictated this discourtesy is proved by the fact that, in the presence of the Amir’s officials who brought his instructions from Cabul, the Commandant of the fort of Alimusjid insulted the representative of the Embassy, Major Cavagnari, by telling him that, if it were not for his personal friendship for him, he would have him shot on the spot. It is probable, however, that the anger of the Amir may have been not a little increased by the presence of the escort of Khaibarris, about whose very uncertain allegiance to himself he is extremely jealous. Telegrams from Bombay give the proba- m i l u 'a r y He dispositions of the force destined to a r r a n g e m e n t s . °Perate >n Afghanistan. As to the last invasion of the country, the troops will, it is said, advance in three columns, one from Quettah, in Beloochistan, which is already occupied by us, on Candahar;

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THE TABLET

A IVeekly Newspaper and Review

D um VOBIS G R A T U L AM U R , A N IM O S E T IA M ADDIM U S U T IN INCGEPTIS V E S T R IS C O N S TAN TER M A N E A Y1S.

From the B r ie f o f His Holiness Piles IX . to T he T ablet, Jims 4, 1870#'

Vol. 52. No. 2007. L ondon, S e ptem ber 28, 1878.

P r ic e 5d. B y P o s t s^d

[ R e g i s t e r e d a t t h e G e n e r a l P o s t O f f i c e a s a N e w s p a p e r .

C hronicle of th e We e k :—

Pagje

Repulse of the Mission to Cabul. —Additional Details.— Probable Military Arrangements. — The Russian Retreat from Constantinople.— England and Asia Minor. — Turkey in Europe.— M. Gambetta’s Programme.— Counsels of Moderation. — Mgr. Freppel’s Reply.— M. Louis Blanc— The Past and Future Convention.— The Reichstag and the Socialists. — Eruption of Vesuvius. — The Last Chapter of a Miserable History.— South Africa....................... 385

C O N T

Page

L e a d e r s :

An Appeal. — Financial Diffi­

culties of the Holy See .. 389 The Rejection of the Mission to

Cabul . . . . . . . . 389 Exceptional Legislation in Germany .. . . . . . . 390 Irish Intermediate Education Act 391 A Red Despotism . . .. . . 392 The Policy of the Holy See . . 393 Property of the Religious Orders in Italy .. . . .. . . 393 R e v i e w s :

Colonel Fougas’ Mistake . . 394 A Life’s Hazard . . . . . . 394 S h o r t N o t i c e s ;

The Donalds .. . . . . 394 First Principles of English

Grammar .. . . . . . . 394

E N T S .

S h o r t N o t ic e s (Continued):

Page

The Watchmen on the Walls . . 395 The Illustrated Monitor .. . . 395 The Foregleams of Christianity.. 395 Select Poetry for Children .. 395 Gretchen’s Gift . . . . . . 396 Life of P. Hermann Joseph . . 396 Stories of the Saints .. . . 396 C o r r e s p o n d e n c e :

The “ Month” and Mr. Petre .. 396 “ The ‘ Month ’ and the Bishops” 396 Perversions of Ecclesiastical His­

tory . . . . . . . .. 396 Catholic Education . . .. 397 St. Vincent’s Home .. .. 397 The Premonstratensians .. . . 397 “ I f the Trumpet Gives an Uncer­

tain Sound” . . . . . . 397 Hospital at Cadiz . . . . . . 398

I r e l a n d :—

Letter from our own Corre

Page spondent . . . . . . ... 398 R o m e : — Letter from our own

Correspondent . . . . . . 401: D io c e s a n N ew s

Westminster.. . . . . . . 403 Southwark .. . . . . . . 403 Beverley . . .. . . . . 403 Clifton .. . . . . . . 403 Salford . . . . . . . . 404 Shrewsbury .. .. . . . . 404 S c o t l a n d . . .. .. . . 404 F o r e ig n N ew s

France . . . . . . . . 404 Germany . . . . .. . . 405 M e m o r a n d a :—

Religious . . . . . . .. 406 G e n e r a l N ew s . . . . . 407

CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK.

TO CABUL. T

REPULSE OF THE MISSION

HE serious nature of this week’s news from India can hardly be exaggerated. The friendly embassy which had been actually despatched to Cabul has been turned back with contumely, no doubt by the order of the Amir. Sir Neville Chamberlain, with the whole mission, to which two native Indian Princes were attached, had reached Jurnrood, the old frontier fort which watches the entrance to the famous Khaibar pass. Here “ arrangements ” were made with the Afridis who infest that pass and its surrounding mountains, and who sometimes go by the name of Khaibarris. In other words, their friendship was hired for the occasion in the same manner as is that of a tribe of Bedouins through whose country travellers have to pass. They seem to have executed faithfully their part of the contract, and a party under Major Cavagnari, a distinguished and able officer who is familiar with the hill tribes and with Cabul, was sent forward through the pass to Alimusjid, where Shere Ali’s messengers were known to be, in order to arrange for the further journey of the mission to the capital. But the Afghan commandant o f Alimusjid, acting no doubt under the orders brought by the Amir’s officers, Mufti Shah and the Mir Akhor, or Master of the Horse, peremptorily refused permission for the advance of the mission; and after three hours’ argument, Major Cavagnari found himself unable to overcome his opposition. Nor was the commandant content with a mere verbal refusal, he made a demonstration of the resistance which was to be offered by massing troops on all the surrounding hills. Such a direct insult to the Crown of this Empire as the public refusal to receive a friendly embassy places us in a most disagreeable position, especially when its effect upon public opinion in India is considered, and the actual impossibility of submitting to it is increased— if that were possible— by the fact that two native Princes were witnesses of the rebuff. A Council was immediately held by the Viceroy at Simla, and General Roberts was forthwith despatched with secret orders to Peshawur, where he will take command of the force of twelve thousand men which is already massed upon the frontier, 'and which will doubtless be reinforced. The first step, in all probability, will be a demonstration in force, but it is hardly likely that Shere Ali will yield to that and make a sufficient apology, for he would scarcely have gone as far as he has, unless he had made up his mind to enter on a quarrel with us, backed by at least the moral support of Russia, whose envoy, General Abramoff, is all this time at Cabul carrying on the friendly diplomatic intercourse to which the Amir refuses to admit

New Series, Vol. XX. No. 516.

the English. And it is further alleged that Shere Ali has sent an envoy at Constantinople to urge a Russian alliance on the Sultan, a report which is only consistent with a former statement respecting a letter said to have been addressed by him to Abdul Hamid to dissuade him from any reliance upon England. All these rumours about what the ruler of Cabul has been saying and doing in the way of hostility to this country— rumours which in an exaggerated form have been current in the bazaars of India— will be strengthened and rendered more mischievous by the overt insult which the Amir has now offered to the British Crown. It is satisfactory, therefore, to know that the IndianGovernment has acted with promptitude. It was only on Saturday that Sir Neville Chamberlain and his mission left Peshawur for the frontier, and on Tuesday we had already received the news of the orders issued to General Roberts. But it would have been still more satisfactory if that Government had been able to ascertain, before actually despatching the mission to the frontier, that it would be allowed to enter the country. As it is, we are placed in the disagreeable position of being obliged to conquer the ruler of a country which we have no desire to annex, and it is just possible that we may be forced to annex it. But we do not want Afghanistan for ourselves, or to advance our frontier close to that of Russia. Our interest demands that Cabul should be a friendly State, but an independent one, which may serve as a kind of “ buffer ” between British India and Russia.

The mission is already broken up. General additional Sir Neville Chamberlain is to return to his details. command at Madras, and Nawab Gholam

Hussein Khan, C.S.I., who had been entrusted with the two letters from the Viceroy to Shere Ali, has been recalled from Cabul. To those letters, dated on the 14th and 23rd of August respectively, no reply whatever has been received, and the animus which dictated this discourtesy is proved by the fact that, in the presence of the Amir’s officials who brought his instructions from Cabul, the Commandant of the fort of Alimusjid insulted the representative of the Embassy, Major Cavagnari, by telling him that, if it were not for his personal friendship for him, he would have him shot on the spot. It is probable, however, that the anger of the Amir may have been not a little increased by the presence of the escort of Khaibarris, about whose very uncertain allegiance to himself he is extremely jealous.

Telegrams from Bombay give the proba-

m i l u 'a r y He dispositions of the force destined to a r r a n g e m e n t s . °Perate >n Afghanistan. As to the last invasion of the country, the troops will, it is said, advance in three columns, one from Quettah, in Beloochistan, which is already occupied by us, on Candahar;

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