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The Coming Conquest of England by August Niemann
page 105 of 399 (26%)

The Cabinet in London had inquired in St. Petersburg as to the meaning
of that invasion, and it received the answer that Russia felt compelled
to come to the rescue of the Ameer at his request, for the Afghan ruler
was anxious for his independence, in view of the measures which were
taken by England. Nothing was further removed from the intention of the
Russian Government than to challenge England, but she felt it impossible
to look on at the embarrassment of the Ameer with equanimity, and so
determined to fight for the independence of Afghanistan.

Thereupon England declared war, and Lieutenant-General Blood received
the order immediately to advance through the Khyber Pass into
Afghanistan. Further, Lieutenant-General Hunter, the Commander-in-Chief
of the Bombay Army Corps, was ordered to march with an army from
Quetta towards Kandahar. At the same time an English fleet was to leave
Portsmouth.

Although the English papers published in India had evidently been
instructed to maintain silence about matters which might place England
in an unfavourable light, they furnished a good deal of news which gave
the intelligent reader all manner of clues as to the present warlike
situation. It could be seen that England was also arming against France.
Only as to the attitude of Germany in the universal war that threatened
every clue was wanting.

The intention of removing the families of the military and civil
officers, stationed in Chanidigot, south to Bombay, or to Calcutta in
the east, had soon been dropped. The spreading of the plague in both
cities and the difficulties of the journey were against it; for the
railways were completely given over to the transport of troops. It
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