THE TABLET
A W eek ly Newspaper and R ev iew
D u m V O B IS G RATULAM UR , AN IM O S ETIAM ADDIMUS UT IN INCCEPTIS V E STR IS CONSTANTER M A N E A 'i lS .
Prom the B r i e f o f H is Holiness Pius I X . to T h e T a b l e t , June 4, iSyo.
Vol. 54. No. 2057. L o n d o n , S e p t e m b e r 13, 1879.
P rice sd. By Post
TRe 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 ew s pa p e r .
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C h ronicle o f t h e W e e k : —
Massacre at Cabul. — Measures o f the Viceroy.— Later Particulars.— State of Cabul before the 'Outbreak. — The Continental Press on the Massacre.— Congress o f the Union of “ CEuvres CEuvrieres.”— The Prussian Catholic Clergy. — The Austrian Occupation of Novi Baz^r. — Military Manoeuvres at Königsberg.— Pi ince Gortschakoff Interviewed. — The Revolutionary Party in Russia.— Storms and Floods in St. Petersburg.— Irish Politics.— Vacation Speeches. — Mr. Grant Duff on the Land Laws.— Depression and Pauperism.— A New Zealand Prophet... 322
CONTENTS.
Page 1
P e t e r ’ s P en c e .........................325 S h o r t N o t ic e s (Continued) : L e a d e r s : . . . Harry Hawkins’s H Book . . 333
The Decay o f Public Spirit . . 325 j The Lord’s Prayer in One HunColonel Haymerle on Italy . . 326 dredand Thirty-one Tongues.. 333 The Austrian Advance on Novi | Loca P a t r i c i a n a ......................... 333
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Bazar .. . . . . . . 327 : Tales of Old Thule . . . . 333 The Massacre at Cabul . . . . 328 American State Elections . . 329 C o r r e s p o n d e n c e : Saintly Workers . . . . . . 330 A Sad C a s e . . .. . . . . 333 R e v i e w : _ A Defect in Catholic Education 333
The “ Nineteenth Century ” . . 331 | New Edition o f Cardinal Hosius’s S h o r t N o t ic e s Lettei-s . . . . . . . . 333
The Bread of L i fe . . . . . . 332 | Hymn for those at Sea .. .. 334 Zarah.. . . . . . . . . 332 1 Catholics and School Boards . . 334 Dusky Rambles . . . . . . 332 Catholic Soldiers in Zululand .. 334 The World nnder Glass . . . . 332 Perversions of History . . . . 334 Spiritual Reading for Every D ay 332 1 The Homerton Mission . . .. 335 Words of a Believer on the Ways R om e : — Letter from our own o f Divine Providence . . . . 333 ! Correspondent . . . . . . 337
D io c e s a n N ews ViWestminster . . , ,
Southwark .. Hexham and Newcastle . . Leeds.. Liverpool Nottingham .. Plymouth S c o t l a n d :
St. Andrews and Edinburgh Aberdeen I r e l a n d F oreign N ew s :—
Germany Canada . . . . .. M e m o r a n d a :
Religious Educational G e n e r a l N e w s :
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• 339 • 339
339 339 339 • 340 340 340 340 340
342 343 343 344 344
CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK .
AT CABUL. T
MASSACRE OF THE EMBASSY
'E R R IB L E news from Afghanistan reached London on Saturday last. The British envoy Sir Louis Cavagnari, his suite and escort, have been massacred at Cabul. The first intelligence of the outbreak which has brought about this catastrophe was brought by a Ghilzai messenger who arrived at Ali Khel on Thursday night and reported that certain Afghan regiments, who had before shown a spirit of insubordination, had broken out into open mutiny and attacked the British residency. When the messenger left Cabul the embassy was defending itself against this assault, in which the mutineers were joined by the mob from the city. The next news that arrived was from the Amir Yakoub Khan, who sent two letters to Ali Khel, the first dated Wednesday the 3rd,the secondThursday the 4th. In the first he states that the troops broke out suddenly, stoned their officers and marched to attack the Residency joined by people from the city and from the surrounding country. The Amir says he sent General Daoud Shah to Sir Louis Cavagnari’s assistance, but the General was attacked by the mob, unhorsed and so severely injured that he was supposed to be dying. The Amir then despatched his own son with the Governor of Cabul and other persons of influence, but the attempt to control the populace was unsuccessful. In the second letter dated the 4th the Amir states that the attack on the Residency had continued during the whole of the previous day, and that in the evening the building had been set on fire. He had no news o f the Envoy or his escort, and was himself in great distress, being besieged with only five attendants. After receipt of these letters it was scarcely possible to entertain any hope that Sir Louis Cavagnari and his companions could escape ; and the worst fears as to their fate are confirmed by subsequent intelligence. A telegram from the Viceroy, dated the 7th inst., forwards the information from Ali Khel, that Badshah Khan, the Ghilzai Governor of the Khushi district, had visited the scene of the disaster, and had seen the dead bodies of the Envoy, staff, and escort. The defence had been very stubborn, and upwards of 100 Cabulese had fallen in the attack. The attempt to take the building by storm had failed, and then the assailants set fire to the doorway below, and when that gave way they swarmed in, sacked the place, and finally overwhelmed and slew the gallant defenders. So far as is as yet known the conduct of the Amir has not given reason to doubt his good faith, however deficient he has shown himself in prudence and vigour, and the capacity for controlling an unruly people. It is too soon to say with certainty if this movement was merely a sudden and unpremeditated assault, or part of a more extended plan of revolt. The accounts which speak of the papulation of Cabul having assumed during the previous few days a sullen and defiant attitude towards the members of the Embassy would seem to favour the view that the uprising was not so sudden as was at first supposed.
THE MEASURES OF
THE
As soon as the intelligence of the outbreak reached theViceroy, orders were issued without a moment’s delay for an advance upon Cabul, viceroy. and if all goes well but few days will intervene between the perpetration of the outrage and the condign chastisement of the offenders. The troops will march upon Cabul by the Kurum Valley and the Khaibar. General Massey who is in command of the advanced post at Ali-Khel, has received orders to move instantly upon the Shutar-gardan Pass, General Roberts has assumed the command at the Peiwar Pass, and Brigadier Dixon commands the Khaibar column, which will operate on Jellalabad, while General Stewart will hold Candahar. So far as we may judge, the measures of the Viceroy have been taken with promptitude and vigour, and it may be fairly hoped that a very few days will see the occupation of Cabul by British troops. The position of the Amir, if correctly described by himself, must be one of extreme peril, and his personal safety probably depends upon the speedy arrival of the assistance for which he has asked.
A telegram dated on the 9th from Ali-Khel later gives some further details of the massacre at particulars. Cabul on the authority o f an Afghan who claims to be well informed of the circumstances. According to his account no less than twelve regiments were implicated ; and the defence of our Envoy and his escort was most gallant. First a gateway leading into the Residency courtyard was burst open, but there was such a resolute stand made with rifle, sword and bayonet that the assailants were checked. Then the expedient of setting fire to the house was resorted to, and the defenders, charging out sword in hand, were all slain. The loss of the Cabulees was no doubt heavy in such a desperate combat with well armed men. The Afghan on whose authority the information of this telegram is founded puts it down at 410, which, considering the small number of Sir Louis Cavagnari’s escort, appears almost incredible. The Amiris represented to be terribly perplexed and confused at the reproach to his name, and to be in privacy with some sirdars. The telegram adds that he is sure to come personally to apologise to the Government, as the regiments had got beyond his control. It is not easy with the information we have at present to understand the real position of the Amir, whose personal
N e w S e r i e s , V o l . X X I I . No. 566.