Sixty Years a Queen Part 32

The E/B Battery of Royal Horse Artillery, a.s.sisted by a few native sappers, whilst limbering up, fought the Ghazis with hand-spikes and other improvised weapons. They lost heavily both in officers and men, but succeeded in carrying off the guns, and were specially thanked by the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief.]

The pacification of Afghanistan by General Roberts was not of long duration. After those concerned in the ma.s.sacre of Cavagnari's party had been punished with exemplary, if not excessive, severity, attempts were made to conciliate the people, and the Conservative Government offered to recognise any Amir at Cabul who might be elected, except Yakub Khan.

Candahar was to be separated from Cabul, becoming an independent State under British protection, with Shir Ali as Amir. Then came the change of Government in England, bringing about an important modification in British policy towards Afghanistan. It was resolved to evacuate both Cabul and Candahar, resigning the country to the claimant Abdurrahman.

The advance, however, of a rival claimant from Herat, in the person of Ayub Khan, caused the Government of India to direct General Burrows to defend the pa.s.sage of the River Helmund. Beyond that river lay the territory of the Wali of Zamindawir, an ally of the British in resisting Ayub Khan's invasion. But the Wali's army mutinied and deserted to Ayub, and General Burrows decided to retire to Kushk-i-Nakhud, thirty miles in rear of the Helmund. Ayub then crossed the river, and directed his march to Maiwand, a Pa.s.s over the hills twelve miles north of Burrows's camp. General Burrows, in total ignorance of the real strength of the enemy, resolved to march there and clear the Pa.s.s. On July 27 he started with a force of 2,500 men, six nine-pounders, and some smooth-bores.

Unfortunately, instead of keeping to his purpose of occupying Maiwand, which lay on his right, General Burrows made the fatal mistake of attacking a column of the enemy which appeared on his left. He found himself engaged with Ayub's whole army, variously estimated at from 12,000 to 20,000 of all arms. The British troops fought gallantly, but some blunders, of a nature never clearly explained, made their position untenable. The order was given to retreat, not before some of the Indian troops had broken and fled. Next day the broken remnants of General Burrows's Brigade struggled into Candahar, having fought their way through hordes of armed villagers along the route, who rose in excitement at the news of the defeat of the British. All that mortal man could do to atone for his want of generalship was done by General Burrows, who fought with desperate gallantry at Maiwand; but half his Brigade perished, and probably it would have been annihilated but for the steadiness of the Horse Artillery in action and in covering the retreat.

[Ill.u.s.tration: LORD ROBERTS OF CANDAHAR.

Frederick Sleigh Roberts is the son of the late General Sir A. Roberts.

Born in 1832, and educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and Woolwich. Gained the V.C. for rescuing a standard at Khodagunj, in the Indian Mutiny.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Chevalier Louis W. Desanges._} {_In the Victoria Cross Gallery, Crystal Palace._

MARCH OF GENERAL SIR F. ROBERTS, G.C.B., V.C., FROM CABUL TO CANDAHAR: CROSSING THE ZAMBURAK KOTAL.]

[Sidenote: General Roberts's March.]

General Primrose was in command at Candahar, where he was besieged by Ayub on August 8. He was relieved by General Sir Frederick Roberts, who left Cabul on August 9 with a flying column, nearly 10,000 strong, and performed a march which has become celebrated in British war annals, arriving at Candahar on the 31st, having covered 318 miles in twenty-three days. On September 1 he attacked and completely routed Ayub Khan, who fled to Herat. The war was over: it had cost 5,750,000; Lord Ripon, who had succeeded Lord Lytton as Viceroy, was directed by the India Office to abandon the purpose with which it had been undertaken, and by the end of 1880 the British had evacuated both Cabul and Candahar.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Stanley Berkeley._} {_By permission of the Publishers, Messrs. S. Hildesheimer & Co., of London and Manchester._

THE VICTORY OF CANDAHAR.]

[Sidenote: Revolt of the Transvaal.]

The trouble which broke out in the British Dominion of South Africa in 1880 must be regarded as the direct effect of the system of British party politics. Forasmuch as, taking their cue from Mr. Gladstone, the Opposition had vehemently denounced the annexation of the Transvaal, on the overthrow of the Conservatives the "patriot" section of the Boers not unnaturally expected the restoration of their independence. But these hopes were dispelled by Mr. Gladstone and Lord Kimberley, the Colonial Secretary, in the debate on the Queen's speech to the new Parliament. They declared that Great Britain was under pledges to the native population which made it impossible for her to recede. The effect of this was to exasperate the Boers to the last degree. They rose in armed revolt, and proclaimed an independent Republic on December 16, 1880. Detachments of British troops were beleaguered by the insurgents at several places, and a detachment of the 94th Regiment, under Colonel Anstruther, marching to the relief of Pretoria, suffered defeat, all of them being slain or captured. The whole Dutch population of the Transvaal were under arms by the beginning of 1881, and their skill as riflemen rendered them a foe far more formidable than might have been expected from their numbers.

[Sidenote: Establishment of the Boer Republic.]

It is a painful duty to record faithfully the events of the succeeding weeks. On January 24, Sir George Colley, Governor of Natal, entered the Transvaal with 1,000 troops, attacking the Boers at Laing's Nek on the 28th, when he was repulsed with the loss of seven officers and eighty men killed and 100 wounded. On February 7 Colley was attacked on the Ingogo River, and, though the enemy retired at sunset, the British loss amounted to six officers and sixty-two men killed and sixty-four wounded. On February 26 General Colley returned to the attack on the Boers' camp at Laing's Nek. He decided on occupying Majuba Hill, overlooking the enemy's position; and, owing to the great fatigue endured during the ascent, in which his men were occupied for eight hours of darkness, he neglected to intrench the ground. The position was naturally an exceedingly strong one, yet on the following morning, the 27th, it was stormed by the Boers. The British force, 627 strong, was routed, with very heavy loss, and Sir George Colley was among the slain.

Sir Evelyn Wood, who had arrived in the neighbourhood with reinforcements, now succeeded to the chief command, and entered into negotiations with the Boer commander, Joubert. These resulted in the conclusion of peace on March 21, the terms including recognition of the Queen's suzerainty over the Transvaal, but securing complete self-government to the Boer Republic.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Lady Butler._} {_By permission of the Artist, and of Messrs. Graves, Pall Mall._

"FLOREAT ETONA!"

An eye-witness of the attack on Laing's Nek thus describes the incident depicted: "Poor Elwes fell among the 58th. He shouted to another Eton boy (adjutant of the 58th, whose horse had been shot): 'Come along, Monck! Floreat Etona! we must be in the front rank,' and he was shot immediately."]

[Sidenote: The Fourth Party.]

The task of the Government within the walls of the House of Commons was rendered an easy one during 1880 and 1881, by reason of the spiritless and disorganised condition of the Opposition under the mild and forbearing generalship of Sir Stafford Northcote. The Conservatives, moreover, found themselves under the obligation of voting continually in the same lobby as their natural opponents, in resistance to the demands of the Parnellite Party and in support of measures for the protection of life and property in Ireland. Little resistance, indeed, would have been encountered by Ministers, but for the spirited action of a small knot of members below the Gangway. This group, led by Lord Randolph Churchill, and comprising Mr. Arthur Balfour, Sir John Gorst, and Sir Henry Drummond Wolff, allowed no subject to be dealt with without the closest and most persistent scrutiny. Their diligence, their individual and varied ability, and their permanent presence on the same bench, soon caused them to be known as the Fourth Party; and the intrepidity of their attacks on the Government was not more remarkable than the freedom with which they taunted the Tory leaders for their inaction, especially Northcote, Cross, and Smith.

More and more did the Irish Question absorb the attention of Parliament and the public. Parnell was busy at the work of land agitation, and explained the means by which landlords were to be driven from Ireland.

Speaking at Ennis, he exclaimed, "What is to be done with a tenant bidding for a farm from which another tenant has been evicted?" "Shoot him!" cried a voice in the crowd. "No," said Parnell, "I do not say shoot him; there is a more Christian and charitable way of dealing with him. Let him be shunned in the street, in the shop, in the market-place--even in the places of worship--as if he were a leper of old."

[Sidenote: Boycotting.]

One of the earliest cases in which this advice was carried into effect was that of Captain Boycott, the Earl of Erne's agent. The Land League issued orders that he was to be treated "as a leper of old"; his men deserted him on the eve of harvest; tradesmen refused to supply goods; not a soul in the district dared to be known to have intercourse with him. Captain Boycott was a man of spirit: he brought a hundred Ulstermen to gather the crops on his large farm; the Irish Government ma.s.sed 7,000 troops and police to protect them, and henceforth the verb "to boycott"

became the recognised expression for a system which brought infinite suffering on many poor people.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Sir J. Tenniel._} {_From "Punch."_

THE IRISH FRANKENSTEIN.

Mr. Parnell is regarding with amazement the monster whom he has evoked.]

But a terrible era of violence and crime, inaugurated by the murder of Viscount Mountmorres on September 25, 1880, proved that the old methods of terrorising were far from obsolete, and that the "more Christian and charitable" boycotting was only a supplement to them. The transparency of the veil thrown over the connection of the Land League with atrocious crimes made it necessary to strengthen the hands of the Executive by the introduction of a fresh Coercion Bill, with clauses specially framed to deal with the new system of intimidation known as boycotting. Mr.

Forster, by a merciful instruction to subst.i.tute buckshot for ball in the cartridges of the Irish police, earned for himself from the Irish Party the nickname of "Buckshot" Forster. The debates on this measure are memorable for the resistance offered to it by the Parnellite party, which led to the adoption of the "12 o'clock rule" and of the closure.

[Sidenote: The Irish Land Bill.]

[Sidenote: Resignation of the Duke of Argyll.]

No sooner had the new Coercion Bill received the Royal a.s.sent, on March 21, than Mr. Gladstone announced another great measure dealing with Ireland, framed to conciliate disaffection and redress the complaints of Irish farmers. The Irish Land Bill occupied the House of Commons during four months of 1881. Its introduction caused the secession of the Duke of Argyll from the Cabinet, because, as he explained to the Lords, though in favour of increasing the number of landowners in Ireland, he would have no hand in destroying ownership altogether.

[Sidenote: Death of Lord Beaconsfield.]

The Earl of Beaconsfield died on April 19, 1881. If Sir Robert Peel must be reckoned the founder of the Conservative Party, Benjamin Disraeli must be claimed as its architect.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _From a Photograph_} {_by Thiele, Chancery Lane._

LORD BEACONSFIELD'S STATUE.

The statue erected to the memory of the Earl of Beaconsfield in Parliament Square is annually decorated, on "Primrose Day" (April 19) with palms and flowers, and vendors of primroses drive a busy trade in "b.u.t.ton-holes" amongst the onlookers. A similar tribute is annually paid to the memory of General Gordon, whose statue stands in the centre of Trafalgar Square; and for the last two years the Nelson Column itself has, on "Trafalgar Day," been hung with festoons of evergreens.]

[Sidenote: Military Revolt in Egypt.]

For some time previous to this, affairs in Egypt had not been running smoothly under the dual control. A military party had been formed, under the lead of Ahmed Arabi Bey, calling itself national, but really military, aiming at the effacement of the Khedive and the fulfilment of the shadowy purpose of "Egypt for the Egyptians." Various disturbances took place in Alexandria during 1881, but in May 1882 matters wore such a threatening aspect that the allied English and French fleets were sent to anchor off that city. The Khedive, in his extremity, had promoted Arabi to be War Minister, who used his power to put the fortifications of Alexandria in a thorough state of defence and began ma.s.sing troops in the town. On July 7 Admiral Sir Beauchamp Seymour, commanding the British fleet, warned Arabi that unless these warlike preparations were discontinued, he should be obliged to open fire. No notice being taken of this, ships were provided for the safety of European inhabitants, and on the 10th the British ultimatum was sent, demanding the instant cessation of the works of defence and their surrender to the British flag. Arabi having failed to comply with this also, the British ships, consisting of eight powerful ironclads and five gun-vessels, cleared for action and took up their positions, the French fleet retiring to Port Said. The bombardment began on the morning of July 11, briskly replied to by the guns in the forts, and continued all day till 5.30 p.m.

Resumed next day, it was continued at intervals till the afternoon, when it was found that, under cover of a flag of truce, Arabi had withdrawn his troops and abandoned the forts and town. A frightful scene began directly military authority was withdrawn: the populace broke loose, pillaging and firing the shops and houses, and ma.s.sacring about 2,000 Europeans who had not availed themselves of the opportunity to escape.

Arabi, the Khedive's War Minister, was at the head of the Khedive's army, yet Great Britain a.s.sumed the task of dispersing this army in order to re-conquer the country for the Khedive.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Sir J. Tenniel._} {_From "Punch."_

A "SELF-DENYING" POLICY!

Francois (our ally): "C'est tres bien fait, mon cher Jean! You 'ave done ze vork! Voyons, mon ami; I shall share viz you ze glory!"]

[Sidenote: Battles of Ka.s.sa.s.sin and Tel-el-Kebir.]

To the unofficial mind the reasons for the destruction of Alexandria and the invasion of Egypt remain somewhat vague; Mr. Gladstone, however, found little difficulty in persuading the House of Commons to entrust him with a Vote of Credit for 2,300,000; and towards the end of August an army, consisting of about 23,000 of all arms and ranks, landed on the Mediterranean sh.o.r.es of Egypt; subsequently reinforced by 11,000 more.

In addition to these, there was an Indian contingent landed from the South, consisting of nearly 8,000 men, making the total strength of the British land forces in Egypt 40,560 men, under the command-in-chief of Sir Garnet Wolseley. It was found on landing, on August 22, that the enemy had placed dams across the Ca.n.a.l to cut off the water supply, and it became necessary to dislodge him from his position at Tel-el-Mahuta.

This was effected without much difficulty on August 24, the Egyptian troops, about 10,000 strong, showing little inclination for fighting.

General Graham then advanced, on the 26th, with 2,000 men, to seize Ka.s.sa.s.sin Lock, which controlled the supply of fresh water. Here he was attacked, on the 28th, by a greatly superior force, and for a time the British were in a critical position. General Graham, however, managed to hold his own, and heliographed for reinforcements, which arrived in good time. The Egyptians fought well during the afternoon, but at sunset Sir Baker Russell led up the Household Cavalry, the 7th Dragoon Guards, and Horse Artillery, with four guns, and a brilliant charge of these fine troops threw the enemy into confusion, causing him to break and fly from the field. The total British loss was only eleven killed and sixty-eight wounded.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _J. Richards._} {_From the Collection of Sir Henry Ewart._

Ka.s.sa.s.sIN: THE CHARGE OF THE HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY.]