CHAPTER XVII

ANGLO-AFGHAN RELATIONS--_continued_

Upon the conclusion of the Tirah campaign the forward policy ceased to be measured by the virulence of Anglo-Afghan amenities. Relations between Kabul and Calcutta were dominated by the pleasant impressions of his guest which Abdur Rahman had gathered when, as the Honourable George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P., the incoming Viceroy had visited Kabul in 1894. With much care this distinguished student had made an elaborate examination of border politics, presenting the results of his diligence in a series of scholarly and exhaustive studies of _Russia in Central Asia, Persia and the Persian Question_, _The Pamirs and the Source of the Oxus_, and _A Recent Journey in Afghanistan_. By reason of these journeys across Asiatic Russia, the Pamirs, Afghanistan and Persia, and through his remarkable opportunities for observation, unrivalled powers of assimilation, grasp of subject, luminosity of judgment and lucidity of expression, Mr. George Curzon was without a peer as an authority on frontier problems. When this brilliant and indefatigable mind was called to India as Lord Curzon of Kedleston, the methods by which the forward policy had been regulated in the closing decade of the nineteenth century had broken down, the labour of reconstruction reverting to a man who at least was the foremost expert of his time. Modifications were now essential; and Lord Curzon at once put into execution a number of important reforms in the economic and military control of the north-west frontier. The regular garrison in Chitral was lessened by one third. The soldiers in Lower Swat and the Malakand were reduced from 3550 men to one battalion and a half of native infantry and a small detachment of cavalry, while regular troops were withdrawn from the Gilgit Agency. Similarly, communication with Malakand was strengthened by constructing a railway, 2 feet 6 inches in breadth from Nowshera to Dargai, to which four companies were posted, while a very large cantonment was created at Nowshera. In the Khyber the regular establishment, 3700 strong, was replaced by two battalions (1250 in all) of the reorganised and enlarged Khyber Rifles, with an increased number of British officers and an improved scale of pay. The costly and extensive fortifications which at one time it was proposed to build in the pass, and at its further extremity, were abandoned in favour of a cheaper and improved scheme of defences, constructed to meet the requirements of the Afridi garrison. The plan of laying either the bed of a railway or a railway itself up the Khyber pass was displaced by the extension of the existing north-west railway from Peshawar to Jamrud, a distance of 10 miles.

[Illustration: JAMRUD FORT, KHYBER PASS]

Between Peshawar and Kohat, the amiable co-operation of the pass tribes was secured in the peaceable construction of the long desired cart-road through the Kohat pass, and a military road through the Mullagori country in the Khyber region, serving as a safe alternative road to that by way of Ali Masjid, was undertaken. At the same time a narrow gauge line, linking Thall _viâ_ Kohat with Kushalgarh upon the Indus and now converted to broad gauge, was projected; while, at a later date Nushki was joined up with Quetta. The finishing touch to an almost perfect system of frontier communications may be found in the preparations recently made for carrying the line along the left bank of the Kabul river to Dakka.

South of Kohat the Samana Rifles, a force of tribal militia 450 strong under British officers and recruited from the Orakzai tribesmen, was furnished as an extra battalion to the border military police, and the strength of the regular garrisons, maintained on the Samana range, reduced from 1700 to 600 men. In the Kurram valley, the Kurram militia were reorganised in two battalions (1250 strong) under British officers. In Waziristan, two battalions of Waziristan militia, 800 strong, were raised, the one for the Tochi valley or Northern Waziristan, the other for the Gomul valley or Southern Waziristan, thus releasing the services of 4000 regulars. These changes were rendered possible by the organisation and training of border police, militia and levies, the total strength of which is 10,000 men. The risk of entrusting to these irregulars the garrisoning of advanced posts was provided against by maintaining flying columns at Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan, and minimised by the marked improvement of road and railway communication with all strategic centres in the North-West Province. While the financial saving was great, efficiency was increased because regiments were no longer split up into detachments. The number of regulars serving beyond the administrative frontier was reduced from 10,200 in 1899 to 5000, while supporting garrisons were increased from 22,000 in 1899 to 24,000.

[Illustration: CARAVANSARY AT DAKKA]

When the Viceroy of India was satisfied that these measures were destined to reap their complement of success he supplemented his experiments in frontier management by their concluding phase. On August 27, 1900, after eighteen months’ patient inquiry and constant observation, he drew up a Minute advocating the separation of the administration of the north-west frontier from the control of the Punjab Government. These proposals were supported by the signatures of his colleagues in a covering despatch on September 13. Following the lines of Lord Lytton’s celebrated Minute upon the creation of a distinct Trans-Indus District, April 22, 1877, Lord Curzon embodied in one of the most brilliant pieces of analysis ever placed before the Imperial Government a temperate and lucid exposition of the existing order of frontier administration. The acceptance of the views enunciated in this Minute was notified by the Secretary of State for India, Lord George Hamilton, on December 20, 1900, but it was not until November 9, 1901, that the establishment of the new territory under the name of the North-West Frontier Province was proclaimed.

While Lord Curzon during the first three years of his _régime_--January 1899 to November 1901--was occupied with repairing the fabric of Indian frontier administration, Afghanistan, in the early spring of 1900, became the cause of an exchange of diplomatic notes between the late Lord Salisbury as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the late Russian Ambassador to Great Britain, M. de Staal, acting under the orders of the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Count Mouravieff. In a communication dated February 6, 1900, M. de Staal informed the Foreign Office that the Russian Government were proposing that direct relations should be established between Russia and Afghanistan with regard to frontier matters; but that such relations should have no political character as the Russian Government intended to maintain their former engagements and would continue to consider Afghanistan outside the sphere of Russian influence. An immediate reply to this request was vouchsafed in which it was stated that, having regard to the understanding by which Afghanistan is outside the sphere of Russian influence,

... it would be impossible for the British Government to take into consideration any change in existing arrangements or to frame proposals to be brought before the Amir without more precise explanation in regard to the method which the Russian Government would desire to see adopted for the exchange of such communications between the frontier officials, the limitations to be placed on them and the means of ensuring that those limitations would be observed.

To this intimation no reply at the moment was preferred by the Russian authorities, and the study of Anglo-Afghan relations shifts once more to the dominions of the Amir. Throughout the period in which Lord Curzon was so engrossed with the machinery of frontier and administrative reforms Abdur Rahman had not been in any way an idle ruler. In spite of his failing powers, with great energy and determination, he had concentrated his efforts upon the completion of his life’s work. With that accomplished, assured of the good-will of the Government of India shortly after Lord Curzon’s arrival in 1899 by the release of the munitions of war which had been detained through the outbreak of the Tirah troubles, he turned his hand to matters of more domestic concern. Satisfied with the improvements in his military establishment, content with the reforms which he had introduced in the administrative economy of his state, and having established its independence by elaborate artifices, he again sought the preservation of his line. In an effort to prepare his people for the acceptance and accession of Habib Ullah Khan at his demise he had, in 1891, delegated to this son authority to hold the public Durbars in Kabul. At the same time he had reserved to himself the control of foreign affairs, manifesting in this direction a keen appreciation of the value to the position of India which underlay the situation of Afghanistan. Menaced by growing physical infirmity and with strange premonition of his approaching end, at a special Durbar in the autumn of 1900 he informed the assembled nobles and high officials of his inability to cope with the increasing volume of affairs. Thereupon, amid a scene of singular pathos, the old Amir indicated that his son, Habib Ullah, would be given a still larger measure of authority.

A few months later, in May of 1901, a more emphatic warning of the grave state of the Amir’s health was received. Intelligence came through from Kabul to Peshawar that Abdur Rahman was no longer able to walk, and that he was not expected to live through the approaching winter. Incapacitated by a combination of Bright’s disease and gout as he was, the mental faculties of the ruler of Afghanistan were nevertheless unimpaired, and throughout the closing year of his life he applied them constantly to the improvement of his country. Interested in the South African War and grasping the salient lessons of our unreadiness, the Amir laid out much money in 1900-1901 upon a scheme of mobilisation; while in May 1901 he secured permission to import from Germany some thirty howitzers and field guns. At the same time, and without informing the Government of India, he ordered a large number of castings for big guns, an order which was subsequently repudiated by Habib Ullah. In August 1901 he personally directed the preparations for the suppression of the threatened disaffection in Khost, besides attending to the rising of the Tagis of Hariob on the Peiwar in September. These events were the last affairs of a prominent description to which Abdur Rahman was able to apply himself. Even while engaged in the business attending the Tagis operations his Highness began to show signs of decline and, on September 20, he was seized with a stroke of paralysis which disabled his right side.

His native physicians had prepared a compound of rare medicines costing several thousand rupees; but, as the paralytic seizure was kept strictly secret in the palace, this concoction was not in readiness and, when offered to the Amir, he could not take it. On September 28 his Highness, feeling his end approaching, summoned his sons, the nobles, the principal civil and military officers and the chief _raises_ of Kabul, Hindu and Mahommedan. One son only, Mahommed Afzul Khan, a boy of thirteen, was absent. He was with his mother at Balkh, that lady belonging to the Saids of Balkh. When all had assembled the Amir by look acknowledged their homage and then addressed them in a feeble, but distinct voice, saying:

You know when a king becomes old and infirm and near his end he always desires to nominate a successor. I wish to have my successor settled now. Consider among yourselves whom you believe fit to succeed me.

The listeners were affected to tears by this speech. They declared that the Shahzada Habib Ullah, who had managed the state affairs so well for eight years, was the ruler whom they desired. On this the dying Amir indicated that a sword with a belt set with precious stones should be handed to Habib Ullah, together with a big volume containing his will and instructions for the future management of the state. He then ordered Nasr Ullah Khan to gird his brother with the sword, and dismissed the audience. Abdur Rahman had always the presentiment that he would die in the same year as our lamented sovereign Queen Victoria; and, after this assemblage, his condition became rapidly worse and he died on October 1. The news was kept secret until the morning of the 3rd, when, his precautions against disturbance having been completed, Habib Ullah himself made it public. Later in the day, on October 3, at a special Durbar Habib Ullah was formally accepted as Amir, whereupon he issued the following proclamation to the high officers of state:

His Excellency is informed of the demise of my august father, the light of religion and the kingdom (may his abode be in Paradise) who (as the verse runs “Death is the end of all and not a moment’s delay is possible when it draws nigh”) welcomed the invitation of God, and took his way to Paradise.

His Excellency is now given a detailed account of what happened. His late Highness had been frequently unwell; but notwithstanding his chequered health he was not for a moment found lacking in the conduct of his kingly duties, until the light of his life was put down. He breathed his last on Thursday night dated 19th Jamadi-ul-Sani at Kala Bagh, his summer residence. He gave his soul to the Creator of the Universe (truly all things tend towards God). On Friday 19th rumours got abroad and the news was communicated to the capital for the information of officials. The people of the country, subjects as well as military, came together to convey condolence, one and all. Beyond the possibility of doubt they considered the monarch was their kind father and their gracious ruler. The people of the territories of Herat, Kandahar and Turkestan, etc., who were present in the metropolis, attended the exalted Court and My Presence (who am the slave of God) and praised the Almighty. Great was the concourse and so large the number of those who witnessed the _Fateha_[44] that it is known to God and to God alone. All of them followed the service with sincerity of heart and purity of mind. Then they took the oath of allegiance with praises to Omnipotent God. They said as follows: “We desire to make your Highness our king so that we may not live in an uncivilised state. We wish you to acknowledge our oath of allegiance; and we beg your Highness to take the management of all the affairs of state and that of our nation; and we ask you to discharge your duties night and day like his Highness the deceased ruler of ours and to give us rest and repose.”

After the close of the speech and prayer I too with the Throne’s usual kindness and munificence accepted their oath of allegiance and request; and I have given them such entire satisfaction as lies in my power. On that very day all of our brothers took their oath of allegiance and after them all the members of the House Royal and persons of the noble families of Mahommed Zai and other tribes, _saids_, priests, gentry and all officials of state, civil and military, took the oath; and I too for my reign and time acknowledged the oath. Then all offered up their prayers for the late monarch (may his abode be in Paradise) and gave thanks to God for my reign. After the dismissal and breaking up of all the aforesaid proceedings the officials of state, civil as well as military, and all those who could afford and spare time from matters temporal took their road to Kala Bagh and, together with those who were already present, joined the funeral procession of the late ruler (Light of the Country and Religion). The blessed corpse of that august and potent king, according to his will, was carried to the royal cemetery with great pomp and honour; and he was interred in the ground and placed in the place which is the real and ultimate abode for man. That august and potent monarch, that king of pleasing and praiseworthy manners, expired and sank in the depth of the kindness of God (may his abode be in Heaven).

His Excellency is now informed of all that has happened. He is given an account for his full information; and a separate report is despatched to His Excellency the Viceroy of India on account of the alliance that exists between us.

A second Durbar was held on the 6th, when the commander-in-chief, the principal military officers, the tribal chiefs then in Kabul, the leading nobles and the chief mullahs renewed publicly their agreement, made with the late Amir in the autumn of 1900, regarding the succession of Habib Ullah. With the Koran before them they affixed their seals to an oath which ran as follows:

We, all military officers, together with the army, all Afghan tribal chiefs, sirdars, mullahs and other followers of Islam in Afghanistan, do swear by the Koran to accept Amir Habib Ullah as our King of Islam.

Habib Ullah replied:

You have appointed me as your king and I accept the office. Please God I will be always a follower of the religion of Mahomet the Prophet of God (may peace be on him) and I will be guardian of the Mussalmans of Afghanistan who will obey me as King of Islam.

The thousands of people assembled on the occasion of this Durbar solemnly removed their turbans, loudly acclaiming Habib Ullah as their new ruler. The leading Hindus of Kabul, headed by Dewan Harinjan, afterwards presented their agreement to the Amir, who graciously accepted it with the assurance that they should continue to live in peace and quietude, and promising a reduction of the taxes hitherto levied on their community. In Kabul on October 8, yet another Durbar was held, whereat Sirdar Nasr Ullah Khan brought the Koran, the sword and the flag belonging to the late Amir. Habib Ullah rose on the approach of his brother. Placing the Koran upon his head and fastening the sword round his waist, he raised the flag and took the oath to rule Afghanistan as a true Mahommedan. He said his brothers, the whole army and the people had appointed him king. He accepted the office and publicly asked God to pardon all his sins. The Amir then declared that he confirmed his brother, Nasr Ullah Khan, in the offices which he had held under the late Amir, at the same time appointing Omar Khan to take charge of the Revenue Department and Amin Ullah Khan to preside over the Judicial Department.

Simultaneously with these announcements several acts of clemency and generosity were proclaimed. In each of the important centres prisoners, confined for minor offences, were released; while various sums of money for charitable distribution, in all aggregating one lakh of rupees, were remitted to the local authorities. Kabul naturally came in for especial marks of grace. The trading community was advised of the remission of the more oppressive taxes, and certain guilds were notified that Treasury grants would be made to them. Five hundred prisoners in the capital province were also set at liberty. In a general way, since Abdur Rahman’s scheme of taking one able-bodied man in eight for military service had given rise to discontent, Habib Ullah advanced the pay of all ranks in the Regular and Irregular establishments. The pay of the cavalry was increased from twenty rupees to twenty-five rupees per month, the infantry from eight rupees to ten rupees per month, and the levies from six rupees to eight rupees per month. The officers enjoyed a proportionate increment. These evidences of consideration secured the tranquillity of the people at a change of ruler, although the perspicacity of the late Amir, in arranging matrimonial alliances for Habib Ullah with the leading families in the army and priesthood, had already secured the allegiance to his successor of these two important factors in the state. The accession, therefore, was undisturbed; and, while couriers bore the news far and wide to officials, the issue of a fresh coinage, bearing the impression in Turkish characters “Amir Habib Ullah Khan, Amir of Kabul, the Seeker of God’s Help,” carried conviction in the market-place. At the same time in India, October 14, was observed as an official Day of Mourning, and Habib Ullah was informed that a Mahommedan deputation, charged with the condolences of the Government of India and the personal greetings of the Viceroy, would immediately set out for Kabul. A few days later Habib Ullah’s preoccupation with the affairs of state passed from the civil to the spiritual side, when the new ruler of Afghanistan gave an ominous sign of that bigotry which has since distinguished him. For the first time in the country’s history the head of the state publicly performed the priestly functions in celebrating the Id at the Idgah Mosque. The chief priest of Kabul immediately proclaimed Habib Ullah to be the successor of Mahommed, whereupon the Amir of Afghanistan delivered an address inspired throughout by a spirit of intolerant ecclesiasticism. Among other things, he laid down that a fine not exceeding ten Kabuli rupees would be inflicted on all who did not offer prayers night and morning in the mosques. A register of the daily attendance of all individuals in the various quarters was to be kept; and a “box of justice” set up in each into which secret reports, upon any who neglected their religious duties, could be dropped.

[Illustration: GROUNDS OF PALACE OCCUPIED BY THE DANE MISSION]

The visitation of Providence upon Abdur Rahman could hardly have come at a more inopportune moment. Although the peace of the Indian frontier in 1901 was disturbed only by the Mahsud-Waziri operations, resulting from the legacy of hate which our activities on the Waziristan border during Lord Elgin’s administration had bequeathed to Lord Curzon, the action of Russia in the previous year in respect of Russo-Afghan relations had made it quite clear that the harmony of Mid-Asia was involved in the disastrous failure of British arms in the Transvaal. Nothing had ever been more probable than that an irruption of disorder throughout Afghanistan would attend the death of the late Amir. It was upon this contingency that, in the past, much thought and no little speculation had turned. Even if historical parallels were ignored, there were so many claimants to the accession in the field that the wiseacres of the chancelleries throughout the world had freely prophesied the decease of Abdur Rahman to be the signal for a general _mêlée_ in Asia, in which Russia and Great Britain would support the rival factions. The Russians, no less than ourselves, shared these premonitions; and, when the precarious condition of Abdur Rahman’s health became actually alarming in the spring of 1901, there was a wealth of suggestion in the silent preparation which took place along the Russo-Afghan and Indo-Afghan borders. Under the watchful ægis of Lord Curzon no sign of the apprehensions to which the death of Abdur Rahman gave rise in the mind of the Government of India was permitted to become public. While the first indication of a recrudescence of Russian activity along the Afghan border had been given nearly two years before, a fresh fillip to the situation was imparted by the sudden departure for the Afghan frontier of the Russian Minister of War, General Kuropatkin, who quitted St. Petersburg immediately after the receipt of the tidings of the Amir’s demise. Almost the earliest act of the former Governor-General of Asiatic Russia upon his arrival in Trans-Caspia was to release from imprisonment at Merv, on October 19, 1901, six Afghans who had been charged with espionage. Summoning them to his presence, he gave them the following message of good-will to the new Amir:

A misfortune has befallen Afghanistan. The Amir Abdur Rahman is dead and Habib Ullah, one of his sons, has ascended the throne. We Russians have always considered ourselves friends of Afghanistan and we wish to remain so in the present change of Government. Therefore, in setting you at liberty, I command you to report yourselves to your nearest chieftain and to repeat to him the words you have heard from the Russian Minister of War.

While General Kuropatkin moved from Merv to Tashkent, where he was engaged in an inspection of the garrison, besides taking part in the ceremonies attendant upon the turning of the first sod of the Tashkent division of the Orenburg-Tashkent Railway, the Government of India replied to his act of overt insolence by entrusting to the chief of the Mahommedan Mission, which left Peshawar for Kabul on November 20, 1901, an invitation for his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan to visit India. In spite of certain pre-occupation, General Kuropatkin, during his visit to Central Asia, found time to devote considerable attention to Abdur Rahman’s successor. Before December 11, when the deputation of Indian Mahommedans quitted Kabul for their own homes, Habib Ullah received from the Governor of Mazar-i-Sharif an intimation that the Governor of Tashkent would send towards the close of the winter 1901-02 a deputation of Mahommedan officials from Russian Turkestan to

## participate in the Nauroz festival on March 21 at Kabul. Accompanying

the escort were to be several batteries of field guns with supplies of ammunition, intended as a gift to his Highness in commemoration of his accession.

The significance of these circumstances was not lost upon Habib Ullah, whose perception would indeed have been dim if the antagonism of Anglo-Russian interests at the Court of Kabul had escaped his notice. An inkling of his attitude towards foreign affairs had been given when, in the very early days of his reign, he had ordered his people to observe Abdur Rahman’s prohibition against any use of the Quetta-Chaman extension between the first station on the southern side of the Khwaja Amran tunnel and the terminus at its northern extremity. In view of this, more than ordinary interest attached to the pronouncement which, it was anticipated, Habib Ullah would make to the members of the Indian Mission of Condolence.

At their first reception Habib Ullah’s attitude hardly commended itself to the pleasure of his guests. Inquiring what were the intentions of the Government of India in respect of his father’s subsidy, the invitation from the Viceroy was handed to him. After expressing satisfaction at the compliment which had been paid to him and alluding to the difficulty of accepting the invitation for some time, he hinted that the obligations contracted by Abdur Rahman were not binding upon himself. Finally, he threw the delegates a crumb of comfort in the assurance that he would follow in the footsteps of his lamented father. At a later date, in full Durbar and attended by the Mission, he expounded his policy, reiterating his intention to respect Abdur Rahman’s prejudices in regard to the introduction of telegraphs, the construction of railways, the reorganisation of the army, the appointment of a European British agent to Kabul and the adoption of Western customs--even the use of foreign medicines was banned. Schools for instruction in the Persian and Arabic languages, and the Mahommedan faith, would be opened, but the country would be jealously guarded against every form of external aggression.

For reasons which did not transpire, but which would not be difficult to determine, the visit of a Mahommedan deputation from Russian Turkestan did not take place. Meanwhile, astonishment at the promulgation of the recent ordinances had barely subsided when Habib Ullah began to press attentions upon his former tutor and pestilential frontier fanatic, Najib-ud-Din, the Mullah of Hadda, this action at once introducing into the arena of Anglo-Afghan relations a disquieting figure. Ostensibly with a view to honouring his former teacher, Habib Ullah detached certain disciples from the mullah’s entourage for a Mahommedan crusade in Kafiristan, increased his sacerdotal powers by placing a large section of the frontier within his religious jurisdiction, ordered a new mosque to be built for him and invited him to participate in the Installation ceremonies at the Nauroz, presenting him with the gift of an elephant and howdah for the journey. Invitations to the Nauroz celebrations were issued to other leading spirits in the frontier disturbances of 1897, including the notorious Mullah Powindah from Waziristan, the troublesome fire-eater Mullah Said Akbar from Tirah and the Safi Mullah. Following so closely upon the semi-contemptuous rejection of the representations which the Government of India had made through the deputation of Indian Mahommedans, Habib Ullah’s predilection for the society of men who had already incurred the displeasure of the Government of India made manifest the fact that the impulse of bigotry was stronger in him than the dictates of policy. The late Amir was accustomed to use the mullahs to consolidate his own authority and to interpose a fretful hedge of fanaticism between his kingdom and the outside world. But he knew also how to curb their insolence when occasion required, and he made them all--_kazis_, _imams_ and _muftis_--servants of the state. This adroitness in professing a militant orthodoxy and in securing at the same time the supremacy of the state over the church in Afghanistan, has been described as one of the most remarkable proofs of Abdur Rahman’s political genius.

Habib Ullah’s action in immersing himself in religious affairs so soon as he had ascended the throne, belonged to a different category. It gave rise to misgivings with regard to his capacity to hold the helm of state with the same firmness and clearness of vision as had enabled his father to descry the various shoals ahead. In any case since it boded no good to the peace of the frontier, it drew down upon the Amir a polite but unmistakable remonstrance. The effect of this was not lost upon the throne; and when the aged mullah pleaded, in excuse of his inability to attend the Nauroz, the difficulties of a journey across the hills in March, the point was conceded by his late pupil. Moreover, the Amir’s attitude at the Nauroz was circumspect and remarkable only for a very colourless exposition of the divine character of the _shariat_, the strict fulfilment of which he enjoined upon all good Mahommedans. Five days after the celebration of the Nauroz, however, the summons to the Hadda Mullah was repeated, but the Amir’s reception of this distinguished prelate was sufficiently cool to disarm criticism.

Administrative and domestic difficulties beset Habib Ullah at an early date in his career as Amir of Afghanistan. Before the summer of 1902 had waned the discovery of a palace intrigue with extensive ramifications induced him, at a Durbar on June 8, to order the re-establishment of the Secret Intelligence Branch in Kabul, the reports from which were to be presented to him each morning. At the same time, in an interesting attempt to temper despotism with justice, he ordained that an influential _rais_ from each tribe should be associated with each local governor to assist in the disposal of tribal cases. More important matters were to come before a Council of State in Tribal Affairs, which he now proceeded to create. It was composed of leading members of various tribes; and weekly meetings were to take place in Kabul under his own presidency. Almost the first matter to engage the consideration of this body was, in August 1903, a joint protest from the Ghilzais, Duranis and Suliman Khels against the application of Abdur Rahman’s scheme of calling up one man in eight for military service. In preference to this measure the objectors propounded the suggestion that musketry instructors should be appointed to all large villages. Acceptance of any modification of Abdur Rahman’s plan was deferred until the return of Nasr Ullah Khan from a tour of inspection of the military conditions of the state, which the Amir had projected.

As these events were occurring at Kabul, it became evident in Europe, that although Russia had not returned to the charge in respect of her communication to the Foreign Office on February 6, 1900, she had not abandoned the purpose which she had in view. In the middle of August 1902 the Russian authorities, in defiance of their treaty limitations, twice secretly addressed the Afghan Government, concealing this grave breach of their obligations towards us by an impudent agitation in the press for liberty of direct communication with Afghanistan. On August 31, the mouthpiece of the Russian Foreign Office, the _Novoe Vremya_, contained the following startling observation:

... The necessity for closer intercourse has so increased that it is impossible longer to observe the conditions of the 1873 Agreement. The Russian Government have notified England that the effort of two years ago to enter into direct relations with Afghanistan continues. We cannot, therefore, consider ourselves bound by any obligations whatsoever on the question of having direct relations with Afghanistan on any subject that might interest us. By virtue of the proximity of the two countries, the development of intercourse between the local populations which goes on every year will undoubtedly call for the adoption of measures for the establishment of normal relations with Afghanistan as being the only ones possible with a neighbouring state. Upon the progress of events generally and the civilising effects over the local populations of Russian influence will depend alone the time when such measures will be adopted....

Four days later, on September 4, the _St. Petersburg Bourse Gazette_, a paper in close relation with the Finance Ministry, said:

... The question which is ripe for settlement and will not brook delay is the question of Russian diplomatic representation at Kabul. Now that the Russian outposts have been pushed to the Afghan frontier, it is unreasonable that Kabul should remain inaccessible....

A message from the governor of Russian Turkestan to the governor of Afghan Turkestan, requesting that direct commercial intercourse might be established across the Oxus, had already been delivered when the initiatory efforts of the _Novoe Vremya_ and the _St. Petersburg Bourse Gazette_ were seconded by the _Viedomosti_ and the _Moscow Bourse Gazette_. While the Russian press debated the character of their obligations to us in respect of Afghanistan, the emissary of the Russian Government, Sikandur Khan, a Turcoman from Ali Yurt, proceeded to Kabul. Nearly two months elapsed before tidings of the arrival of Sikandur Khan at Kabul on September 4, reached India. Proof of Russia’s proceedings was then incontestable since, on September 5, at a State Durbar which had been specially summoned, Habib Ullah read a letter from the Russian Government to the following effect:

... In the opinion of the Russian Government the time has now come for closer commercial relationship between Afghanistan and Russia. The Afghans have nothing to fear from Russian aggression, since the friendliness existing between England and Russia would be endangered if further annexations were made by the Government of the Tsar in the direction of Badakshan and Wakhan. This fact in itself becomes a permanent guarantee of peace. In these circumstances it is an act of folly to continue the attitude of suspicion and concealed hostility that now exists between the Afghan and Russian commanders of frontier posts. The Russian Government, therefore, invites the Amir to throw open to Russian caravans the trade routes between Khushk and Herat and Khushk and Kabul. The Russian Government in return will allow Afghan traders to enter freely and traverse without restrictions Russian territory. The matter has already been laid before the British Government, but this letter is addressed personally to the Amir of Afghanistan because a favourable answer from the Afghan Government would greatly strengthen the Russian case....

When the reading of this document was finished the Amir asked for the opinion of the Durbar, the temper of its members being illustrated by Ali Yar Khan, who said:

“Let this Turki dog who carries messages for infidels be beaten on the head with shoes till his hair falls off. That ought to be our answer to the Russians.”

The Amir, greatly displeased at this remark, observed that, if there were any shoebeating, it would be for him who suggested the maltreatment of the messenger. Subsequently fifty rupees were given to the Russian courier. After some public discussion the Durbar dispersed, the Amir ordering the State Secretary to acknowledge receipt of the Russian communication, and to say that, while he was willing to discuss the matter, the interchange of views must in future be made through the Government of India in accordance with the precedent established by his father, the Amir Abdur Rahman. The Russian proceedings not unnaturally attracted the attention of Parliament; and on October 21, Lord George Hamilton acquainted the British public for the first time with the receipt of the proposal which had been transmitted by the Russian Embassy to the Foreign Office nearly three years before. The correctness of the Amir’s reply was in striking contrast with the impropriety of the Russian communication, the despatch of which had transgressed the limits of diplomatic etiquette. As far back as 1868-69, Prince Gortchakoff had assured Lord Clarendon that the Russian Government regarded Afghanistan as completely outside her sphere of influence. That engagement had been re-affirmed in 1875; extended, according to the statement made by M. de Giers to Mr. Kennedy on October 2, 1883, to include abstention from the transmission of letters of ceremony, and constantly renewed in personal conversation upon a variety of occasions since the original was enacted.

This action of Russia on the waters of the Oxus had drawn attention to the vague, uncertain state of the relations subsisting between Kabul and Calcutta. As matters stood all former agreements between India and Afghanistan had automatically terminated with the death of Abdur Rahman; and it remained for the succeeding Amir to adjust the situation by calling upon the Government of India to renew the arrangements by which Afghanistan had become a subsidised and protected state of India. Although twelve months had passed since the decease of the late Amir and many opportunities had been accorded him, Habib Ullah had given no indication of any desire to enter into any undertaking with the Government of India. Nevertheless he credited himself quite wrongfully each month with the accretions of his subsidy and the balance of his father’s monies which were lying, by the particular arrangement of the late Amir, at the Treasury in India. There is, to the onlooker, the greater piquancy in this regular remittance to India of debit cheques against the Treasury, since Habib Ullah, from the outset of his reign, had exhibited a most imperfect loyalty. The patronage which he extended to the Hadda Mullah had already brought one rebuke upon him; its continuation, in the face of such remonstrance, disclosed no sense of responsibility to the Government of India. Again his procrastination in dealing with the Viceroy’s invitation to a conference obviously qualified those amiable expressions of regard for Lord Curzon which Habib Ullah was at such pains to profess.

[Illustration: TAKHT-I-RAWAN]

Since his accession, in marked contrast with the policy of his father, he had received numerous deputations from the Afridi zone, including one from the most predatory of all the clans south of the Khyber, the Zakka Khels, whose hostility to the British Government has always been a prominent feature of the frontier. The good impression, created in September, when he had invited the Hadda Mullah to return finally to his own country, placing a _takht-i-rawan_ at his disposal for the journey, was ruined by this foolish dalliance with Afridi tribes from within the Durand border. At the moment, taking time by the forelock, Habib Ullah was anxious to raise an Afridi bodyguard, composed of men upon whose personal loyalty absolute reliance could be placed in case of an _émeute_ in the palace. Knowledge of this fact acted as a spur to the more disorderly border-elements, who wished to separate the Afridis, as a tribe, from the control of the Indian Government. Embodying their several schemes in one, they put forward a plan which was presented to Habib Ullah by Khawas Khan, an Afridi _malik_, who, in 1897, had fled before the avenging arm of the Indian Government to Kabul. This worthy, now entirely dependent upon the benevolence of the Amir’s Government, urged his protector to raise an Afridi contingent, to which project Habib Ullah was foolish enough to assent. Robes of honour were issued to the tribal chiefs and a rate of pay, double the amount allowed to the Afghan soldiery, with a month’s advance, was promised to all recruits. Two thousand Afridis came forward in the first week, 500 of whom after receiving their rewards at once deserted. The success of this new departure appeared to be assured, when the corps was disbanded on account of the hostility which was displayed by the Afghans themselves to the scheme, the men being permitted to retain the clothing, modern breech-loading rifles and ammunition with which they had been supplied. The moving influence in this salutary change of mind on the part of Habib Ullah had been that of Nasr Ullah Khan; and it was with the greater regret that, in a little time, the Amir of Afghanistan was found to have broken away from the more masterful will of his brother to toy once again with the questionable ministrations of the Hadda Mullah. Early in November this holy, but tiresome, prelate wrote and persuaded Habib Ullah to hold a special Durbar in order to accept from the hands of the mullahs the title of Siraj-ul-Millat wa ud-Din--“The Lamp of The Congregation and The Faith.” In view of this it was generally felt that the happiest augury for the peace of the Indo-Afghan border, at the end of 1902, was the death of the Hadda Mullah on December 23, when the Afghan Government devoted a sum of 30,000 rupees towards the funeral obsequies of their sainted _protégé_.

The removal of the obstacles in the way of any cordial understanding between Russia and Great Britain in respect of Afghanistan was not assisted when, on January 14, 1903, the Foreign Office in St. Petersburg issued, in reference to the declaration made by Lord George Hamilton, the following _communique_:

As regards Russia’s relations with Afghanistan, it is necessary to declare that Russia addressed no request of any sort to the British Cabinet, but simply notified it of her desire and purpose to enter into direct relations with Afghanistan in the future.

No further declarations were made on this subject.

If language is to have any meaning at all in diplomacy, as in ordinary life, this utterance can only be characterised as one of the most flagrant perversions of truth that have ever disgraced the history of even Russian politics. Quite rightly the request of February 6, 1900, had been interpreted as a veiled demand for the right to establish a Russian representative at Kabul. The proposal admits of being supported by the plausible contention that such an agency would be a convenient means of settling disputes and avoiding collisions on the Russo-Afghan border. It must not be forgotten that it was over almost an identical question--the reception of the Stolietoff Mission by Shir Ali--that Great Britain fought the Second Afghan War; and it can hardly be denied that, if the concession demanded by the Note of 1900 were granted, the result would be to set up an influence in Kabul hostile in spirit to our own and from the first day of its existence there devoted to the sapping of our position.

Great inconvenience of course attaches to a system by which the smallest detail in the adjustment of any difficulty along the Russo-Afghan frontier must be referred for settlement from the Oxus to Tashkent, from Tashkent to St. Petersburg, from St. Petersburg to London, from London to the Government of India, and from the Viceroy’s Council to Kabul where, after much delay, the same process is repeated over the return journey. Unfortunately, the maintenance of such a cumbersome procedure is essential to the harmony of Anglo-Afghan relations since, although Russia professes to require facilities for frontier intercourse in commercial matters alone, similar protestations reduced Manchuria to the level of a Russian protected State until Japan intervened. Great Britain does not wish to embark upon a campaign in Central Asia and there need be no war so long as Russia, observing the pledges which she has given, tempers her desires with discretion. But continuation of the mischievous interference in Persia and Afghanistan, which has distinguished her actions hitherto, is a menace to the world’s peace, as the indulgent nature of the British Government has now been pushed to the limit of its endurance.

So far as Anglo-Afghan relations were concerned the New Year of 1903 held out little prospect of improvement. Possibly the mass of business, associated with Habib Ullah’s installation as Siraj-ul-Millat wa ud-Din, early in April, did prevent the Amir of Afghanistan from visiting India in the spring of this year. But, aside from the irregularity of the Amir’s behaviour, the incident of April 6, when Lieutenant-Colonel A. C. Yate, commanding the 24th Baluchistan Infantry Regiment and stationed at Chaman, was arrested by Afghan officials for an innocent trespass beyond the Indo-Afghan border and removed to the fort at Baldak Spin, may be regarded as throwing light upon the precise quality of the bonds of amity which were uniting the two countries. Again, serious exception could be taken at the manner in which the Amirs of Afghanistan were employing the permission to import munitions of war which had been granted by the Government of India. The arrival of the thirty Krupp guns, acquired by Abdur Rahman on the eve of his death, had revealed the presence of a large number of castings for heavy ordnance which had been secretly obtained from Essen by the late Amir. A small army of carts and camels, lent by the Government of India, carried the thirty guns from Peshawar to Jelalabad, whence forty elephants, sent by Habib Ullah for the purpose, bore them to Kabul. Very properly transport was denied to that part of the purchase which disclosed Abdur Rahman’s strange dereliction of his treaty rights. Moreover, it was not difficult for Habib Ullah to recognise the irregularity of his father’s procedure, the immediate consequence of which was the repudiation of the order by the son. Unhappily, before this particular incident could be considered to have closed an immense consignment of rifle cartridges, numbering several millions of rounds, many of which were found to be of the explosive character condemned by the Hague Conference, arrived from the Amir’s agents in England. Since it never had been intended that the right to import munitions of war accorded to the late Amir of Afghanistan implied the power to amass an unlimited amount of war _matériel_ in Kabul, no other course was open to the Viceroy of India than to see that these other stores were likewise detained by the frontier authorities.

Something more important than considerations of prestige, therefore, was embroiled in the indifference which the Amir of Afghanistan displayed towards India as the paramount state, making it incumbent upon the Government to repeat their earlier representations. There was no need, indeed the occasion had hardly arisen, for any violent coercion. The situation required merely such tightening of the reins as would bring to the ruler of Kabul a proper comprehension of the actual ties between his country and India. In the correspondence which ensued, the Amir claimed the right to import munitions of war under the treaty which had given similar powers to Abdur Rahman. Unfortunately Habib Ullah had no such right; nor was any moral obligation to honour the debit notes which Habib Ullah had drawn every month against the Indian Treasury attaching to the Government of India. These points were made clear to the Amir who had neither the funds to pay for nor the authority to order the armaments which were then waiting at the frontier. The lesson had been driven home, and the loftiness of tone, which the Amir of Afghanistan had adopted in the initiatory letter, was hardly discernible in his concluding statement. Since there was no malice in the attitude of the Government of India, the Amir of Afghanistan was again invited to visit India for purposes of a conference with the Viceroy. A visitation of cholera, which swept through Kabul and North-eastern Afghanistan in 1903, the worst since the epidemic of 1879, permitted an excuse to be offered at which no exception could be taken. Before the scourge had subsided Russia had repeated her designs against Afghanistan. This, in view of the explicit denouncement of her treaty requirements, implied by the _communique_ of January 1903, was not perhaps surprising. Their renewal was denied by Lord Cranbourne in the House of Commons both in the spring and autumn sessions of 1903. Nevertheless, in the middle of February, Sirdar Ali Khan, the governor of Afghan Turkestan, had sent to Kabul four Russian spies whom he had arrested near Mazar-i-Sharif; but the most flagrant of these insidious encroachments upon a British preserve occurred in the following August, when the governor of Russian Turkestan sent back some deserters from the Afghan army who had escaped into Russian territory. Obviously the note of defiance in the message which accompanied them was addressed to the suzerain power.

It ran:

As the Tsar and the Amir are amicably disposed the one to the other, His Imperial Majesty has given orders that every effort shall be made to continue the friendly relations existing between Russia and Afghanistan.

As representative of the Tsar I am directed to send back all refugees and evil-doers who come to my territory from Afghanistan. This is the reason why I send back to you these eleven soldiers with their arms.

Please be kind enough to communicate this to the Amir.

In spite of these persistent endeavours to establish friendly relations with Kabul there is little reason to believe that Habib Ullah offered any encouragement to the Russian frontier officers. Inveterate suspicion of foreign influence characterises every aspect of his external policy and Russia and Great Britain are made to feel impartially the effect of this attitude. Abdur Rahman accepted the good faith of the Indian Government unquestioningly and understood his northern neighbour sufficiently to realise that it was less a wish for the friendship of Afghanistan than a desire to pin-prick India which prompted her overtures. Habib Ullah has yet to learn how to stand where his father strode with perfect confidence, a foolish mistrust sapping the strength of the son. Under a less skilful statesman than Lord Curzon it is conceivable that the patience of the Government of India would long since have been exhausted. That exceptional familiarity with the affairs of Asia, which preeminently distinguishes the late Viceroy, enabling him to tread Oriental labyrinths with wise discrimination, permitted him upon this occasion to bridge once more a crisis between Afghanistan and India. Almost in defiance of Kabul obstruction, he proceeded to the solution of difficulties which did not require any personal discussion with a refractory potentate. Early in the winter of 1903-04, the Government of India took up for consideration those sections of the Afghan boundary which, ever since the withdrawal of the Udny Mission eight years previously, had required demarcation. Surprised into ruffled acquiescence, the Amir in January 1904 began to make extensive preparations for a meeting between Major Roos-Keppel, the chief of the British Commission, and his own representative. Through the brief absence of Lord Curzon from the helm of state, the vacillation of the Amir precipitated a collapse of these plans at the last moment. Wilfully stupid, too, only a little later--in July 1904--was Habib Ullah’s order to Nasr Ullah Khan to select twenty-four officers who were to be detailed as envoys to England, France, Germany, Russia, Persia, China, Japan, Turkey and Egypt in the Old World, and America in the New World.

If the break-down in the negotiations anent the Mohmand boundary had increased the tension between Kabul and Calcutta, it was certainly impossible to tolerate this more direct perversion of the principles out of which the fabric of our relations with Afghanistan had been woven. Concerned at the rupture which was threatening between India and Afghanistan at a moment when Lord Curzon was absent from India and too timid to insist upon the Amir’s acceptance of the Viceroy’s invitation to a conference, the Imperial Government, as the only means of renewing the Agreements upon which they were set which remained to them, decided to despatch a Mission to Kabul. At the instance of the Secretary of State for India, Mr. St. John Brodrick, the acting Viceroy of India, Lord Ampthill, acquainted Habib Ullah with the wishes of His Majesty’s Government. In reply His Highness, with the hope of improving his position when the time came for diplomatic discussion and as an act of conciliation towards the Viceroy, intimated his willingness to send his son Inayat Ullah Khan--a charming, intelligent boy of sixteen and a remarkable instance of that youthful precocity which attains so abnormal a development in the Oriental--to meet Lord Curzon upon his return to India. However pressing may have been the questions outstanding between the Government of India and the Amir of Afghanistan, the visit of a British Mission to Kabul--no doubt desirable and in that sense opportune--was derogatory in a Government whose invitations to the head of the country, which it was proposed to honour in such an emphatic fashion, had been treated with contumacy. Lord Curzon’s opposition to the project is well-known; but with the exception of this distinguished statesman few were prepared for the unfortunate set back which the mission received. A grievous miscalculation undoubtedly was made. But the blunder, which determined its existence and brought about a complete miscarriage of Anglo-Indian policy, lay not so much in sending the mission as in His Majesty’s Government not having decided, if the Amir proved recalcitrant, how far and upon what ground the Cabinet should stand firm.

[Illustration: FESTIVAL IN HONOUR OF THE DANE MISSION]

As constituted, the Mission comprised Mr., now Sir, Louis Dane, Foreign Secretary at Simla, Mr. H. R. Dobbs--who, together with Major Wanliss, had recently returned from replacing the boundary pillars on the Perso-Afghan border--Major W. Malleson, R.A., Captain Victor Brooke, 9th Lancers, and a British doctor. Leaving Peshawar on November 27, the mission reached Dakka on November 29, and was met at Lundi Khana by 200 Afghan cavalry under the Sipah Salar Ghulam Hussein, the Sarhang of Dakka, and Mahommed Hasan Khan. Major Roos-Keppel, political agent for the Khyber, accompanied the party for a few miles beyond Lundi Khana to Torkhana, where a guard of honour of the Khyber Rifles was drawn up, the mission ultimately arriving at Kabul on December 10. Elaborate gifts were conveyed by Mr. Dane for presentation to the Amir, among many others a £700 motor-car and several cases of sporting equipment. As a compliment to the ladies of the harem the Government of India thoughtfully included a cinematograph, providing at the same time the necessary operator. Among the presents to the Mission from his Highness were a gold watch and a set of gold cuff links which Habib Ullah had offered to Mr. Dane. The note struck by the negotiations was scarcely in the same pitch as the festivities by which the withdrawal of the Mission was celebrated, when seven gramophones simultaneously discharged bursts of discordant revelry. Nevertheless, the din of these instruments fell on the ears of those who had every cause to be relieved at the peaceful termination of their labours, since the clouds had hung low over Kabul throughout the Anglo-Afghan conferences of 1904-05.

Many things in our buffer state of course required to be improved as much for the enhancement of its own interests as for the advantage of India. There was the Amir’s perpetuation of Abdur Rahman’s objection to Afghan subjects using the northern extremity of the Quetta-Chaman railway to be discussed, as well as the projection of railways from Chaman to Kandahar and from Peshawar to Kabul. Besides these important subjects there were the prolongation of the Indian system of telegraphs to Kabul and Kandahar; the provision of telegraphic communication between Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat; Kabul and Kandahar; Kandahar and Herat. The re-organisation of the Afghan army had also to be considered, while the demarcation of the Mohmand boundary and the Seistan border, the definition of the Amir’s control over border tribes, the question of the subsidy and Habib Ullah’s powers in respect of the importation of munitions of war were topics, the examination of which would be, it was expected, to the mutual benefit of the contracting parties in an Anglo-Afghan alliance. In India it was understood that there might be a difficulty in the arrangement of the terms which were to be secured from the Amir; but that ultimately, and after protracted negotiations, our demands would be conceded. To this end the chief of the Mission was provided with a treaty, drawn up under the personal supervision of Lord Curzon during his brief residence in London in 1904, which was designed to bring about a discussion of every aspect of the old agreements with a view to removing previous difficulties and arriving at a clear understanding for the future.

[Illustration: SCENE OF THE AUDIENCES BETWEEN HABIB ULLAH AND SIR LOUIS DANE]

This treaty comprised three clauses, but Habib Ullah, simulating annoyance at the terms of the clause which attempted to restrict the importation of arms, would not enter into any discussion over it. After the Mission had passed four months in the Afghan capital, the limit, to which the Amir of Afghanistan would permit himself to go, reproduced simply the formal renewal on both sides of the engagements entered into between Abdur Rahman, the late Amir of Afghanistan, and the Government of India.

The Dane Treaty therefore was as follows:

He is God, Extolled be His perfection,

His Majesty Siraj-ul-millat-wa-ud-din, Amir Habib Ullah Khan, Independent King of the State of Afghanistan and its Dependencies, on the one part, and the Honourable Mr. Louis William Dane, C.S.I., Foreign Secretary of the Mighty Government of India and the Representative of the Exalted British Government on the other part.

His said Majesty doth hereby agree to this, that in the principles and in the matters of subsidiary importance of the Treaty regarding internal and external affairs, and of the engagements which his Highness my late father, that is, Zia-ul-millatwaud-Din, who has found mercy, may God enlighten his tomb! Concluded and acted upon with the Exalted British Government, I also have acted, am acting, and will act upon the same agreement and compact, and I will not contravene them in any dealings or in any promise.

The said Honourable Mr. Louis William Dane does hereby agree to this, that as to the very agreement and engagement which the Exalted British Government concluded and acted upon with the noble father of his Majesty Siraj-ul-millatwaud-Din, that is, his Highness Zia-ul-millatwaud-Din, who has found mercy, regarding internal and external affairs of principle or subsidiary importance, I confirm them and write that they (the British Government) will not act contrary to those agreements and engagements in any way or at any time.

Made on Tuesday, the 14th day of Muharram-ul-haram of the year 1323 Hijri, corresponding to the 21st day of March of the year 1905 A.D. (Persian Seal of Amir Habib Ullah Khan.)

This is correct. I have sealed and signed.

AMIR HABIB ULLAH, LOUIS W. DANE, Foreign Secretary, Representing the Government of India.

Thus the situation upon the arrival of Mr. Dane from Kabul differed in no way from that which had preceded his departure for the Afghan capital, save that substantial concessions had been awarded to the Amir of Afghanistan who, in return, had conceded nothing. In addition to an astonishing and entirely unnecessary elevation in the style and title of the ruler of Afghanistan--conveyed in the charge “Independent King of the State of Afghanistan and its Dependencies,” and the reference to “His Majesty,” which the precious instrument reveals--inevitable corollaries of the transaction were the continuation of the annual subsidy of eighteen lakhs to Abdur Rahman’s successor, the release of the arrears--approximately amounting to £400,000--which had been accumulating since a little previous to the demise of the late Amir, and the right to an unrestricted importation of arms.

[Illustration: ESCORT OUTSIDE THE GATE OF THE QUARTERS OCCUPIED BY THE DANE MISSION]

It must not be supposed that the mere ratification of the engagements was sufficient for the purposes of British policy in Central Asia. Much more was needed; and, since facilities were deliberately withheld and the Amir rejected consideration of our pledged responsibility, it is evident that the subjugation of Afghanistan to the interests of India is incomplete. It is of value perhaps to have ascertained that the Amir is disaffected and untrustworthy. There was always a doubt but it was hoped that the affront, which he offered so sedulously to the British Government, was due to his own conspicuous vanity rather than the manifestation of actual ill-will. The Kabul conference made that point clear; but, as the Imperial Government have elected to observe an impressive reticence upon the circumstances of this unfortunate episode, it is no less incumbent upon others to do likewise. Nothing can be gained by revealing to the world the details of a rebuff without parallel in the history of Indian politics, unless such acknowledgment were made to assist public opinion in appreciating the issues involved in the absence of any satisfactory understanding between Kabul and Calcutta. That this course formed no part of the late Government’s policy was disclosed on June 21, 1905, by the debate in Parliament upon the Indian budget and, at a later date, upon Mr. Balfour’s speech on Imperial Defence. The Ministers, who spoke on these occasions, concealed the truth rather than stated it, and their utterances cannot be accepted as either correct or adequate. Mr. Balfour’s statement that the construction “of strategic railways by Russia in Afghanistan” would provoke Great Britain to war does not render the character of Anglo-Afghan policy more intelligible, nor remove the disadvantages from our position. On the contrary, the utterance was most misleading since no such contingency, as the construction of Russian railways in Afghanistan itself, is likely to occur until Russia is prepared to strike with all her strength in Persia and Afghanistan. The question of Anglo-Afghan relations, therefore, remains for solution, having given rise to a situation which was regarded by the late Viceroy and every member of his Council with the gravest apprehension.

[Illustration: THE WALLS OF BOKHARA]

[44] Funeral service.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I

NAMES OF STATIONS ON THE ORENBURG-TASHKENT RAILWAY

Name of Station and distance from Orenburg.

(1) Orenburg (2) Myenovoi dvor (3) Donguzskaya (4) Mayatchnaya (5) Iletsk (72 versts) (6) Grigoryevskaya (7) Ak Bulak (8) Yaksha (9) Yaisau (10) Aksu (11) Kara Tugai (12) Kuraili (13) Aktiubinsk (255 versts) (14) Bish Mamak (15) Tamdi (16) Akkemir (17) Kandagatch (18) Temirskaya (19) Ker (20) Kuduk (21) Emba (22) Kirghizskaya (23) Mugodjarskaya (400 versts) (24) Rodniki (25) Karaganda (26) Kauldjir (27) Solenaya (28) Ulpan (29) Tchelkar (30) Biriuk (31) Djilan (32) Tuguz (33) Kara-Tchokat (34) Altin (35) Saksaoulskaya (36) Kontu (37) Arabskoye Morye (790 v’sts) (38) Sappak (39) Andreevskaya (40) Kamyshli Bash (41) Bik Bauli (42) Kazalinsk (942 versts) (43) Bashkara (44) Mai Libash (978 versts) (45) Ak Suat (46) Turatan (47) Durmen Tubeh (48) Khor Khut (49) Karmakchi (1108 versts) (50) Kizyl Tam (51) Kara Ketkeu (52) Ak-Su (53) Teren Uzyak (54) Kara Uzyak (55) Perovski (1246 versts) (56) Ber Kazau (57) Solo Tubeh (58) Tar Tugai (59) Djulek (1343 versts) (60) Skobelevo (1367 versts) (61) Tumen Arik (1394 versts) (62) Yani Kurgau (63) Ak Kum (64) Sauran (65) Tchornak (66) Turkestan (1514 versts) (67) Ikan (1543 versts) (68) Otrar (1558 versts) (69) Kara Kungur (70) Aris (1570 versts) (71) Kabul Sai (72) Uzun Sai (73) Tchanak (74) Sari Agatch (75) Djilga (76) Darbaza (77) Keless (1740 versts) (78) Tashkent (1762 versts)

APPENDIX II--(A)

LIST OF STATIONS FROM TASHKENT TO MERV, WITH DISTANCES FROM KRASNOVODSK AND TASHKENT

Distance from Distance from Name of Station. Krasnovodsk. Tashkent.

Versts. Versts. (1) Tashkent 1747 (2) Kauffmanskaya 1721 26 (3) Vrevskaya 1698 51 (4) Syr-Darinskaya 1672 75 (5) Golodnaya Steppe 1637 110 (6) Chernaievo 1605 142 (7) Obrutchevo 1557 190 (8) Lomakino 1548 199 (9) Jizak 1522 225 (10) Milyutinskaya 1498 249 (11) Kuropatkino 1473 274 (12) Rostovtsevo 1445 302 (13) Samarkand 1415 332 (14) Djuma 1394 353 (15) Nagornaya 1365 382 (16) Katta-Kurgan 1343 404 (17) Zirabulak 1316 431 (18) Ziadin 1291 446 (19) Kermine 1269 478 (20) Malik 1243 504 (21) Kizil-Teppe 1223 524 (22) Kuyu-Mazar 1206 541 (23) Kagan 1182 565 (24) Murgak 1160 587 (25) Yakatut 1142 605 (26) Kara-Kul 1117 630 (27) Khodja-Davlet 1098 649 (28) Farab 1078 669 (29) Charjui 1070 677 (30) Barkhani 1038 709 (31) Karaul-Kuyu 1020 727 (32) Repetek 1003 744 (33) Pesski 970 777 (34) Utch-Adja 954 793 (35) Ravnina 924 823 (36) Annenkovo 904 843 (37) Kurban-Kala 885 862 (38) Bairam-Ali 869 878 (39) Merv 842 905

APPENDIX II--(B)

MURGHAB VALLEY RAILWAY

LIST OF STATIONS FROM MERV TO KUSHKINSKI POST WITH DISTANCES FROM KRASNOVODSK AND MERV

Height above Distance from Distance from Station. Caspian Sea. Merv. Krasnovodsk. Sagenes. Versts. Versts.

Merv 118.01 -- 842 Talkhatan Baba 127.06 37 879 Yulatan 134.16 56 898 Sultan-i-Band 139.55 76 918 Imam Baba 148.60 120 962 Sari Yazi 155.57 157 999 Tash Kepri 164.00 197 1039 Kala-i-Mor 202.07 244 1086 Kushkinski Post 303.04 293 1135

APPENDIX III

_Kishlak_, a village of sedentary Turcomans, as opposed to _Aoul_, the nomad village. _Mekteb_, the lower-class Mussulman elementary school. _Medresse_, university of a theological order. _Arik_, canal or channel diverted from river for irrigation purposes.

TABLE OF MEASUREMENTS

1 _sagene_ = 7 ft. 1 _dessiatine_ (= 2400 _sq. sagenes_) = 432 sq. roods (2.70 acres) 1 _square sagene_ = 49 sq. ft. 1 _arshine_ = .77 yard (2.33 ft.) 1 _vershok_ = 1.75 in.

A _dessiatine_ (land measure) is a parallelogram having a length of 80 sagenes and a breadth of 30 sagenes, or it may be 40 by 60 sagenes, therefore the dessiatine is 2400 square sagenes, or 21,600 square arshines.

1 _verst_ = ⅔ of an English mile.

APPENDIX IV

THE TREATY OF GANDAMAK

Treaty between the British Government and his Highness Mahommed Yakub Khan, Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies, concluded at Gandamak on the 26th May, 1879, by his Highness the Amir Mahommed Yakub Khan on his own part and on the part of the British Government by Major (afterwards Sir Louis) P. L. N. Cavagnari, C.S.I.

(1) From the day of the exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty there shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the British Government on the one part and his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies, and his successors, on the other.

(2) His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies engages, on the exchange of the ratifications of this Treaty, to publish a full and complete amnesty, absolving all his subjects from any responsibility for intercourse with the British forces during the war, and to guarantee and protect all persons of whatever degree from any punishment or molestation on that account.

(3) His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies agrees to conduct his relations with Foreign States in accordance with the advice and wishes of the British Government. His Highness the Amir will enter into no engagements with Foreign States, and will not take up arms against any Foreign State, except with the concurrence of the British Government. On these conditions the British Government will support the Amir against any foreign aggression with money, arms, or troops, to be employed in whatsoever manner the British Government may judge best for this purpose. Should British troops at any time enter Afghanistan for the purpose of repelling foreign aggression, they will return to their stations in British territory as soon as the object for which they entered has been accomplished.

(4) With a view to the maintenance of the direct and intimate relations now established between the British Government and his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan, and for the better protection of the frontiers of his Highness’s dominion, it is agreed that a British Representative shall reside at Kabul, with a suitable escort, in a place of residence appropriate to his rank and dignity. It is also agreed that the British Government shall have the right to depute British Agents with suitable escorts to the Afghan frontiers, whensoever this may be considered necessary by the British Government in the interests of both States, on the occurrence of any important external fact. His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan may on his part depute an Agent to reside at the Court of his Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, and at such other places in British India as may be similarly agreed upon.

(5) His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies guarantees the personal safety and honourable treatment of British Agents within his jurisdiction; and the British Government on its part undertakes that its Agents shall never in any way interfere with the internal administration of his Highness’s dominions.

(6) His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies undertakes, on behalf of himself and his successors, to offer no impediment to British subjects peacefully trading within his dominions so long as they do so with the permission of the British Government, and in accordance with such arrangements as may be mutually agreed upon from time to time between the two Governments.

(7) In order that the passage of trade between the territories of the British Government and of his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan may be open and uninterrupted, his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan agrees to use his best endeavours to ensure the protection of traders and to facilitate the transit of goods along the well-known customary roads of Afghanistan. These roads shall be improved and maintained in such manner as the two Governments may decide to be most expedient for the general convenience of traffic, and under such financial arrangements as may be mutually determined upon between them. The arrangements made for the maintenance and security of the aforesaid roads, for the settlement of the duties to be levied upon merchandise carried over these roads, and for the general protection and development of trade with and through the dominions of his Highness, will be stated in a separate Commercial Treaty, to be concluded within one year, due regard being given to the state of the country.

(8) With a view to facilitate communications between the allied Governments and to aid and develop intercourse and commercial relations between the two countries, it is hereby agreed that a line of telegraph from Kurram to Kabul shall be constructed by and at the cost of the British Government, and the Amir of Afghanistan hereby undertakes to provide for the protection of this telegraph line.

(9) In consideration of the renewal of a friendly alliance between the two States which has been attested and secured by the foregoing Articles, the British Government restores to his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies the towns of Kandahar and Jelalabad with all the territory now in possession of the British armies, excepting the districts of Kurram, Pishin, and Sibi. His Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies agrees on his part that the districts of Kurram and Pishin and Sibi, according to the limits defined in the schedule annexed, shall remain under the protection and administrative control of the British Government: that is to say, the aforesaid districts shall be treated as assigned districts, and shall not be considered as permanently severed from the limits of the Afghan kingdom. The revenues of these districts, after deducting the charges of civil administration, shall be paid to his Highness the Amir.

The British Government will retain in its own hands the control of the Khyber and Michni Passes, which lie between the Peshawar and Jelalabad districts, and of all relations with the independent tribes of the territory directly connected with these passes.

(10) For the further support of his Highness the Amir in the recovery and maintenance of his legitimate authority, and in consideration of the efficient fulfilment in their entirety of the engagements stipulated by the foregoing Articles, the British Government agrees to pay to his Highness the Amir and to his successors an annual subsidy of six lakhs of Rupees.

Done at Gandamak, this 26th day of May 1879, corresponding with the 4th day of the month of Jamadi-us-sani, 1296 A.H.

AMIR MAHOMMED YAKUB KHAN. N. CAVAGNARI, _Major_.

_Letter, dated June 14, 1880, from_ MR. (_afterwards_ SIR LEPEL) GRIFFIN _to_ ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN.

(After compliments.)

“I am commanded to convey to you the replies of the Government of India to the questions you have asked.

“_First_, with regard to the position of the ruler of Kabul in relation to Foreign Powers. Since the British Government admit no right of interference by Foreign Powers in Afghanistan, and since both Russia and Persia are pledged to abstain from all political interference with Afghan affairs, it is plain that the Kabul ruler can have no political relations with any Foreign Power except the English: and if any such Foreign Power should attempt to interfere in Afghanistan, and if such interference should lead to unprovoked aggression on the Kabul ruler, then the British Government will be prepared to aid him, if necessary, to repel it, provided that he follows the advice of the British Government in regard to his external relations.

“_Secondly_, with regard to limits of territory, I am directed to say that the whole province of Kandahar has been placed under a separate ruler, except Pishin and Sibi, which are retained in British possession. Consequently, the Government is not able to enter into any negotiations with you on these points, nor in respect to arrangements with regard to the north-west frontier, which were concluded with the ex-Amir Mahommed Yakub Khan. With these reservations, the British Government are willing that you should establish over Afghanistan (including Herat, the possession of which cannot be guaranteed to you, though the Government are not disposed to hinder measures which you may take to obtain possession of it) as complete and extensive authority as has hitherto been exercised by any Amir of your family. The British Government desires to exercise no interference in the internal affairs of these territories, nor will you be required to admit an English Resident anywhere; although, for convenience of ordinary and friendly intercourse between two adjoining States, it may be advisable to station by agreement a Mahommedan agent of the British Government at Kabul.”

_From_ AMIR ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN _to_ MR. GRIFFIN, _dated June 22, 1880_.

(After compliments.)

“Regarding the boundaries of Afghanistan which were settled by treaty with my most noble and respected grandfather, Amir Dost Muhammad, these you have granted to me. And the Envoy which you have appointed in Afghanistan you have dispensed with, but what you have left to (be settled according to) my wish is, that I may keep a Mussulman Ambassador, if I please. This was my desire and that of my people, and this you have kindly granted.

“About my friendly relations and communication with Foreign Powers, you have written that I should not have any without advice and consultation with you (the British). You should consider well that if I have the friendship of a great Government like yours, how can I communicate with another Power without advice from and consultation with you? I agree to this also.

“You have also kindly written that should any unwarranted (improper) attack be made by any other Power on Afghanistan, you will under all circumstances afford me assistance; and you will not permit any other person to take possession of the territory of Afghanistan. This also is my desire, which you have kindly granted.

“As to what you have written about Herat. Herat is at present in the possession of my cousin. So long as he does not oppose me, and remains friendly with me, it is better that I should leave my cousin in Herat, rather than any other man. Should he oppose me, and not listen to my words (advice) or those of my people, I will afterwards let you know. Everything shall be done as we both deem it expedient and advisable.

“All the kindness you have shown is for my welfare and that of my people: how should I not accept it? You have shown very great kindness to me and my people.”

_Letter from_ MR. GRIFFIN _to_ AMIR ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN, _dated “July 1880_.”[45]

(After compliments.)

“His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General in Council has learnt with pleasure that your Highness has proceeded toward Kabul, in accordance with the invitation of the British Government. Therefore, in consideration of the friendly sentiments by which your Highness is animated, and of the advantage to be derived by the Sirdars and people from the establishment of a settled government under your Highness’s authority, the British Government recognises your Highness as Amir of Kabul.

“I am further empowered, on the part of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, to inform your Highness that the British Government has no desire to interfere in the internal government of the territories in the possession of your Highness, and has no wish that an English Resident should be stationed anywhere within those territories. For the convenience of ordinary friendly intercourse, such as is maintained between two adjoining States, it may be advisable that a Mahommedan Agent of the British Government should reside, by agreement, at Kabul.

“Your Highness has requested that the views and intentions of the British Government with regard to the position of the ruler at Kabul in relation to Foreign Powers should be placed on record for your Highness’s information. The Viceroy and Governor-General in Council authorises me to declare to you that since the British Government admits no right of interference by Foreign Powers within Afghanistan, and since both Russia and Persia are pledged to abstain from all interference with the affairs of Afghanistan, it is plain that your Highness can have no political relations with any Foreign Power except with the British Government. If any Foreign Power should attempt to interfere in Afghanistan, and if such interference should lead to unprovoked aggression on the dominions of your Highness, in that event the British Government would be prepared to aid you, to such extent and in such manner as may appear to the British Government necessary, in repelling it; provided that your Highness follows unreservedly the advice of the British Government in regard to your external relations.”

_Letter from the_ VICEROY OF INDIA (MARQUIS OF RIPON) _to the_ AMIR ABDUR RAHMAN.

(After compliments.)

“SIMLA, _June 16, 1883_.

“Your Highness will remember that, at Sir Lepel Griffin’s interview with you at Zimma on July 31, 1880, he said that the Government of India could only start your administration by giving you a grant to pay your army and officials and your immediate expenses; and that, having recognised you as Amir, it was anxious to see you strong; but after you had taken possession of Kabul, you must rely on your own resources.

“I have always interested myself so much in your Highness’s success, and have felt so great a desire for the establishment of a strong and friendly Power under your Highness’s auspices in Afghanistan, that I have on various occasions gone beyond the determination then communicated to you, and have from time to time aided your Highness with sums of money and arms, besides devoting some lakhs a year to the support of Afghan refugees and détenus, whose presence in Afghanistan is, I understand, regarded by your Highness as dangerous to your power. Still, my view of the relations to each other of the two countries has throughout been that, in matters of internal policy and finance, India should not seek to interfere with Afghanistan, but should confine herself to the part of a friendly neighbour and ally. On these conditions, it would be in accordance with the practice of nations that Afghanistan should regulate her own finance and bear her own burdens, as she has always done heretofore.

“As regards matters of external policy, your Highness was informed in the communication from the Foreign Secretary to the Government of India, dated July 20, 1880, and again in my letter of February 22, 1883, that if any Foreign Power should attempt to interfere in Afghanistan, and if such interference should lead to unprovoked aggression on the dominions of your Highness, in that event the British Government would be prepared to aid you to such extent and in such manner as might appear to the British Government necessary in repelling it; provided that your Highness follows unreservedly the advice of the British Government in regard to your external relations.

“On consideration, however, of your accounts of the condition of your north-west frontier, I have been satisfied that your Highness has to contend with exceptional difficulties in that quarter. I have understood that, owing to various untoward circumstances, your Highness has not yet been able to reduce the important frontier province of Herat to the orderly and secure condition so essential for the protection of Afghanistan as a whole; and therefore that, for the settlement of the affairs of that frontier, some friendly assistance may be needful to you. I further observe, with satisfaction, your Highness’s assurances of good faith and loyalty to the British Government; and your Highness’s language convinces me that you realise how much it is to the interest of Afghanistan to maintain friendly relations with the Government of India.

“Impressed by these considerations, I have determined to offer to your Highness personally, as an aid towards meeting the present difficulties in the management of your State, a subsidy of twelve lakhs of rupees a year, payable monthly, to be devoted to the payment of your troops, and to the other measures required for the defence of your north-western frontier. I feel that I may safely trust to your Highness’s good faith and practised skill to devote this addition to your resources to objects of such vital importance as those which I have above mentioned.”

_The_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN _to the_ VICEROY OF INDIA. (Extract.)

(After compliments.)

“6th Ramazan, 1300 H. (_July 11, 1883_).

“I have announced the glad tidings of your Excellency’s determination, which is calculated to conduce to the well-being of the British Government and of the people of Afghanistan, and to put in order and keep going my affairs, to the people of Afghanistan at large, who all offered up thanks, saying, ‘For many years we, the Afghan nation, have been suffering from innumerable calamities. Thanks be to God that a glorious Government like this (British Government) has befriended us.’

“God willing, the people of Afghanistan will never allow their heads to swerve from the line of friendship to the illustrious British Government, and so long as I live I will not think of making friends with any one but with the illustrious British Government. I have offered my prayers to God for the (increased) glory of that powerful Government.”

_The_ AMIR’S _Speech at the Rawal Pindi Durbar_.

At the great Durbar held by Lord Dufferin on April 8, 1885, the Amir Abdur Rahman spoke as follows:

“In return for this kindness and favour I am ready with my arms and people to render any services that may be required of me or of the Afghan nation. As the British Government has declared that it will assist me in repelling any foreign enemy, so it is right and proper that Afghanistan should unite in the firmest manner and stand side by side with the British Government.”

_Letter from_ SIR MORTIMER DURAND _to_ ABDUR RAHMAN, _dated Kabul, November 11, 1893_.

(After compliments.)

“When your Highness came to the throne of Afghanistan, Sir Lepel Griffin was instructed to give you the assurance that, if any Foreign Power should attempt to interfere in Afghanistan, and if such interference should lead to unprovoked aggression on the dominions of your Highness, in that event the British Government would be prepared to aid you to such extent and in such manner as might appear to the British Government necessary in repelling it, provided that your Highness followed unreservedly the advice of the British Government in regard to your external relations.

“I have the honour to inform your Highness that this assurance remains in force, and that it is applicable with regard to any territory which may come into your possession in consequence of the agreement which you have made with me to-day in the matter of the Oxus frontier.

“It is the desire of the British Government that such portion of the northern frontier of Afghanistan as has not yet been marked out should now be clearly defined; when this has been done, the whole of your Highness’s frontier towards the side of Russia will be equally free from doubt and equally secure.”

_Agreement signed at Kabul on November 12, 1893._

Whereas the British Government has represented to his Highness the Amir that the Russian Government presses for the literal fulfilment of the Agreement of 1873 between Russia and England by which it was decided that the river Oxus should form the northern boundary of Afghanistan from Lake Victoria (Wood’s Lake) or Sarikul on the east to the junction of the Kokcha with the Oxus, and whereas the British Government considers itself bound to abide by the terms of this Agreement, if the Russian Government equally abides by them, his Highness Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, G.C.S.I., Amir of Afghanistan and its dependencies, wishing to show his friendship to the British Government and his readiness to accept their advice in matters affecting his relations with Foreign Powers, hereby agrees that he will evacuate all the districts held by him to the north of this portion of the Oxus on the clear understanding that all the districts lying to the south of this portion of the Oxus, and not now in his possession, be handed over to him in exchange. And Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., Foreign Secretary to the Government of India, hereby declares on the part of the British Government that the transfer to his Highness the Amir of the said districts lying to the south of the Oxus is an essential part of this transaction, and undertakes that arrangements will be made with the Russian Government to carry out the transfer of the said lands to the north and south of the Oxus.

H. M. DURAND. AMIR ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN. KABUL, _November 12, 1893_.

_Agreement between_ AMIR ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN, G.C.S.I., _and_ SIR HENRY MORTIMER DURAND, K.C.I.E., C.S.I.

Whereas certain questions have arisen regarding the frontier of Afghanistan on the side of India, and whereas both his Highness the Amir and the Government of India are desirous of settling these questions by a friendly understanding, and of fixing the limit of their respective spheres of influence, so that for the future there may be no difference of opinion on the subject between the allied Governments, it is hereby agreed as follows:

(1) The eastern and southern frontier of his Highness’s dominions, from Wakhan to the Persian border, shall follow the line shown in the map attached to this agreement.

(2) The Government of India will at no time exercise interference in the territories lying beyond this line on the side of Afghanistan, and his Highness the Amir will at no time exercise interference in the territories lying beyond this line on the side of India.

(3) The British Government thus agrees to his Highness the Amir retaining Asmar and the valley above it, as far as Chanak. His Highness agrees, on the other hand, that he will at no time exercise interference in Swat, Bajaur, or Chitral, including the Arnawai or Bashgal valley. The British Government also agrees to leave to his Highness the Birmal tract as shown in the detailed map already given to his Highness, who relinquishes his claim to the rest of the Waziri country and Dawar. His Highness also relinquishes his claim to Chageh.

(4) The frontier line will hereafter be laid down in detail and demarcated, wherever this may be practicable and desirable, by joint British and Afghan commissioners, whose object will be to arrive by mutual understanding at a boundary which shall adhere with the greatest possible exactness to the line shown in the map attached to this agreement, having due regard to the existing local rights of villages adjoining the frontier.

(5) With reference to the question of Chaman, the Amir withdraws his objection to the new British cantonment and concedes to the British Government the rights purchased by him in the Sirkai Tilerai water. At this part of the frontier the line will be drawn as follows:

From the crest of the Khwaja Amran range near the Psha Kotal, which remains in British territory, the line will run in such a direction as to leave Murgha Chaman and the Sharobo spring to Afghanistan, and to pass half-way between the New Chaman Fort and the Afghan outpost known locally as Lashkar Dand. The line will then pass half-way between the railway station and the hill known as the Mian Baldak, and, turning southwards, will rejoin the Khwaja Amran range, leaving the Gwasha Post in British territory, and the road to Shorawak to the west and south of Gwasha in Afghanistan. The British Government will not exercise any interference within half a mile of the road.

(6) The above articles of agreement are regarded by the Government of India and his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan as a full and satisfactory settlement of all the principal differences of opinion which have arisen between them in regard to the frontier; and both the Government of India and his Highness the Amir undertake that any differences of detail, such as those which will have to be considered hereafter by the officers appointed to demarcate the boundary line, shall be settled in a friendly spirit, so as to remove for the future as far as possible all causes of doubt and misunderstanding between the two Governments.

(7) Being fully satisfied of his Highness’s goodwill to the British Government, and wishing to see Afghanistan independent and strong, the Government of India will raise no objection to the purchase and import by his Highness of munitions of war, and they will themselves grant him some help in this respect. Further, in order to mark their sense of the friendly spirit in which his Highness the Amir has entered into these negotiations, the Government of India undertake to increase by the sum of six lakhs of rupees a year the subsidy of twelve lakhs now granted to his Highness.

H. M. DURAND. AMIR ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN. KABUL, _November 12, 1893_.

And on March 11, 1895, the following Agreement between the Governments of Great Britain and Russia, with regard to the spheres of influence of the two countries in the region of the Pamirs, and concerning the position of Afghanistan in that region, was drawn up:

(1) The spheres of influence of Great Britain and Russia to the east of Lake Victoria (Zor Koul) shall be divided by a line which, starting from a point on that lake near to its eastern extremity, shall follow the crests of the mountain range running somewhat to the south of the latitude of the lake as far as the Bendersky and Orta Bel Passes.

From thence the line shall run along the same range while it remains to the south of the latitude of the said lake. On reaching that latitude, it shall descend a spur of the range towards Kizil Rabat on the Aksu river, if that locality is found not to be north of the latitude of Lake Victoria, and from thence it shall be prolonged, in an easterly direction, so as to meet the Chinese frontier.

If it should be found that Kizil Rabat is situated to the north of the latitude of Lake Victoria, the line of demarcation shall be drawn to the nearest convenient point on the Aksu river, south of that latitude, and from thence prolonged as aforesaid.

(2) The line shall be marked out, and its precise configuration shall be settled, by a Joint Commission of a purely technical character, with a military escort not exceeding that which is strictly necessary for its proper protection.

The Commission shall be composed of British and Russian delegates, with the necessary technical assistance.

Her Britannic Majesty’s Government will arrange with the Amir of Afghanistan as to the manner in which his Highness shall be represented on the Commission.

(3) The Commission shall also be charged to report any facts which can be ascertained on the spot bearing on the situation of the Chinese frontier, with a view to enable the two Governments to come to an agreement with the Chinese Government as to the limits of Chinese territory in the vicinity of the line, in such manner as may be found most convenient.

(4) Her Britannic Majesty’s Government and the Government of his Majesty the Emperor of Russia engage to abstain from exercising any political influence or control, the former to the north, the latter to the south, of the above line of demarcation.

(5) Her Britannic Majesty’s Government engage that the territory lying within the British sphere of influence between the Hindu Kush, and the line running from the east end of Lake Victoria to the Chinese frontier, shall form part of the territory of the Amir of Afghanistan, that it shall not be annexed to Great Britain, and that no military posts or forts shall be established in it.

The execution of this agreement is contingent upon the evacuation by the Amir of Afghanistan of all the territories now occupied by his Highness on the right bank of the Panjah, and on the evacuation by the Amir of Bokhara of the portion of Darwaz which lies to the south of the Oxus, in regard to which her Britannic Majesty’s Government, and the Government of his Majesty the Emperor of Russia, have agreed to use their influence respectively with the two Amirs.

Agreement for laying down the Afghan Boundary from the Hindu Kush Range to Nawa Kotal; and confirmed by his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan on December 19, 1895.

AGREEMENT _dated Camp Nashagam, April 9, 1895 = 13th Shawal, 1312_

Forasmuch as, under Article (4) of the Convention concluded at Kabul on November 12, 1893, between his Highness the Amir of Afghanistan and Sir Mortimer Durand on behalf of the Government of India, we the undersigned have been appointed by our respective Governments for the purpose of demarcating in concert the frontier of his Highness the Amir’s dominions on the side of India in this neighbourhood of Chitrar and Bajaur, it is hereby agreed as follows:

(1) That on the western side of the Kunar River, this frontier will be the further or eastern watershed of the stream which in the idiom of Afghans is notorious and known as the Landai Sin pertaining to the limits of Kafiristan, and which in the survey map is also written by the name of Bashgal, so that all the country of which the drainage falls into the Kunar River by means of this stream belongs, and will belong, to Afghanistan, and the eastern drainage of this watershed, which does not fall into the Landai Sin stream, pertains to Chitrar.

(2) That on the eastern side of the Kunar River, from the river bank up to the crest of the main range which forms the watershed between the Kunar River and the country (_lit._ direction) of Barawal and Bajaur, this frontier follows the southern watershed of the Arnawai stream, which falls into the Kunar River close to the village of Arnawai, leaving to Chitrar all the country of which the drainage falls into the Kunar River, by means of this stream, while the southern drainage of this last-mentioned watershed, which does not fall into the Arnawai stream, pertains to Afghanistan.

(3) That this frontier line, on reaching the crest of the main range, which in this neighbourhood forms the watershed between the Kunar River and the country (_lit._ direction) of Barawal and Bajaur, turns southward along this watershed, which it follows as far as a point in the neighbourhood of the Nawa Kotal, leaving all the country draining into the Kunar River within the limits of Afghanistan, and all the country draining towards Barawal and Bajaur outside the limits of Afghanistan; but beyond the aforesaid point in the neighbourhood of the Nawa Kotal the frontier has not at present been demarcated.

(4) That on both sides of the Kunar River this frontier, as described in the three preceding articles, for the most part requires no artificial demarcation, because it is a natural boundary following the crests of mountain ranges; but since, at present, inspection _in situ_ is impossible, when the ground is examined on the spot, it is probable that in the places where these mountain ranges abut on the Kunar River from either side, demarcation by pillars for a short distance from the water’s edge on both sides of the river will be found desirable for the purpose of separating the boundary of Afghanistan from Arnawai pertaining to Chitrar and the limits of the Kafir country (_lit._ Kafiristan) of the Landai Sin from Chitrar. In that case these pillars will be erected along the line of the watershed described in the first and second articles of the present agreement, subject to any slight divergencies from this line which may be necessary to protect the local rights of villages adjoining the frontier.

(5) That the frontier pillars, wherever considered desirable, will be erected hereafter by an officer of the Government of India and an officer of his Highness the Amir

## acting in concert.

(6) That these watersheds, forming the frontier agreed upon as described in the first three articles of the present agreement, have been marked by a red line on the survey map attached to this agreement, which, like the agreement itself, has been signed by us both. In three places--viz. (i) for a short distance from either bank of the Kunar River; (ii) in the neighbourhood of the Binshi Kotal; and (iii) in the neighbourhood of the Frepaman Kotal--this red line has been broken up into dots, because the exact position of the watershed in these localities has not been ascertained with perfect accuracy; but wherever the watershed may lie the frontier will follow it, subject only to any slight variations from the watershed which may be considered necessary under Article (4) of the present agreement.

(7) That, since on the map attached to the Convention the Arnawai stream was drawn on the western side of the river in the place of the Landai Sin of the Kafir country (_lit._ Kafiristan), which has been decided to pertain to the Afghan Government, and, since after inquiry and inspection of the same it was clearly ascertained by the survey party that the aforesaid stream is situated on the eastern side of the Kunar River, and falls into the river near the village of Arnawai, and that the drawing of it on the western side (of the river) in the place of the Landai Sin was a mistake, this Arnawai stream has (now) been drawn and marked on the present survey map in its own proper place, and that stream, which was drawn in the Convention map on the western side of the river, was the Landai Sin stream of the Kafir country (_lit._ Kafiristan), which has now been decided to pertain to the Government of Afghanistan and to be included in the limits of Afghanistan. Accordingly, in the present survey map it has been marked with the name of Landai Sin and has also been written with the name of Bashgal. Moreover, Sao and Nari and Birkot, and the village of Arnawai, were not written on the map attached to the Convention, (but) now in the new survey map the names of all these four above-mentioned villages have been entered, the village of Arnawai being written on the Chitrar side of the boundary line, and Sao, Nari, and Birkot on the side of the Government of Afghanistan.

(_Signed_) R. UDNY. (_Signed_) GHULAM HAIDAR KHAN, _Sipah Salar_.

_Letter from_ SIR RICHARD UDNY, K.C.S.I., _Commissioner of Peshawar, to_ ABDUR RAHMAN, _in respect of occurrences on August 7, 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“I have received instructions by telegram from his Excellency the Viceroy to inform your Highness that the Government of India have received information from several sources that large numbers of Afghan subjects have joined the Mullah of Adda and taken an active part in the recent attack on the British frontier post of Shabkaddar and the burning of the British village of Shankargarh. It is reported that, notwithstanding the severe losses inflicted on the Mullah’s gathering by the Border Military Police holding the Shabkaddar post on the 7th August, and by British troops on the 9th August, he is still being joined by large parties of men from all parts of the Jelalabad Valley, and that the villages of Chardeh, Ambarkhana, Basawal, Girdi, Sarkani, and Lalpura are keeping rafts ready for the passage of the various contingents. It has also been stated that numbers of Afghan sepoys in plain clothes and Ut Khels from Laughman have joined the Mullah. It is unnecessary for the Viceroy to dilate upon the seriousness of this information. His Excellency demands that you will immediately take steps to recall your subjects, prevent others from crossing your Highness’s border with hostile intent, and render it impossible for them to repeat an offence so exceedingly grave as this deliberate violation of the British Indian frontier. The Viceroy in his letter of May 2, 1896, called your Highness’s attention to the unfriendly conduct of the Sipah Salar Ghulam Haidar Khan. It is impossible that Afghan sepoys can have joined in this attack without the knowledge of the Sipah Salar, and the Viceroy is constrained to warn your Highness that if you do not control the Sipah Salar, or withdraw him from his command on the frontier, your Highness must be held responsible for his actions. For the rest, may you continue to enjoy good health.

“_Dated August 13, 1897_.”

_Letter from the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN _to the_ COMMISSIONER AND SUPERINTENDENT, _Peshawar Division, dated Wednesday, 18th Rabi-ul-Awal, 1315 H. = 18th August 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“I received and perused your letter of the 13th August 1897 = 13th Rabi-ul-Awal, 1315 H.

“I read your letter in order to acquaint myself with the circumstances concerning Sipah Salar Ghulam Haidar Khan and the people under the jurisdiction of Jelalabad about which you have written. I now write to say that, as regards Sipah Salar Ghulam Haidar Khan and the regular Afghan army, not a single man is or will be with the followers of Mullah Najm-ud-din, and hereafter, too, none will accompany him. As regards tribesmen you know yourself that for fear of me they can never openly join such a movement; if any one has come, he must have gone secretly. You are aware yourself that a few years ago Mullah Najm-ud-din fled from Kabul and settled at Jarobi in the Peshawar district, that the trusted officers of the British Government summoned him to their presence on several occasions, and, though he did not attend on them, he was keeping up correspondence with them and had fled from my country. On account of the evil acts he had committed, and the many disturbances which he had created among the people, he was so much frightened at his own misdeeds that he took refuge near Peshawar. The Mohmands and the people of Jelalabad and of the mountain districts of Jelalabad look upon him as their prophet, and at his bidding and the bidding of the Mullah of Manki thousands of men are their devoted disciples. Just as in old days in Europe the Popes used to profess to be the sole disposers of heaven and hell, and the people also accepted the word of worthless priests, so, too, these Mullahs claim to possess the same power; and during these last few years they have stirred up my own Afghan subjects to rebel against me, so that in every rising, whether at Kandahar or in the case of Mullah Mushk-i-Alam or in the case of the Uzbeg Mullahs who joined Ishak in Balkh, it was the Mullahs on every occasion who created the disturbance. There is a village called Hadda, which is inhabited by Chumars, or leather-tanners, but because it is the residence of this mischievous Mullah Najm-ud-din, his disciples have named this impure village Hadda Sharif, that is to say, Hadda the noble, and his pupils and disciples regard him as a prophet. What calamities are there that they have not suffered, and what blood is there that they have not shed by his senseless commands? He has now taken up his abode in a country which is independent of Kabul and in the neighbourhood of Peshawar, and has made himself a notable personage. Under these circumstances, let the trusted officers of the British Government themselves look at the matter impartially and say in what way I could deal with him, and how am I to arrange for him and his disciples, who regard him as a prophet and gather round him secretly? Every Mullah for many years denounced me in various ways as a Kafir, and at their bidding their disciples fought against me, and their houses were destroyed and they themselves were killed. For fourteen years they raised every part of Afghanistan against me, both in the plain country and in the hills, till thousands of men perished on both sides, and several of the Mullah agitators themselves were killed with thousands of the disciples of these turbulent priests. Every Mullah raised the people against me as long as he could, and when he had failed he used to take shelter within the limits of the British Government, and, by the magnanimity of that Government, a morsel of bread used to be given him, upon which these Mullahs used to maintain themselves. These now are the very same Mullahs who have fled from me and have settled in territory which is independent of me near Peshawar. In what way, then, can I manage them? As regards the Sipah Salar and the regular army, you may rest assured that no such hostile act shall ever be committed by them, but as it has been or may have been reported to you that the regular army or the Sipah Salar Ghulam Haidar Khan is taking part in this disturbance, this is all a fabrication, and I myself take oath that neither the troops nor the trusted officers of Afghanistan have any part in this matter. Every word that may have reached the ears of the trusted officers of the British Government is without foundation. On account of the proximity to you of these Mullahs who are close to your country, and have now according to the boundary demarcation fallen within the limits of the British Government, what more can I add in this matter to these arguments? For the rest, by the grace of God, all is well. May the days of honour be perpetual.”

_From_ HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN _and its Dependencies to the Address of_ HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY, _dated the 19th Rabi-ul-Awal, 1315 H., corresponding to the 19th August 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“I have the honour to inform your Excellency that I have received a friendly letter from Mr. R. Udny, Commissioner, Peshawar, dated the 13th August 1897 (corresponding to the 13th Rabi-ul-Awal, 1315 H.).

“When I received the Commissioner’s letter, I wrote in reply to him giving true particulars, and writing them to him in a very sincere and friendly manner....

“If the false utterances and fabricated reports of self-interested persons be investigated in a friendly manner, God be pleased, the relations of union and friendship between these two Governments will always be considerably strengthened.

“Further, I have to state that I have secured a letter, written by Mullah Najm-ud-din (of Hadda), which he has issued as a notification to the people of Ningrahar, and which is one of the letters of a similar kind which he has sent to tribesmen in other parts of the country. I send the original letter of notification issued by the Mullah in a separate envelope, which is closed and bears on it my handwriting, enclosed in this friendly letter to your Excellency. My kind friend, no doubt he has sent such letters, perhaps hundreds of them, to his disciples among the tribesmen in Afghanistan. The people also regard him as holding the position of their Prophet. Such are the

## particulars of the Mullah and his disciples.”

_From_ HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA _to_ HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., _dated Simla, August 30, 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“It gave me pleasure to read the letter of your Highness to the Commissioner of Peshawar, dated the 18th Rabi-ul-Awal, 1315 H. corresponding to the 18th August 1897. The denial which your Highness has clearly expressed therein, of any complicity on the part of your Highness’s officials and sepoys of the regular army, was made in a still more marked manner by the public utterances of your Highness at the Durbar held on the previous day. Your Highness may rest assured that I should not have suggested the possibility of so grave a breach of the relations that must subsist between friendly allies had I not had reason to think that the complaints made to me were well founded. That your Highness has taken thus early the opportunity to make public an emphatic repudiation, on behalf of yourself and your officials, of any complicity with the actions of the Mullahs, who have been stirring up strife on the borders of India, justifies the hope that the charges made can be disproved, and that for the future no doubt will arise of the loyalty of your Highness’s subjects and servants to the alliance with the British Government which your Highness has again so openly professed.

“It is right that I should tell your Highness the information which I have received which indicates that tribesmen from your Highness’s territories have joined the Mullah of Hadda, and have, in other respects, committed aggression against the British Government. Bodies of men from Jelalabad district crossed the Kabul River openly with flags flying and drums beating. After the fight at Shabkaddar they returned in the same manner, carrying their dead and helping their wounded. On the side of Khost numbers of camels stolen from my troops in Dawar have been taken across the border, and it is even reported that these camels have been ordered to be collected by Sirdar Sherindil Khan. Your Highness will no doubt recognise the propriety of directing the restoration of camels belonging to the Government of India, which have been stolen and carried into Afghan territory.

“Your Highness has said that ‘tribesmen can never join such a movement openly for fear of me. If any one has come he must have gone secretly.’ What I now ask your Highness, in accordance with those assurances of friendship which you have so readily made, is that you will publicly announce to the tribesmen through your local officers that, if they cross the border and join in disturbances against the British Government, they will incur your displeasure. The belief is entertained by many misguided persons that they will not incur your Highness’s displeasure by acting in a hostile manner against the British Government, and this belief can be dispelled if your Highness’s local officers will keep watch along the Kabul River and at other places in order to prevent your Highness’s subjects from crossing the frontier with hostile intentions, whether secretly or openly. I ask your Highness, therefore, to issue orders to this effect.

“I mention, for your Highness’s information, the following facts regarding the disturbances that have arisen among the tribes. These disturbances were wholly unprovoked and cannot be tolerated. I detailed a force of troops to punish the tribesmen concerned in the attack upon Malakand and Chakdarra. This force has visited the Upper Swat Valley and received the submission of the tribesmen there.

“The circumstances of the Afridis are these; they have been stirred up to break their engagements of many years’ standing with the British Government and to display hostility. The men who are responsible for this are Mullah Said Akbar, Aka Khel, and Mir Bashir, Malikdin Khel. Some of the Afridi tribe in the Khyber have remained true to their engagements, but they were unable to resist the attack of the rest of the tribe. The posts have been burned, and the road is now undefended and closed to the passage of kafilas. In the present state of the frontier, the carriage of valuable goods, and especially of warlike stores, must necessarily be for the time discontinued.

“I shall deal with the Afridis and any other tribe which attacks the British border or British posts in a manner to make clear the supremacy of the British Government. I am glad to learn that your Highness in Durbar characterised as false and unfounded the story concocted by designing persons that the troops assembled at Peshawar were intended for an attack on Kabul. Your Highness is well aware that, so long as your Highness on your part observes the obligations you have undertaken to the Government of India, the Government of India will honourably adhere to its promise of supporting your Highness’s Government.”

From HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN _and its Dependencies to the address of_ HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY, _dated 12th Rabi-us-Sani, 1315 H., corresponding to the 10th September 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“I have received your Excellency’s friendly letter, dated the 30th August 1897, and understood the contents.

“As regards the report which your Excellency had received to the effect that my subjects had openly collected together and, forming themselves into separate bands, with flags flying and drums beating, crossed the Kabul River and joined Mullah Hadda’s party; that after the fight at Shabkaddar they returned to their places carrying their dead and helping their wounded; and as to your Excellency asking me to order my local officers to prevent my subjects from crossing the frontier and joining Mullah Hadda with hostile intentions against the British Government, and even to appoint guards along the Kabul River and at other places, to prevent them from crossing, my dear friend, after your Excellency wrote to me, such a thing has not occurred, viz., that Afghan subjects openly collected in such bands and crossed the frontier with flags flying. The true state of affairs has been what I have communicated to your Excellency in my former letter, _i.e_., that Mullah Najm-ud-din, an inhabitant of Jarobi, having spread the net of his cunning, has made numerous people from the different Afghan tribes his disciples, and they obey his orders to the utmost extent. During these times, when he became the source of mischief and disturbances, he has sent letters in every direction, and invites all people to join him. I had secured one of his letters, which I sent for your Excellency’s perusal, and which your Excellency must have received some time ago.

“I have ordered the local officers to keep watch on Afghan subjects to the best of their ability, and prevent them from joining Mullah Hadda. Thus the inhabitants of Lamkan (Laughman) had collected a large number of people, numbering about 30,000 men, and prepared flags; but on the officers receiving my orders, they used their best endeavours and succeeded in dispersing them; and they all returned to their homes. No doubt the news-writers on the frontier must have communicated this report to your Excellency.

“No tribesmen from my territories can do such an act in an open manner. Some of them, however, have great faith in Mullah Hadda, and it is possible that they may have joined him during the night, travelling like thieves by unfrequented roads. How is it possible to keep watch on thieves during nights along such an extensive frontier?

“Your Excellency writes that guards should be appointed along the Kabul River and on other roads, so that no one might be allowed to cross over to the other side.

“My kind friend, such an arrangement could only be possible by posting about ten thousand soldiers on all the mountain tops and at all the fords in that district. Then they will be able to execute properly such an arrangement, otherwise how would it be possible to stop the people who are familiar with the country? If the well-known roads be guarded against them, they can, owing to their knowledge of the country, find paths, over mountains and through desert tracts, to cross the frontier. As far as possible, however, the local officials have been watching and will watch any open movements of the tribesmen.

“As regards the dead and the wounded whom your Excellency writes that the tribesmen carried away with them after the fight at Shabkaddar, I beg to state that, if they have brought back their dead secretly, they have already, according to their custom, buried them, and now no trace can be obtained of them. As to the wounded, if questions be asked, they explain that they are always engaged in tribal feuds with one another, and they often kill and wound one another, and that the wounded men have received their wounds in such tribal feuds; and, as the witnesses belong to the people concerned, it is difficult to prove anything contrary to what they allege.

“Your Excellency has kindly informed me that the disturbances which have broken out on the frontiers of India have been wholly unprovoked; that a force of troops was detailed to punish the tribesmen concerned in the attack upon Malakand and Chakdarra; that the force visited the Upper Swat Valley and received the submission of the tribesmen there; that the Afridis, who have had engagements for many years’ standing with the British Government, have been stirred to hostility; that the men who are responsible for this were Mullah Saiyid Akbar, Aka Khel, and Mir Bashir, Malikdin Khel; that they have burned some of the posts in the Khyber; that the road was undefended and closed to the passage of kafilas; that in the present state the carriage of valuable goods, and especially of warlike stores, must necessarily be for the time discontinued; and that the Afridis and other tribes, who have attacked British Government posts, would be dealt with in a manner to make clear the supremacy of the British Government.

“I have understood the facts of the circumstances which your Excellency has detailed, and I feel certain that the tribesmen, who have stirred up disturbances and who, without possessing any warlike materials and appliances, commenced hostilities against the Government, will be put to flight and dispersed.

“I saw some of these people, and asked them by way of advice why they were disobeying the illustrious British Government, and exposing themselves to slaughter and loss. They said that their proceedings were undertaken owing to the hopeless circumstances in which they were involved, and they gave the particulars as stated below, _i.e_., that during former years a firm promise was given, on behalf of the illustrious British Government, to the frontier tribesmen that they would always be exempted from the restrictions of Government laws, and would remain independent in their own country; that when they received such orders from the great Government, they lived with perfect assurance of mind, and never paid any taxes to any one; that subsequently the frontier British officials, disregarding the orders of the Government of India issued to them (tribesmen), began to make roads in their country, and subsequently asked them for revenue and inflicted fines, &c., upon them and generally treated them in the same way as the old inhabitants of India were treated.

“That the people inhabiting hilly tracts are generally poor and possess no property; that they have, therefore, exposed themselves to destruction, and they desire that the frontier officials should act in accordance with the promise which the Government of India had given them.

“I then asked them to produce any Government ‘Sanad’ in support of their statements, and they produced several printed notifications, declaring the independence of those tribesmen, issued by the Exalted Government of India.

“As I have heard the above-mentioned particulars from some of the said tribesmen, and as I saw the notifications also which they had in their possession, I have communicated the above as a piece of information to your Excellency. Apparently the complaints of these people are against the local frontier officers of India. It is possible that your Excellency may have received similar accounts.

“Further, as to the closure of the Khyber road owing to the instigations of the Mullahs and its remaining unprotected, your Excellency has informed me about the causes which have led to the discontinuance of the carriage through the pass of merchandise, and especially of valuable goods and warlike stores.

“I am aware that those independent tribesmen do plunder. Thus, some time ago Sartip Muhammad Hosein, stationed at Dakka, had entrusted to the charge of the escort party (Khyber) some packages of raisins and raw goat-skins, but some mischievous people carried off the above goods. There was another kafila carrying about six lakhs of rupees, belonging to merchants, which subsequently reached Dakka; but the money was called back from Dakka.

“I have, therefore, arranged that any articles which may be required to be despatched urgently should be sent by Karachi and Kandahar, until the Khyber road is made safe again.

“Your Excellency writes further about the story concocted by designing persons that the troops assembled at Peshawar were intended for an attack on Kabul, and that the Government of India will honourably adhere to its promise of supporting my Government. My dear friend, many men with interested motives and foolish prattle are to be found everywhere, and they say whatever comes to their silly thoughts. No importance has ever been attached to the foolish statements of such persons who only look to the surface, and who seek to create mischief.

“Peshawar is a country which is in the possession of the British Government, who are free to adopt any arrangements and measures which they may like in it. In this way both our Governments have authority to adopt measures which they consider it necessary to take in their own territories. Further, up to the present, no such thing has occurred as should lead to the entertainment of such unnecessary thoughts. Supposing such a thing were to occur, the first step would be to ask for the cause of it from the side where it should occur.

“If the matter were such as to require an exchange of correspondence, correspondence would no doubt take place, so that the cause of it might come to light. Otherwise, why should ear be given to the foolish talk of interested persons?

“In the same way that your Excellency has written, so long as the British Government retain sentiments of good friendship and union in regard to friendship and alliance with the God-granted Government, please God, I will, with full confidence, adhere to the friendship of the illustrious British Government in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

“As regards the camels which the Waziri thieves stole from the troops in Dawar, and brought to Khost where they sold them to the inhabitants, I have to state that Sirdar Sherindil Khan has ordered the owners of the camels to keep them safe. If your Excellency considers it necessary that the camels should be taken back from them, then, as the inhabitants of Khost have bought the camels from the Waziri thieves, the price current in the country should be given to them and the camels taken back, so that the people of Khost may not suffer loss.”

_From_ HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA _to_ HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., _dated Simla, September 6, 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“I have already, in my letter to your Highness of the 30th August, acknowledged your Highness’s letter of the 18th Rabi-ul-Awal, 1315 H., corresponding to the 18th August 1897, to the Commissioner of Peshawar, in which your Highness has denied any complicity with the disturbances on the frontier of India. I have now to acknowledge the receipt of your Highness’s further friendly letter on the same subject, dated the 19th Rabi-ul-Awal, 1315 H., corresponding to the 19th August 1897, which was sent by way of Quetta in Baluchistan.

“With this letter, your Highness has sent me a copy of the proclamation issued by the Mullah of Adda to the people of Ningrahar. I thank your Highness for taking so much trouble to send me this information. I had already seen this proclamation, and I was informed that the person from whom my copy was obtained had himself received the Mullah’s proclamation from your Highness’s Sartip of Dakka.

“I cordially agree with what your Highness writes that ‘the false utterances and fabricated reports of self-interested persons’ should be investigated in a friendly manner, and with a view to forestalling any such report which might be made to your Highness, I write this letter to inform you that my troops are about to enter the Mohmand country in order to search out the Mullah of Adda and his lashkar, and to disperse and destroy them. In the letter written by your Highness on the 18th Rabi-ul-Awal to the commissioner of Peshawar, your Highness has stated that Mullah Najm-ud-din ‘has now taken up his abode in a country which is independent of Kabul and in the neighbourhood of Peshawar.’

“Your Highness has also written, ‘what more can I add in this matter to the foregoing arguments, having regard to the proximity to you of these Mullahs who are close to your country and have now, according to the boundary demarcation, fallen within the limits of the British Government.’

“It is, no doubt, true that the Mullah has committed hostile acts within the territory which it has been agreed falls within the limits of the British Government, and if my troops meet him there his punishment will be speedily accomplished. But I am informed that the Mullah has established his abode in the village of Jarobi, and though, as your Highness is aware, the country is wild and unsurveyed, and no permanent boundary pillars have been erected, it is understood that this village probably lies within the territory which, according to the arrangement proposed in my letter of the 12th November 1896, would fall within the limits of Afghanistan. Your Highness will agree with me that this man, who has given so much trouble to your Highness’s Government as well as to the British Government, must not escape the punishment for his misdeeds, and if the Mullah retires before my troops to Jarobi, or to any place similarly situated, my troops will be authorised to follow him up and destroy him and his habitation. I do not wish your Highness to regard any such

## action on the part of my troops as indicating an intention

to vary or depart from what we have agreed upon as the dividing-line in the Mohmand country. I have no intention that my troops should stay in that country, and they will certainly not go further into it than is necessary in order to carry out the object with which they are being despatched. On the other hand, if the Mullah should take flight across the mountains into the Kunar Valley, my troops have orders not to follow him beyond the watershed, but I shall look to your Highness to give orders to your officers to deal with him as he deserves, and to restrain him from exciting the foolish tribesmen to further acts of hostility.

“I have always endeavoured in my correspondence with your Highness to write frankly and openly so that misunderstandings may be avoided. Your Highness will, I hope, recognise that this is my object on this occasion.”

_From the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN _to the address of_ HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY, _dated September 12, 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“I beg to inform your Excellency that I have received your friendly letter of the 6th instant. The Mullah will not come to this country of mine, because he has acted wrongly, and, should he still come, I will expel him from my country, so that he may go towards Arabia, because he is a very wicked person. Your Excellency’s troops, however, should not advance too far (_lit._ should not make a great advance), lest some confusion arise within the limits of Kunar or among the troops which are in Kunar. The Mullah is a great knave. He should not be allowed to (_lit._ let it not be that he might) excite the people and troops of Ningrahar. Precaution is necessary, so that the Army of the Sublime Government may not raise commotion and tumult in the neighbourhood, and the Mullah excite the people and be the source of disturbances.

“As regards the remaining portion of the undemarcated boundary of that district, your Excellency states that Jarobi is possibly within Afghan limits. As up to this time no decision has been come to in regard to those places, it will, undoubtedly, be as your Excellency has written.”

_From_ HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA _to_ HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, G.C.B., G.C.S.I., _dated Simla, October 7, 1897_.

(After compliments.)

“Your Highness has probably already heard of the result of the advance of my troops against the Adda Mullah, which in my letter of the 6th September 1897, corresponding to the 8th Rabi-us-Sani, 1315 H., I told your Highness was about to be undertaken. The Mullah’s gathering has been dispersed: my troops followed him to his home at Jarobi, but he had already fled across the boundary into your Highness’s territory, and, in accordance with my promise, my troops did not pursue him further. It is now for your Highness to fulfil the part which your Highness in your letter of the 12th September 1897, announced the intention of taking, in the event of the Mullah entering Afghanistan. I look to your Highness to prevent him from concocting further mischief from Afghan territory.

“As an instance of the mischief which the Adda Mullah has been guilty of, I enclose in original a letter, dated the 2nd September 1897, from Najm-ud-din to the Mian Guls of Swat. The Mullah writes: ‘I had written to his Highness the Amir, Zia-ul-millat-wad-din, on the subject of jehad. His Highness replied that we should wait: that his Highness would consult all the military officers, Khans and Maliks of his Highness’s territory and then write again in reply, telling me the arrangements and preparations for jehad.’

“Further on, he adds: ‘Please God, his Highness the Amir will make arrangements for the jehad and issue a notification to that effect.’

“In this way, Najm-ud-din has tried to make mischief between your Highness and the Government of India, and it is not to be wondered at if, under such circumstances, people believe that they will not incur your Highness’s displeasure by acting in a hostile manner towards the British Government.

“In my letter of the 30th August 1897, equivalent to the 1st Rabi-us-Sani, 1315 H., I informed your Highness of the misdeeds of the Afridis, and of my intention to deal with them in a manner to make clear the supremacy of the British Government.

“I now have the honour to inform your Highness that a punitive force under the command of General Sir William Lockhart, K.C.B., K.C.S.I., will shortly start to march through the country of the Orakzais and Afridis, and to compel both tribes to submit to such terms as I decide to impose upon them.

“I have received a letter from my Agent at Kabul, enclosing copy of one sent to him by your Highness on the 25th Rabi-us-Sani, 1315 H., corresponding to the 23rd September 1897. From this letter I learn that your Highness has refused to receive or encourage, and has turned back, the Afridis whose representatives were on their way to Kabul. I thank your Highness for this friendly act, which is exactly in accordance with what I had proposed to ask your Highness to do.

“It is probable that, when the British troops advance, the tribesmen will follow the example of the Adda Mullah’s lashkar, and take flight into Afghan territory. I have, indeed, been informed that they are already sending their women and property into Ningrahar.

“Your Highness is aware that in December 1895 and in May last I caused the Kaffir refugees to be disarmed, and took measures to prevent their causing your Highness annoyance.

“I now ask your Highness to take similar action in regard to the Orakzais and Afridis, by ordering your local officers to disarm those who enter your limits and to prevent them from making Afghan territory a base for attacks upon my forces.”

From HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN _and its Dependencies to the address of_ HIS EXCELLENCY THE VICEROY, _dated the 16th Jamadi-ul-Awal, 1315 H., corresponding to the 13th October 1897 (received on October 20, 1897)_.

(After compliments.)

“I have received your Excellency’s friendly letter, dated the 7th October 1897, enclosing a letter from Mullah Najm-ud-din, the Fakir of Hadda, to the Mian Guls, which I have perused. I have also understood the contents of your Excellency’s letter.

“As to the escape of Mullah Hadda from his house before the British troops reached it, and as to my promise that I would turn him out from this side of the boundary if he should enter my territory, I have now to inform your Excellency that I have issued orders to search for the said Mullah by day and night in view to arrest him. The news-reporters appointed for the purpose report that the Mullah has concealed himself and is secretly moving about. I have also ordered that his whereabouts should be found out and a report made. Please God, the said Mullah’s mischief will be stopped, if he be within the limits of my territory; but if this mischievous man move about in tracts which have not been divided yet between the British and Afghan Governments, the British officials should instruct the Maliks of such tracts to make arrangements about the said mischievous man. This man does not pass a single night at one place. He is in motion like mercury: during night he is at one place, and during day at another. Such are the reports made by news-reporters. Notwithstanding this, I am engaged in endeavouring to arrest him. Your Excellency may rest assured that, if I succeed in arresting him, I will turn him out from my territory.

“I have perused the letter which Mullah Najm-ud-din wrote to the Mian Guls of Swat, and which your Excellency sent to me. I write to say that whatever the Mullah has written, he has done so with the object of deceiving the tribesmen. His object is to excite people to rebel. Some years ago he became hostile towards me, and excited all his disciples to rise against me, and made them fight with my troops. Now in this way he is making the distant people fight with the British Government. He is mischievous; he says what is advisable and beneficial in his own interests. If I had given him the said promise, he was not distant from my country, and at the outside my troops at Jelalabad were only two stages away from his residence. Your Excellency can see from the date of his letter what a lie he has told. Liars tell lies, but wise persons should distinguish (between truth and falsehood). I have known these Mullahs well for years. They are like the priests of the time of Peter the Great, who created great mischief in Russia. These Mullahs pretend before the people that Paradise and Hell are within their power and authority.

“I have understood what your Excellency kindly wrote for my information about sending British troops for the chastisement of the Orakzais and Afridis. I have also learnt about the decision which the high officials of the British Government have come to in regard to punishing the said tribesmen and bringing them to obedience.

“I have further understood what your Excellency wrote about the report which Maulavi Ghafur Khan made to your Excellency regarding the arrival of the Afridi jirga at Jelalabad, and my sending them back to their country from that place; and your Excellency expressing thanks to me for my action. As the people are seeking their own interests, their statements cannot be relied upon.

“Your Excellency writes that, if at the time of the British troops advancing against the Orakzais and Afridis these tribesmen, being obliged to flee, should enter my territory, they should be disarmed and prevented from making any attack on British territory. My dear friend, I will not, please God, to the best of my power, allow my subjects to join the tribesmen who have rebelled, in view to help them in their fights. But when they bring their families to the houses of their own relatives I will take no notice of the circumstance, because these people are mutually related to one another. They have given thousands of their daughters in marriage to one another. If I were to prohibit this mutual intercourse and prevent them from bringing their families to Jelalabad, the tribesmen would become hostile to me, in the same way that they have become hostile to the British Government. Their hostility to the British Government cannot be of much account, because the British Government is a Great Government. They have appointed troops for their punishment, composed of English soldiers, Sikhs, and Hindus. But all my troops consist of these tribesmen. They will never agree to the destruction of their own kith and kin; and they will again, under the orders of the mischievous Mullahs, issue improper edicts against me.

“It would be better if peace be made between the Tirah people, Afridis and Orakzais, and the British Government. But if not, and fight ensues, and these tribesmen should flee and come to the district of Ningrahar, your Excellency may rest assured that they will not be able any more to attack or interfere with your Excellency’s country; and until they have consented to become subjects of the illustrious British Government, I will never allow them to make any interference with British territory. But if they continue to remain in their own mountains, they will be beyond my power and control. If they come to my country, like Umra Khan, they will not behave improperly, and I will not allow them to do so.

_Treaty signed at Kabul on March 21, 1905, between_ MR. (_afterwards_ SIR) LOUIS DANE, C.S.I., _and_ HABIB ULLAH, AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN.

(After compliments.)

His Majesty Siraj-ul-millat-wa-ud-din Amir Habib Ulla Khan, Independent King of the State of Afghanistan and its dependencies, on the one part, and the Honourable Mr. Louis William Dane, C.S.I., Foreign Secretary of the Mighty Government of India and Representative of the Exalted British Government, on the other part.

His said Majesty does hereby agree to this, that in the principles and in the matters of subsidiary importance of the Treaty regarding internal and external affairs, and of the engagements which his Highness, my late father, that is, Kia-ul-millat-wa-ud-din, who has found mercy, may God enlighten his tomb! concluded and acted upon with the Exalted British Government, I also have acted, am acting, and will act upon the same agreement and compact, and I will not contravene them in any dealing or in any promise.

The said Honourable Mr. Louis William Dane does hereby agree to this, that as to the very agreement and engagement which the Exalted British Government concluded and acted upon with the noble father of his Majesty Siraj-ul-millat-wa-ud-din, that is, his Highness Zia-ul-millat-wa-ud-din, who has found mercy, regarding internal and external affairs and matters of principle or of subsidiary importance, I confirm them and write that they (the British Government) will not act contrary to those agreements and engagements in any way or at any time.

Made on Tuesday, the fourteenth day of Muharram-ul-haram of the year thirteen hundred and twenty-three Hijri, corresponding to the twenty-first day of March of the year nineteen hundred and five A.D.

AMIR HABIB ULLA. LOUIS W. DANE.

_Circular Despatch addressed by_ PRINCE GORTCHAKOW _to Russian Representatives abroad: dated November 21, 1864_.

ST. PETERSBURG, _November 21, 1864_.

The Russian newspapers have given an account of the last military operations executed by a detachment of our troops, in the regions of Central Asia, with remarkable success and important results. It was to be foreseen that these events would the more attract the attention of the foreign public that their scene was laid in scarcely known countries.

Our august Master has commanded me to state to you briefly, but with clearness and precision, the position in which we find ourselves in Central Asia, the interests which inspire us in those countries, and the end which we have in view.

The position of Russia in Central Asia is that of all civilised States which are brought into contact with half-savage, nomad populations, possessing no fixed social organisation.

In such cases it always happens that the more civilised State is forced, in the interest of the security of its frontier and its commercial relations, to exercise a certain ascendency over those whom their turbulent and unsettled character make most undesirable neighbours.

First, there are raids and acts of pillage to be put down. To put a stop to them, the tribes on the frontier have to be reduced to a state of more or less perfect submission. This result once attained, these tribes take to more peaceful habits, but are in their turn exposed to the attacks of the more distant tribes.

The State is bound to defend them against these depredations, and to punish those who commit them. Hence the necessity of distant, costly, and periodically recurring expeditions against an enemy whom his social organisation makes it impossible to seize. If, the robbers once punished, the expedition is withdrawn, the lesson is soon forgotten; its withdrawal is put down to weakness. It is a peculiarity of Asiatics to respect nothing but visible and palpable force: the moral force of reason and of the interests of civilisation has as yet no hold upon them. The work has then always to be done over again from the beginning.

In order to put a stop to this state of permanent disorder, fortified posts are established in the midst of these hostile tribes, and an influence is brought to bear upon them which reduces them by degrees to a state of more or less forced submission. But soon beyond this second line other still more distant tribes come in their turn to threaten the same dangers and necessitate the same measures of repression. The State thus finds itself forced to choose one of two alternatives, either to give up this endless labour and to abandon its frontier to perpetual disturbance, rendering all prosperity, all security, all civilisation an impossibility, or, on the other hand, to plunge deeper and deeper into barbarous countries, where the difficulties and expenses increase with every step in advance.

Such has been the fate of every country which has found itself in a similar position. The United States in America, France in Algeria, Holland in her colonies, England in India--all have been irresistibly forced, less by ambition than by imperious necessity, into this onward march, where the greatest difficulty is to know when to stop.

Such, too, have been the reasons which have led the Imperial Government to take up at first a position resting on one side on the Syr Daria, on the other on the Lake Issik-Kul, and to strengthen these two lines by advanced forts, which, little by little, have crept on into the heart of those distant regions, without, however, succeeding in establishing on the other side of our frontiers that tranquillity which is indispensable for their security.

The explanation of this unsettled state of things is to be found, first, in the fact that, between the extreme points of this double line, there is an immense unoccupied space, where all attempts at colonisation or caravan trade are paralysed by the inroads of the robber-tribes; and, in the second place, in the perpetual fluctuations of the political condition of those countries, where Turkestan and Khokand, sometimes united, sometimes at variance, always at war, either with one another or with Bokhara, presented no chance of settled relations or of any regular transactions whatever.

The Imperial Government thus found itself, in spite of all its efforts, in the dilemma we have above alluded to, that is to say, compelled either to permit the continuance of a state of permanent disorder, paralysing to all security and progress, or to condemn itself to costly and distant expeditions, leading to no practical result, and with the work always to be done anew; or, lastly, to enter upon the undefined path of conquest and annexation which has given to England the empire of India, by attempting the subjugation by armed force, one after another, of the small independent states whose habits of pillage and turbulence and whose perpetual revolts leave their neighbours neither peace nor repose.

Neither of these alternative courses was in accordance with the object of our august Master’s policy, which consists, not in extending beyond all reasonable bounds the regions under his sceptre, but in giving a solid basis to his rule, in guaranteeing their security, and in developing their social organisation, their commerce, their wellbeing, and their civilisation.

Our task was, therefore, to discover a system adapted to the attainment of this threefold object.

The following principles have, in consequence, been laid down:

(1) It has been judged to be indispensable that our two fortified frontier lines--one extending from China to the lake Issik-Kul, the other from the Sea of Aral along the Syr-Daria--should be united by fortified points, so that all our posts should be in a position of mutual support, leaving no gap through which the nomad tribes might make with impunity their inroads and depredations.

(2) It was essential that the line of our advanced forts thus completed should be situated in a country fertile enough, not only to insure their supplies, but also to facilitate the regular colonisation, which alone can prepare a future of stability and prosperity for the occupied country, by gaining over the neighbouring populations to civilised life.

(3) And lastly. It was urgent to lay down this line definitely, so as to escape the danger of being carried away, as is almost inevitable, by a series of repressive measures and reprisals, into an unlimited extension of territory.

To attain this end a system had to be established which should depend not only on reason, which may be elastic, but on geographical and political conditions, which are fixed and permanent.

This system was suggested to us by a very simple fact, the result of long experience, namely, that the nomad tribes, which can neither be seized nor punished, nor effectually kept in order, are our most inconvenient neighbours; while, on the other hand, agricultural and commercial populations attached to the soil, and possessing a more advanced social organisation, offer us every chance of gaining neighbours with whom there is a possibility of entering into relations.

Consequently, our frontier line ought to swallow up the former and stop short at the limit of the latter.

These three principles supply a clear, natural, and logical explanation of our last military operations in Central Asia. In fact our original frontier line, extending along the Syr-Daria to Fort Perovski on one side, and on the other to the Lake Issik-Kul, had the drawback of being almost on the verge of the desert. It was broken by a wide gap between the two extreme points; it did not offer sufficient resources to our troops, and left unsettled tribes over the border with which any settled arrangement became impossible.

In spite of our unwillingness to extend our frontier, these motives had been powerful enough to induce the Imperial Government to establish this line between Lake Issik-Kul and the Syr-Daria by fortifying the town of Chimkent, lately occupied by us. By the adoption of this line we obtain a double result. In the first place, the country it takes in is fertile, well wooded, and watered by numerous watercourses; it is partly inhabited by various Kirghiz tribes, which have already accepted our rule; it consequently offers favourable conditions for colonisation and the supply of provisions to our garrisons. In the second place, it puts us in the immediate neighbourhood of the agricultural and commercial populations of Khokand. We find ourselves in presence of a more solid and compact, less unsettled, and better organised social state; fixing for us with geographical precision the limit up to which we are bound to advance, and at which we must halt; because, while, on the one hand, any further extension of our rule, meeting, as it would, no longer with unstable communities, such as the nomad tribes, but with more regularly constituted states, would entail considerable exertions, and would draw us on from annexation to annexation with unforeseen complications. On the other, with such states for our future neighbours, their backward civilisation and the instability of their political condition do not shut us out from the hope that the day may come when regular relations may, to the advantage of both parties, take the place of the permanent troubles which have up to the present moment paralysed all progress in those countries.

Such, Sir, are the interests which inspire the policy of our august Master in Central Asia; such is the object, by his Imperial Majesty’s orders, of the action of his Cabinet.

You are requested to take these arguments as your guide in any explanations you may give to the Government to which you are accredited, in case questions are asked or you may see credence given to erroneous ideas as to our action in these distant parts.

It is needless for me to lay stress upon the interest, which Russia evidently has, not to increase her territory, and, above all, to avoid raising complications on her frontiers which can but delay and paralyse her domestic development.

The programme which I have just traced is in accordance with these views.

Very frequently of late years the civilisation of these countries, which are her neighbours on the continent of Asia, has been assigned to Russia as her special mission.

No agent has been found more apt for the progress of civilisation than commercial relations. Their development requires everywhere order and stability; but in Asia it demands a complete transformation of the habits of the people. The first thing to be taught to the populations of Asia is that they will gain more in favouring and protecting the caravan trade than in robbing it. These elementary ideas can only be accepted by the public where one exists; that is to say, where there is some organised form of society and a government to direct and represent it.

We are accomplishing the first part of our task in carrying our frontier to the limit where the indispensable conditions are to be found.

The second we shall accomplish in making every effort henceforward to prove to our neighbouring states, by a system of firmness in the repression of their misdeeds, combined with moderation and justice in the use of our strength, and respect for their independence, that Russia is not their enemy, that she entertains towards them no ideas of conquest, and that peaceful and commercial relations with her are more profitable than disorder, pillage, reprisals, and a permanent state of war.

The Imperial Cabinet, in assuming this task, takes as its guide the interests of Russia. But it believes that, at the same time, it is promoting the interests of humanity and civilisation. It has a right to expect that the line of conduct it pursues and the principles which guide it will meet with a just and candid appreciation.

(Signed) GORTCHAKOW.

TREATY BETWEEN RUSSIA AND BOKHARA (1873)

Concluded between GENERAL AIDE-DE-CAMP KAUFFMAN, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF TURKESTAN, and SEID MOZAFFUR, AMIR OF BOKHARA.

(1) The frontier between the dominions of his Imperial Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias and his Highness the Amir of Bokhara remains unchanged.

The Khivan territory on the right bank of the Amu Daria having been incorporated in the Russian Empire, the former frontier between Khiva and Bokhara, from the oasis of Khelata to Gugertli, is abolished. The territory between the former Bokharo-Khivan frontier on the right bank of the Amu Daria from Gugertli to Meschekli, and from Meschekli to the point of junction of the former Bokharo-Khivan frontier with the frontier of the Russian Empire, is incorporated in the dominions of the Amir of Bokhara.

(2) The right bank of the Amu Daria being severed from the Khanate of Khiva, the caravan routes leading north from Bokhara into the Russian dominions traverse exclusively the territories of Bokhara and Russia. The Governments of Russia and Bokhara, each within its own territory, shall watch over the safety of these caravan routes and of the trade thereupon.

(3) Russian steamers, and other Russian vessels, whether belonging to the Government or to private individuals, shall have the right of free navigation on that portion of the Amu Daria which belongs to the Amir of Bokhara.

(4) The Russians shall have the right to establish piers and warehouses in such places upon the Bokharan banks of the Amu Daria as may be judged necessary and convenient for that purpose. The Bokharan Government shall be responsible for the safety of these erections. The final and definite selection of localities shall rest with the supreme Russian authorities in Central Asia.

(5) All the towns and villages of the Khanate of Bokhara shall be open to Russian trade. Russian traders and caravans shall have free passage throughout the Khanate, and shall enjoy the special protection of the local authorities. The Bokharan Government shall be responsible for the safety of Russian caravans on Bokharan territory.

(6) All merchandise belonging to Russian traders, whether imported from Russia to Bokhara or exported from Bokhara to Russia, shall be subject to an _ad valorem_ duty of 2½ per cent., in the same manner as an _ad valorem_ duty of ⅟40 is charged in the Russian province of Turkestan. No other tax, duty, or impost whatsoever shall be imposed thereupon.

(7) Russian traders shall have the right to transport their merchandise through Bokhara free of transit dues.

(8) Russian traders shall have the right to establish caravanserais for the storage of merchandise in all Bokharan towns. The same right is accorded to Bokharan traders in the towns of the Russian province of Turkestan.

(9) Russian traders shall have the right to keep commercial agents in all the towns of Bokhara, in order to watch over the progress of trade and the levying of duties, and to enter into communications with the local authorities thereupon. The same right is accorded to Bokharan traders in the towns of the Russian province of Turkestan.

(10) All commercial engagements between Russians and Bokharans shall be held sacred, and shall be faithfully carried out by both parties. The Bokharan Government shall undertake to keep watch over the honest fulfilment of all such engagements, and over the fair and honourable conduct of commercial affairs in general.

(11) Russian subjects shall have the right, in common with the subjects of Bokhara, to carry on all branches of industry and handicraft on Bokharan territory that are sanctioned by the law of Sharigat. Bokharan subjects shall have a similar right to practise all such occupations on Russian territory as are sanctioned by the law of Russia.

(12) Russian subjects shall have the right to acquire gardens, cultivate lands, and own every species of real property in the Khanate. Such property shall be subject to the same land tax as Bokharan property. The same right shall be enjoyed by Bokharan subjects in the whole territory of the Russian Empire.

(13) Russian subjects shall have the right to enter Bokharan territory when furnished with permits, signed by the Russian authorities. They shall have the right of free passage throughout the Khanate, and shall enjoy the special protection of the Bokharan authorities.

(14) The Bokharan Government shall not in any case admit on to Bokharan territory any foreigners, of whatever nationality, arriving from Russian territory, unless they be furnished with special permits signed by the Russian authorities. If a criminal, being a Russian subject, takes refuge on Bokharan territory, he shall be arrested by the Bokharan authorities and delivered over to the nearest Russian authorities.

(15) In order to maintain direct and uninterrupted relations with the supreme Russian authorities in Central Asia, the Amir of Bokhara shall appoint one of his intimate counsellors to be his resident envoy and plenipotentiary at Tashkent. Such envoy shall reside at Tashkent in a house belonging to the Amir and at the expense of the latter.

(16) The Russian Government shall in like manner have the right to appoint a permanent representative at Bokhara, attached to the person of his Highness the Amir. He shall reside in a house belonging to the Russian Government and at the expense of the latter.

(17) In conformity with the desire of the Emperor of All the Russias, and in order to enhance the glory of his Imperial Majesty, his Highness the Amir Seid Mozaffur has determined as follows: The traffic in human beings, being contrary to the law which commands man to love his neighbour, is abolished for ever in the territory of Bokhara. In accordance with this resolve, the strictest injunctions shall immediately be given by the Amir to all his Begs to enforce the new law and special orders shall be sent to all the frontier towns of Bokhara to which slaves are brought for sale from neighbouring countries, that should any such slave be brought thither, they shall be taken from their owners and shall be set at liberty without loss of time.

(18) His Highness the Amir Seid Mozaffur, being sincerely desirous of strengthening and developing the amicable relations which have subsisted for five years to the benefit of Bokhara, approves and accepts for his guidance the above seventeen articles composing a treaty of friendship between Russia and Bokhara. This treaty shall consist of two copies, each copy being written in the two languages, in the Russian and in the Turki language.

In token of the confirmation of this treaty and of its acceptance for the guidance of himself and of his successors, the Amir Seid Mozaffur has affixed thereto his seal. Done at Shaar on the 10th day of October 1873, being the 19th day of the month Shayban of the year 1290.

_Translations of letters_[46] _from_ ADJUTANT-GENERAL VON KAUFFMAN, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF TURKESTAN, _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN.

TASHKENT, _June 1878_.

_To the_ AMIR OF THE WHOLE OF AFGHANISTAN, SHIR ALI KHAN.

“Be it known to you that our relations with the British Government are of great importance to Afghanistan and its dependencies. As I am unable to see you, I have deputed my trustworthy (official) General Stolietoff to you. The General is an old friend of mine, and during the late Russo-Turkish war earned the favour of the Emperor by his spirit and bravery. He has become well known to the Emperor. This trustworthy person will communicate to you what he thinks best. I hope you will pay attention to what he says, and repose as much confidence in his words as if they were my own; and that you will give your answer in this matter through him. In the meantime, be it known to you that if a friendly treaty will be of benefit to us, it will be of far greater benefit to yourself.”

_Received through_ GENERAL STOLIETOFF, _August 9, 1878_.

“Be it known to you that in these days the relations between the British Government and ours with regard to your kingdom require deep consideration. As I am unable to communicate my opinion verbally to you, I have deputed my agent, Major-General Stolietoff. This gentleman is a near friend of mine, and performed excellent services in the late Russo-Turkish war, by which he earned favour of the Emperor. The Emperor has always had a regard for him. He will inform you of all that is hidden in my mind. I hope you will pay great attention to what he says, and believe him as you would myself, and, after due consideration, you will give him your reply. Meanwhile, be it known to you that your union and friendship with the Russian Government will be beneficial to the latter, and still more so to you. The advantages of a close alliance with the Russian Government will be permanently evident.”

GENERAL STOLIETOFF sent the following letter, on his return to Tashkent from Kabul, to the Foreign Minister, WAZIR SHAH MAHOMMED KHAN, dated September 21, 1878:

“Thank God, I reached Tashkent safely, and at an auspicious moment paid my respect to the Viceroy (Yaroni Padishah means ‘half king’). I am trying day and night to gain our objects, and hope I shall be successful. I am starting to see the Emperor to-day, in order to inform his Majesty personally of our affairs. If God pleases, everything that is necessary will be done and affirmed. _I hope that those who want to enter the gate of Kabul from the east will see that the door is closed; then, please God, they will tremble._ I hope you will give my respects to his Highness the Amir. May God make his life long and increase his wealth! May you remain in good health, and know that the protection of God will arrange our affairs!

“(Signed) GENERAL STOLIETOFF.”

_From_ GENERAL VON KAUFFMAN _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, _dated Tashkent, October 22, 1878_.

“Be it known to you that your letter, dated 12th Shawal, reached me at Tashkent on the 16th October, _i.e._, 3rd Zekada, and I understood its contents. I have telegraphed an abstract of your letter to the address of the Emperor, and have sent the letter itself, as also that addressed to General Stolietoff, by post to Livadia, where the Emperor now is. I am informed on good authority that the English want to come to terms with you; and, as a friend, I advise you to make peace with them if they offer it.”

_From_ GENERAL STOLIETOFF _to_ WAZIR SHAH MAHOMMED KHAN, _dated October 8, 1878_.

“First of all, I hope you will be kind enough to give my respects to the Amir. May God make his life long and increase his wealth! I shall always remember his royal hospitality. I am busy day and night in his affairs, and, thank God, my labours have not been without result. The great Emperor is a true friend of the Amir’s and of Afghanistan, and his Majesty will do whatever he may think necessary. Of course, you have not forgotten what I told you, that the affairs of kingdoms are like a country which has many mountains, valleys, and rivers. One who sits on a high mountain can see things well. By the power and order of God, there is no empire equal to that of our great Emperor. May God make his life long! Therefore, whatever our Government advises you, you should give ear to it. I tell you the truth that our Government is wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. There are many things which you cannot understand, but our Government understands them well. It often happens that a thing which is unpleasant at first is regarded as a blessing afterwards. Now, my kind friend, I inform you that the enemy of your famous religion wants to make peace with you through the Kaisar (Sultan) of Turkey. Therefore, you should look to your brothers who live on the other side of the river. If God stirs them up, and gives the sword of fight into their hands, then go on in the name of God (Bismilla), otherwise you should be as a serpent; make peace openly, and in secret prepare for war, and when God reveals His order to you, declare yourself. It will be well, when the Envoy of your enemy wants to enter the country, if you send an able emissary, possessing the tongue of a serpent and full of deceit, to the enemy’s country, so that he may with sweet words perplex the enemy’s mind, and induce him to give up the intention of fighting with you.

“My kind friend, I entrust you to the protection of God. May God be the protector of the Amir’s kingdom, and may trembling fall upon the limbs of your enemies! Amen.

“Write to me soon, and send the letter to the capital. Please write in Arabic characters, so that I may be able to read your letter.”

_From_ GENERAL VON KAUFFMAN _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, _dated November 26, 1878_.

“I was much pleased to receive your letter, dated 24th Zekada, 1295 (November 18, 1878), and to hear of your good health. I have also received a copy of the letter which you sent to the Governor-General. May God be pleased with you. The British Ministers have given a pledge to our Ambassador in London that they will not interfere with the independence of Afghanistan. I am directed by his Majesty the Emperor to communicate this news to you, and then, after forming friendship, to go to his Majesty. I intend to go to the Russian capital after I have arranged the affairs of this country (Turkestan). As I do not consider it advisable to keep your trusted officials, whom you are in want of, here any more, I send Mahommed Hassan Khan, Kamuah (Deputy-Governor), and Gholam Haidar Khan, with two officers, back to you. I hope you will consider me a well-wisher of your kingdom, and write to me now and then. I have given instructions that, until my return, every letter of yours which they receive at Turkestan should be forwarded to the capital. Your good fortune is a cause of happiness to me, and if any troubles come upon you, I also shall be grieved. Some presents have been sent by me through Mirza Mahommed Hassan, Kamuah; perhaps they may be accepted.”

_Translation of a letter from_ GENERAL VON KAUFFMAN _to_ GENERAL VOZGONOFF, _dated December, 1878._

“The Amir knows perfectly well that it is impossible for me to assist him with troops in winter. Therefore, it is necessary that war should not be commenced at this unseasonable time. If the English, in spite of the Amir’s exertions to avoid the war, commence it, you must then take leave of the Amir and start for Tashkent, because your presence in Afghanistan in winter is useless. Moreover, at such a juncture as the commencement of war in Afghanistan, you ought to come here and explain the whole thing to me, so that I may communicate it to the Emperor. This will be of great benefit to Afghanistan and to Russia.”

_From_ GENERAL VON KAUFFMAN _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, _dated December 25, 1878_.

“Your letter, dated 27th Zel Hijja (November 20, 1878), has reached me. I was pleased to hear tidings of your good health. The Emperor has caused the British Government to agree to the continuance of Afghan independence. The English Ministers have promised this. I earnestly request you not to leave your kingdom. As far as possible, consider your own interests, and do not lose your independence. For the present come to terms with the British Government. If you do not want to go back to Kabul for this purpose, you can write to your son, Mahommed Yakub Khan, to make peace with the English as you may direct him. Do not leave the soil of Afghanistan at this time, because it will be of benefit to you. My words are not without truth, because your arrival in Russian territory will make things worse.”

_From_ GENERAL VON KAUFFMAN _to the_ AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN, _received at Mazar-i-Sharif on January 17, 1879_.

“I have received your friendly letter, dated 13th Zel Hijja (December 8, 1878). In that letter you asked me to send as many troops as could be got ready. I have written to you a letter to the effect that the Emperor, on account of your troubles, had communicated with the British Government, and that the Russian Ambassador at London had obtained a promise from the British Ministers to the effect that they would not injure the independence of Afghanistan. Perhaps you sent your letter before you got mine. Now, I have heard that you have appointed your son, Mahommed Yakub, as your Regent, and have come out of Kabul with some troops. I have received an order from the Emperor to the effect that it is impossible to assist you with troops now. I hope you will be fortunate. It all depends on the decree of God. Believe me, that the friendship which I made with you will be perpetual. It is necessary to send back General Vozgonoff and his companions. You can keep Dr. Yuralski with you if you please. No doubt the doctor will be of use to you and to your dependents. I hope our friendship will continue to be strengthened, and that intercourse will be carried on between us.”

_From_ GENERAL VON KAUFFMAN _to the_ AMIR SHIR ALI, _dated December 29, 1878_.

“The Foreign Minister, General Gortchakow, has informed me by telegraph that the Emperor has directed me to trouble you to come to Tashkent for the present. I therefore communicate this news to you with great pleasure; at the same time, I may mention that I have received no instructions about your journey to St. Petersburg. My personal interview with you will increase our friendship greatly.”

_Letter from_ MAJOR-GENERAL IVANOFF, _Governor of Zerafshan, to the Heir-Apparent_, MAHOMMED MUSA KHAN, _and others_.

“On the 26th of Rabi-ul-Awul, at an auspicious moment, I received your letter which you sent me, and understood its contents. I was very much pleased, and at once communicated it to General Kauffman, the Governor-General. With regard to what you wrote about the friendly relations between the Russian and Afghan Governments, and your own desire for friendship, I have the honour to state that we are also desirous of being friends. The friendship between the two Governments existed in the time of the late Amir, and I hope that it will be increased and strengthened by Amir Mahommed Yakub Khan.

“May God change the wars in your country to happiness; may peace reign in it; and may your Government be strengthened! I have been forwarding all your letters to the Governor-General, General Kauffman. May God keep you safe!

“The Zerafshan Province Governor, “MAJOR-GENERAL IVANOFF.”

Written and sealed by the General. Written on March 29, 1879.

Treaty between the Russian Government and Amir Shir Ali Khan, written from memory by Mirza Mahommed Nabbi.

(1) The Russian Government engages that the friendship of the Russian Government with the Government of Amir Shir Ali Khan, Amir of All Afghanistan, will be a permanent and perpetual one.

(2) The Russian Government engages that, as Sirdar Abdulla Khan, son of the Amir, is dead, the friendship of the Russian Government with any person whom the Amir may appoint Heir-Apparent to the throne of Afghanistan, and with the heir of the Heir-Apparent, will remain firm and perpetual.

(3) The Russian Government engages that if any foreign enemy attacks Afghanistan, and the Amir is unable to drive him out, and asks the assistance of the Russian Government, the Russian Government will repel the enemy, either by means of advice or by such other means as it may consider proper.

(4) The Amir of Afghanistan will not wage war with any foreign Power without consulting the Russian Government, and without its permission.

(5) The Amir of Afghanistan engages that he will always report in a friendly manner to the Russian Government what goes on in his kingdom.

(6) The Amir of Afghanistan will communicate every wish and important affair of his to General Kauffman, Governor-General of Turkestan, and the Governor-General will be authorised by the Russian Government to fulfil the wishes of the Amir.

(7) The Russian Government engages that the Afghan merchants who may trade and sojourn in Russian territory will be safe from wrong, and that they will be allowed to carry away their profits.

(8) The Amir of Afghanistan will have the power to send his servants to Russia to learn arts and trades, and the Russian officers will treat them with consideration and respect as men of rank.

(9) (Does not remember.)

(10) I, Major-General Stolietoff Nicholas, being a trusted Agent of the Russian Government, have made the above-mentioned Articles between the Russian Government and the Government of Amir Shir Ali Khan, and have put my seal to them.

_Correspondence between the_ BRITISH _and_ RUSSIAN GOVERNMENTS _Respecting the Exclusion of_ AFGHANISTAN _from the_ RUSSIAN _sphere of influence, and settling the Russo-Afghan Frontier of 1872 and 1887_.

From time to time the Russian Government has given a series of assurances that whatever its action in other respects may have been, it regarded Afghanistan as entirely beyond its sphere of action.

In March 1869, the Earl of Clarendon, then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, informed the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg that he had received communication of a despatch addressed by the Russian Chancellor, Prince Gortchakow, to the Russian Ambassador in London, containing the following declaration:

“You may repeat to her Britannic Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State the positive assurance that his Imperial Majesty looks upon Afghanistan as completely outside the sphere within which Russia may be called upon to exercise her influence. No intervention or interference whatever, opposed to the independence of that State, enters into his intentions.”

On October 17, 1872, Earl Granville addressed to Lord Loftus, Ambassador at St. Petersburg, the following letter upon the Russo-Afghan frontier.

“Her Majesty’s Government I have not yet received from the Cabinet of St. Petersburg communication of the report which General Kauffman was long since instructed to draw up on the countries south of the Oxus, which are claimed by the ruler of Afghanistan as his hereditary possessions. Her Majesty’s Government have awaited this communication in full confidence that impartial inquiries instituted by that distinguished officer would confirm the views they themselves take of this matter, and so enable the two Governments to come to a prompt and definitive decision on the question that has been so long in discussion between them. But as the expected communication has not reached them, and as they consider it of importance, both for the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in Central Asia, and for removing all causes of misunderstanding between the Imperial Government and themselves, I will no longer delay making known, through your Excellency, to the Imperial Government the conclusion at which her Majesty’s Government have arrived, after carefully weighing all the evidence before them. In the opinion, then, of her Majesty’s Government, the right of the Amir of Kabul (Shir Ali) to the possession of the territories up to the Oxus as far down as Khoja Saleh is fully established, and they believe, and have so stated to him through the Indian Government, that he would have a right to defend these territories if invaded. On the other hand, her Majesty’s authorities in India have declared their determination to remonstrate strongly with the Amir should he evince any disposition to overstep these limits of his kingdom. Hitherto the Amir has proved most amenable to the advice offered to him by the Indian Government, and has cordially accepted the peaceful policy which they have recommended him to adopt, because the Indian Government have been able to accompany their advice with an assurance that the territorial integrity of Afghanistan would in like manner be respected by those Powers beyond his frontiers which are amenable to the influence of Russia. The policy thus happily inaugurated has produced the most beneficial results in the establishment of peace in the countries where it has long been unknown. Her Majesty’s Government believe that it is now in the power of the Russian Government, by an explicit recognition of the right of the Amir of Kabul to these territories which he now claims, which Bokhara herself admits to be his, and which all evidence as yet produced shows to be in his actual and effectual possession, to assist the British Government in perpetuating, so far as it is in human power to do so, the peace and prosperity of those regions, and in removing for ever by such means all cause of uneasiness and jealousy between England and Russia in regard to their respective policies in Asia.

“For your Excellency’s more complete information I state the territories and boundaries which her Majesty’s Government consider as fully belonging to the Amir of Kabul, viz.:

“(1) Badakshan, with its dependent district of Wakhan, from the Sarikal (Wood’s Lake) on the east, to the junction of the Kokcha river with the Oxus (or Penjah), forming the northern boundary of this Afghan province throughout its entire extent.

“(2) Afghan Turkestan, comprising the districts of Kunduz, Khulm, and Balkh, the northern boundary of which would be the line of the Oxus from the junction of the Kokcha river to the post of the Khoja Saleh, inclusive, on the high road from Bokhara to Balkh. Nothing to be claimed by the Afghan Amir on the left bank of the Oxus below Khoja Saleh.

“(3) The internal districts of Aksha, Saripool, Maimana, Shibherfan, and Andkoi, the latter of which would be the extreme Afghan frontier possession to the north-west, the desert beyond belonging to independent tribes of Turcomans.

“(4) The western Afghan frontier between the dependencies of Herat and those of the Persian province of Khorassan is well known and need not here be defined. Your Excellency will give a copy of this despatch to the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs.

“I am, etc., “GRANVILLE.”

(REPLY)

PRINCE GORTCHAKOW _to_ COUNT BRUNNOW (_communicated to_ EARL GRANVILLE _by_ COUNT BRUNNOW, _February 5, 1873_).

“ST. PETERSBURG, “_January 31, 1873_.

“M. LE COMTE,--Lord Augustus Loftus has communicated to me the reply of her Britannic Majesty’s principal Secretary of State to our despatch on Central Asia of the 19th December.

“I enclose a copy of his document.

“We see with satisfaction that the English Cabinet continues to pursue in those parts the same object as ourselves, that of ensuring to them peace, and as far as possible, tranquillity. The divergence which existed in our views was with regard to the frontiers assigned to the dominions of Shir Ali. The English Cabinet includes within them Badakshan and Wakhan, which, according to our views, enjoyed a certain independence. Considering the difficulty experienced in establishing the facts in all their details in those distant parts, considering the greater facilities which the British Government possesses for collecting precise data, and, above all, considering our wish not to give to this question of detail greater importance than is due to it, we do not refuse to accept the line of boundary laid down by England. We are the more inclined to this act of courtesy as the English Government engages to use all her influence with Shir Ali in order to induce him to maintain a peaceful attitude, as well as to insist on his giving up all measures of aggression or further conquests. This influence is indisputable. It is based not only on the material and moral ascendency of England, but also on the subsidies for which Shir Ali is indebted to her. Such being the case, we see in his assurance a real guarantee for the maintenance of peace. Your Excellency will have the goodness to make this declaration to her Britannic Majesty’s principal Secretary of State, and to give him a copy of this despatch. We are convinced that Lord Granville will perceive in it a fresh proof of the value which our august master attaches to the maintenance and consolidation of the most friendly relations with the Government of her Majesty Queen Victoria.

“(_Signed_) GORTCHAKOW.”

In 1874, after the annexation of Khiva to the Russian dominions, Earl Granville wrote, on January 7, as follows, to her Majesty’s Ambassador in St. Petersburg, summing up the previous correspondence which had passed between the two Governments:

EARL GRANVILLE _to_ LORD A. LOFTUS.

[Extract.]

“FOREIGN OFFICE, “_January 7, 1874_.

“Her Majesty’s Government see no practical advantage in examining too minutely how far these arrangements (between the Russian Government and the Khan of Khiva) are in strict accordance with the assurances given to me in January last by Count Schouvalow, as to the intentions with which the expedition against Khiva was undertaken. They are not disposed to share in the exaggerated apprehensions which have at times been expressed in this country as to the danger to British rule in India which may arise from the extension of Russian influence in Central Asia.

“At the same time each step of that progress renders it more desirable that a clear and frank understanding should continue to exist between the two countries as to the relative position of British and Russian interests in Asia, and it is with that object that her Majesty’s Government think it right on the present occasion to review the communications which have passed on the subject, and the position of affairs as they stand in respect of the future. In so doing they are fulfilling the wish expressed by Prince Gortchakow, in conversation with Sir A. Buchanan, on the 2nd of November, 1869, when he begged that Lord Clarendon might be told that, ‘as both Governments are free from all _arrière-pensées_, ambitious views, or unfriendly feelings towards each other, the more fully and frankly all questions connected with Central Asia are discussed between them, the more effectually will the ‘mists’ be blown away, which, through the misrepresentations of over-zealous subordinate agents, may at any time hang over them.’

“In the spring of 1869 Lord Clarendon, in several conversations with Baron Brunnow, drew attention to the rapid progress of the Russian troops in Central Asia, and made a proposal for the ‘recognition of some territory as neutral between the possessions of England and Russia, which should be the limit of those possessions, and which should be scrupulously respected by both Powers.’

“Prince Gortchakow, to whom Baron Brunnow had communicated Lord Clarendon’s suggestions, replied that ‘the idea of maintaining between the possessions of the two Empires in Asia a zone to preserve them from any contact’ had always been shared by the Emperor, and he authorised Baron Brunnow to ‘repeat to her Britannic Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State the positive assurance that his Imperial Majesty looks upon Afghanistan as completely outside the sphere within which Russia may be called upon to exercise her influence. No intervention or interference whatever, opposed to the independence of that State, enters into his intentions.’

“Her Majesty’s Government gladly take this opportunity of again acknowledging the friendly and conciliatory spirit shown by the Imperial Government in the acceptance by them of the views advanced on the part of Great Britain, as to the frontier line of Afghanistan. Those views were stated, as you are aware, in my despatch to your Excellency of October 17, 1872, and the assent of the Imperial Government to the definition of the Afghan frontier as therein laid down, will be found in Prince Gortchakow’s despatches to Baron Brunnow of December 7, 1872, and January 19, 1873.

“Such was the agreement arrived at between the two countries. On their part, her Majesty’s Government may fairly claim that it has been faithfully executed to the full extent of their power.

“It is unnecessary to retrace the series of circumstances which, in spite of the reluctance of the Russian Government, led to the recent expedition against Khiva. In the face of these events it would be unwise not to contemplate the possibility that considerations of self-defence, or the necessity of punishing acts of plunder and hostility, may eventually give occasion for a Russian expedition against the Turkoman tribes.

“In face of the agreement which exists between the two countries, it is unnecessary for her Majesty’s Government to make any profession of their conviction that Afghanistan is perfectly secure from any hostile designs on the part of Russia. They think it best, however, to bring the fears entertained by the Amir to the knowledge of the Russian Government, and to express their earnest hope that the question of any further expedition against the Turkoman tribes may be carefully considered, in conjunction with the results which the Amir of Kabul apprehends may ensue from it. They think it right to state candidly and at once that the independence of Afghanistan is regarded by them as a matter of great importance to the welfare and security of British India and to the tranquillity of Asia.”

Prince Gortchakow replied on January 21, 1874, to his Ambassador in London:

PRINCE GORTCHAKOW _to_ COUNT BRUNNOW (_communicated to_ EARL GRANVILLE _by_ COUNT BRUNNOW, _February 17_).

[Extract.]

“ST. PETERSBURG, _January 21_.

“I have expressed to the British Ambassador the entire satisfaction which we feel at the just view taken by her Majesty’s Government with regard to the questions which we are called upon to treat together in Asia.

“In my opinion the understanding is complete. It rests not only upon the loyalty of the two Governments, but upon mutual political advantages which are palpably evident. So long as they shall be animated by a spirit of mutual goodwill and conciliation, no political misunderstanding is to be apprehended between them.

“For our part, we remain constantly faithful to the programme traced by mutual agreement, as resulted from my interviews with Lord Clarendon, and as developed and defined by the communications between the two Cabinets.

“I have repeated to Lord A. Loftus the positive assurance that the Imperial Cabinet continues to consider Afghanistan as entirely beyond its sphere of action.

“If on either side the two Governments exercise their ascendency over the States placed within the range of their natural influence in order to deter them from all aggression, there is reason to hope that no violent collision will occur to disturb the repose of Central Asia, and interfere with the work of civilisation which it is the duty and the interest of the two great Empires to bring to a favourable issue.

“Be good enough to communicate these observations to Lord Granville, and to repeat to his Excellency our conviction that the two Governments have an equal interest in not allowing their good relations to be disturbed by the intrigues of Asiatic Khans, and that so long as they both act together with a feeling of mutual confidence and goodwill, the tranquillity of Central Asia will be sufficiently guaranteed against all eventualities.”

On January 28, 1874, the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg reported to Lord Granville a further assurance given to him by the Russian Chancellor:

LORD A. LOFTUS _to_ EARL GRANVILLE.

[Extract.]

“ST. PETERSBURG, “_January 19, 1874_.

“As regards Afghanistan, his Highness repeated to me that the Imperial Government considered that kingdom to be beyond the sphere of their political action, and that, happen what might, in the internal state of that country, the Imperial Government would not interfere.”

In 1876, after the occupation of Khokand by the Russians, Prince Gortchakoff instructed the Russian Ambassador to communicate the following despatch to her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs:

PRINCE GORTCHAKOW _to_ COUNT SCHUVALOFF (_communicated to the_ EARL OF DERBY _by_ COUNT SCHUVALOFF, _February 25, 1876_).

[Extract]

“ST. PETERSBURG, _February 3, / 15, 1876_.

“His Majesty the Emperor has learned with much interest the contents of the Memorandum accompanying a despatch from Lord Derby, which Lord A. Loftus read, in my absence, to the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs.

“I enclose herewith a copy of this document, which is a reply to the Memorandum dated the 11th May, 1875, which your Excellency was instructed to communicate to the Principal Secretary of State of her Britannic Majesty regarding the relations of the two Governments in Central Asia.

“Our august Master has learnt with satisfaction the friendly desire therein expressed to prevent, by frank explanations, any cause of misunderstanding between the two Cabinets. His Majesty appreciates likewise the breadth of view with which Lord Derby puts on one side discussions of detail and restrictions which are inapplicable in view of the ill-defined condition of the countries over which the two Governments have to exercise their influence.

“Have the goodness to inform his Excellency, by order of our august Master, that we entirely agree in the conclusion that, while maintaining on either side, the arrangement come to as regards the limits of Afghanistan, which is to remain outside the sphere of Russian action, the two Cabinets should regard as terminated the discussions relative to the intermediate zone, which have been recognised as unpractical; that, while retaining entire freedom of action, they should be guided by a mutual desire to pay due regard to their respective interests and necessities, by avoiding, as far as possible, any immediate contact with each other, and any collisions between the Asiatic States placed within the circle of their influence.

“We are convinced that by keeping to this principle, and cultivating feelings of equity and reciprocal goodwill, the two Cabinets will succeed in consolidating the friendly relations so happily established between them, for the advantage of the general peace in Europe and Asia.

“Your Excellency can renew to Lord Derby the assurance that he may reckon on our frank co-operation for this purpose.”

After drawing the attention of the Russian Government, at the end of 1876, to the correspondence exchanged between General Kauffman and the Amir of Kabul, the British Ambassador received the following further assurance:

M. DE GIERS _to_ LORD A. LOFTUS.

“ST. PETERSBURG, _February 21, / March 5, 1877_.

“The Imperial Government entirely share the opinion of the British Government that a frank and cordial interchange of opinions on the question of Central Asia cannot do otherwise than contribute to the maintenance of the good and friendly relations at present established between Russia and England.

“With this view they felt ready to give, in the Notes of the 19th November / 1st December and the 3rd / 15th December, to which your Excellency refers, the assurance that Russia had not endeavoured to conclude any arrangement, commercial or political, with the Amir of Kabul, and that the rare relations of our authorities in Central Asia with the latter had never borne any other character than that of pure courtesy, in conformity with local usages in the East. While now renewing these assurances, the Imperial Government hope the British Government will recognise that practically we have never swerved from them, whatever may have been the erroneous interpretations placed by the native Asiatic Governments on the communications of General Kauffman, and whatever false importance may have been attributed to the method of transmission adopted by him. Misunderstandings on this subject were nearly inevitable, considering the uncertain character of the native populations of Central Asia, and their inveterate inclination to intrigue; the only effective way, in our opinion, of meeting this danger, lies in the good faith and loyalty which, we are glad to think, will never cease to influence, on either side, any interchange of views between us and the British Cabinet.”

The following Notes were exchanged between the Russian Ambassador in London and Lord Salisbury before General Stolietoff’s final recall from Kabul after the conclusion of the Congress of Berlin:

COUNT SCHUVALOFF _to the_ MARQUIS OF SALISBURY

LONDON, _December 7, / 19, 1878_.

“You have expressed surprise on learning that the Russian mission, which you thought had left Kabul, was still there. You reminded me of the declaration made by M. de Giers to the British Chargé d’Affaires concerning the provisional character of this mission, which was despatched under exceptional circumstances, and at a time when it was to be feared that war might break out between England and Russia.

“I have received a telegram from Prince Gortchakow, in which he charges me to ask you whether the arrangements between Russia and England, such as they existed before the despatch of the mission, and such as they are recorded in the correspondence exchanged on this subject between the two Cabinets, are maintained by her Majesty’s Government, and whether they retain in their eyes their obligatory character.

“His Majesty the Emperor is disposed, on his part, to observe all the arrangements relative to Central Asia concluded between Russia and England, and to recall immediately the mission which is at Kabul.”

THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY _to_ COUNT SCHUVALOFF.

“FOREIGN OFFICE, “_December 19, 1878_.

“In reply to your letter of this day’s date, I have to state to your Excellency that the continued presence of the Russian Mission at Kabul is the sole obstacle to a full revival of the understanding between the two Powers expressed in the correspondence which has passed between them upon the subject of Afghanistan and Central Asia; and when the Russian Mission is withdrawn, her Majesty’s Government will consider that all engagements on both sides with respect to those countries retain their obligatory character.”

In 1882 the position of the two countries in Asia was again discussed in connection with the Russian advance to Merv.

EARL GRANVILLE _to_ SIR E. THORNTON.

“FOREIGN OFFICE, _February 22, 1882_.

“The Russian Ambassador called upon me this afternoon by appointment. His Excellency told me that he had reported to his Government the substance of the conversation we had had on the 2nd instant on the policy of the two Governments in Asia, as reported in my despatch of that date.

“Prince Lobanow said that he had told his Government that I had commenced by stating that the present good relations between Russia and England offered an opportunity, of which it was desirable to take advantage, for coming to some further understanding as to the position of the two countries in Central Asia; that he had thereupon suggested a renewal of the agreement formerly made with Prince Gortchakow by Lord Clarendon and me; that to this I had replied that I looked upon that agreement as still existing in full force, but that it left certain matters undecided which it would be well definitely to settle; and that I had finished by proposing a delimitation of the Persian frontier from Baba Durmaz to a point in the neighbourhood of the Hari Rud.

“He had now received the reply of his Government. They acknowledged the continued validity of the agreement formerly entered into by Prince Gortchakow, by which Afghanistan was admitted to be beyond the sphere of Russian influence. That agreement was, however, as I had said, incomplete: and they were ready to supplement it by a settlement of the frontier of Afghanistan, from the point where it had been left undefined as far as Sarakhs.”

In 1883 the following correspondence took place:

EARL GRANVILLE _to_ MR. J. G. KENNEDY.

“FOREIGN OFFICE, “_October 2, 1883_.

“A report has reached her Majesty’s Government of an intended visit of a Russian to Kabul bearing a letter from the Emperor of Russia to the Amir.

“Such a proceeding on the part of the Russian Government would be inconsistent with the assurances which they have given to her Majesty’s Government from time to time on the subject of Afghanistan.

“I have to instruct you to inquire as to the truth of this report, and to inform me of the result by telegraph.”

MR. J. G. KENNEDY _to_ EARL GRANVILLE.

“ST. PETERSBURG, _October 3, 1883_.

“I have the honour to state that on receipt to-day of your Lordship’s telegram of the 2nd instant I immediately waited on M. de Giers at the Foreign Department, and inquired of his Excellency whether there was any truth in a report which had reached her Majesty’s Government that a Russian intended to go to Kabul, furnished with a letter to the Amir from the Emperor.

“M. de Giers at once replied that such an event was impossible. The Emperor was most unlikely to give any letter addressed to the Amir to any one. No such letter could be written without M. de Giers’ knowledge, and he could positively and solemnly assure me that no such letter had been written by his Imperial Majesty.

“M. de Giers further states that so anxious were the Emperor and himself to avoid all suspicion of Russian communication with Afghanistan, that strict orders had been sent to the Governor-General of Turkestan to desist from the transmission of letters of ceremony, or even of letters of recommendation, to the Amir in favour of travellers. In fact, all possible steps were taken to prevent intercourse between Russia and Afghanistan, which latter country was considered to be in England’s ‘orbit.’

“In reply to a suggestion of mine, M. de Giers stated that no such letter could have been written during the Moscow Coronation festivities, at which period the Emperor had been most guarded in all his dealings with the various Asiatic potentates there assembled.

“M. de Giers also promised to inform me at once whenever any intention existed of such an improbable event as the transmission of a letter from his Imperial Majesty to the Ruler of Afghanistan.”

In 1884, in view of inquiries made by the British Government as to the reported despatch of a Russian Agent to Maimana, within the frontiers of Afghanistan, M. de Giers communicated on April 15 / 27 to the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg the following:

“The Imperial Ministry can, on the other hand, state that no agent has been sent to Maimana. According to the terms of the arrangement come to between the two Powers, Maimana is included in the country of the Amir of Afghanistan, and the Government of his Majesty the Emperor is resolved to scrupulously respect, as it has done in times past, all the engagements it contracted in virtue of the arrangement in question.”

In 1885 further disquieting reports having arisen with regard to the proceedings of the Russians on the Afghan frontier, the following Memorandum was communicated by the Russian Foreign Office to the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg:

“The Imperial Ministry for Foreign Affairs has taken note of the Memorandum which was transmitted by the English Ambassador on the 16th instant, and which contains the expression of the wish of her Majesty’s Government that the agitation raised in the two countries by the rumours about the preparations said to be in progress on both sides should cease.”

The same Memorandum states that, unless circumstances arise over which they have no control, which might bring about sudden changes, the two Governments are in a position which would allow them to arrive at an arrangement satisfactory and honourable for Russia, the Amir of Afghanistan, and England!

“The Imperial Cabinet cannot do less than join in this desire of her Majesty’s Government. They have never cherished, nor do they cherish, aggressive views on Herat, or any other part of the Amir’s possessions, and they only aim at contributing to the establishment of peace and security there. Resolved, as they are, to respect scrupulously the rights of Great Britain, as well as those of the Amir, the Imperial Cabinet hope that her Majesty’s Government will display the same regard for the rights of Russia, and they are convinced that the two Governments will thus succeed in avoiding everything which might interfere with a satisfactory solution of the question now under negotiation.

“ST. PETERSBURG, _March 18, 1885_.”

The circumstances which had arisen made the arrangement of a Russo-Afghan Boundary Convention desirable, and it was agreed at St. Petersburg on July 10, 1887, that:

“(1) The frontier included between the pillars No. 1 and No. 19, and the pillars No. 36 and No. 65, should be considered as definitely settled. The trigonometrical points on the portion of the frontier line described above, and included between pillars No. 19 and No. 36, are likewise admitted as definitive. The description of this part of the frontier, as well as that of the part to the eastward of pillar No. 65, may be completed after the demarcation. The synopsis of pillars attached to Protocol No. 15, dated the 1st (13th) September, 1886, is admitted to be correct and definitive as regards pillars No. 1 to No. 19, and No. 36 to No. 65. It will be completed subsequently by the synopsis of the pillars from No. 20 to No. 35, and by that of the pillars to the east of No. 65.

“(2) Leaving pillar No. 19, the frontier shall follow a straight line up to the summit of the hill marked 2740 on map No. 1, annexed to the present Protocol. This point, where pillar No. 20 shall be placed, is known under the denomination of trigonometrical station of Kara Tepe (latitude 35° 17′ 49″, longitude 62° 15′ 17″). Farther on the line shall descend the crest of the hills, being directed from this point towards the confluence of the Kushk and the Moghur. Pillar No. 21 shall be placed on a point of this crest, or of its slope, so as to be seen from the confluence above-mentioned. A straight line shall connect No. 21 with No. 22, placed in the valley of the Kushk on the left bank of the river, 900 feet to the north of the confluence of the Kushk with the Moghur. Leaving pillar No. 22, the line shall ascend the thalweg of the Kushk to pillar No. 23, placed 2700 feet above the head of the new canal, on the right bank of which the water-supply is situated about 6000 feet to the N.N.E. of the Ziaret of Chahil-Dukhter. From pillar No. 23 a straight line shall be traced to the point marked 2925 on map No. 3 annexed to the present Protocol (latitude 35° 16′ 53″, longitude 62° 27′ 57″). Whence the frontier shall follow the line of the water-parting, passing through the following points: The point 3017 (Bandi Akhamar, latitude 35° 14′ 21″, longitude 62° 35′ 48″, pillar No. 26); the point 3198 (latitude 35° 14′ 20″, longitude 62° 41′ 0″, pillar No. 27); and the point Kalari 2 (latitude 35° 18′ 21″, longitude 62° 47′ 18″); and shall run on to the point marked No. 29 on map No. 4 annexed to the present Protocol. The frontier shall cross the valley of the river Kashan in a straight line between pillars No. 29 and No. 30 (trigonometrical station of Tori-Scheikh, latitude 35° 24′ 51″, longitude 62° 59′ 43″, map No. 3), where it meets the line of the water-parting of the Kashan and the Murghab, shall pass on to this latter, and shall follow it up to the trigonometrical station of the Kashan (latitude 35° 38′ 13″, longitude 63° 6′ 4″, pillar No. 32). From this station a straight line shall be traced to a point on the Murghab (pillar No. 35) situated 700 ft. above the canal-head of the canal Yaki-Yuz or Yaki-Yangi. Further on the frontier, descending the thalweg of the Murghab, shall join pillar No. 36 of the frontier demarcated in 1885-86. To the east of pillar No. 65 the frontier shall follow the line marked A B C D on map No. 8 annexed to the present Protocol, the point A being situated at a distance of 3500 ft. south of the walls of Tinam Nazar; the point B being near Kara Tepe Khurd-Kak, which remains to the Afghans; the point C about midway between the east and west walls of Katabadji; and lastly, the point D about midway between the wells Ali Kadim and the wells marked Chahi. The wells of Tinam Nazar, Kara-Tepe-Khurd, West Katabadji and Ali Kadim remain outside of Afghan territory. From the point D a straight line shall be traced as far as the commencement of the local frontier demarcated between Bosagha and Khamiab, which shall continue to serve as frontier between the two villages, with the single reservation that the canals of Bosagha along all their course, that is to say, as far as Koinli (point H), shall be included in Russian territory. In other words, the present demarcation will confirm the existing rights of the two parties on the banks of the Amu Daria, that is to say, that the inhabitants of Khamiah shall retain all their lands and all their pastures, including those which are east of the local frontier marked E F G on maps Nos. 9 and 10 annexed to the Protocol. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Bosagha shall retain the exclusive enjoyment of their canals as far as Koinli, with the right of repairing and supplying them, in accordance with the customs in force in regard to those of Khamiab, when the waters of Amu Daria are too low to supply directly the canal-heads of Koinli. The officers who shall be charged to execute on the spot the provisions of the present Protocol between the above-named pillars shall be bound to place a sufficient number of intermediate pillars, taking advantage for this purpose as much as possible of the salient points.

“(3) The clause in Protocol No. 4 of the 14th (26th) December, 1885 prohibiting the Afghans from making use of the irrigating canals in the Kushk valley below Chahil Dukhter, which were not in use at that time, remains in force; but it is understood that this clause can only be applied to the canals supplied by the Kushk. The Afghans shall not have the right to make use of the waters of the Kushk for their agricultural works north of Chahil Dukhter; but the waters of the Moghur belong exclusively to them, and they may carry out any works they may think necessary in order to make use of them.

“(4) The clauses in Protocols No. 4 of the 14th (26th) December, 1885, and No. 15 of the 1st (13th) September, 1886, relative to the construction of a dam on the Murghab, remain in force. M. Linoview having expressed the wish that the obligation imposed on the Amir of Afghanistan to give up for this purpose a tract of land on the right bank of the Murghab, under the conditions stipulated in the said Protocols, should be extended to the whole course of the river below the canal-head of Yaki-Yuz, Colonel Ridgeway is of opinion that the necessary steps to obtain the assent of the Amir might delay the conclusion of the present arrangement; but he is nevertheless convinced that the assent of the Amir to this cession, under the same conditions, of a tract of land on the right bank can be obtained without difficulty, if later on the Imperial Government should inform her Britannic Majesty’s Government of their intention of proceeding to the construction of a dam above the canal-head of Bendi Nadiri.

“(5) The British Government will communicate without delay to the Amir of Afghanistan the arrangements herein agreed upon, and the Imperial Government of Russia will enter into possession of the territory adjudged to them, by the present Protocol, from the 1st (13th) October of the present year.

“(6) The frontier agreed upon shall be locally demarcated by a mixed Commission according to the signed maps. In case the work of demarcation should be delayed, the line traced on the maps shall nevertheless be considered binding by the two Governments.”

[45] This letter, which is generally referred to as the letter from the Foreign Secretary, dated July 20, 1880, is known to have been sealed by Mr. Griffin and delivered by him on July 31, 1880.

[46] “Forty-One Years in India.”--ROBERTS.

APPENDIX V

A.--SUMMER SERVICE OF THE OXUS FLOTILLA

KEY: B: Number of versts from Charjui to Patta Hissar. C: Cost of transport of 1 pood of baggage from Charjui. D: Cost of transport of 1 pood of baggage from Patta Hissar. E: Number of versts from Patta Hissar.

-------------------------------------------------------- Cost of passage Voyage from Charjui for passengers to Patta Hissar. B from Charjui. C ---------------- --------------------------- 1 Cl. 3 Cl. Arrive. Depart. -------------------------------------------------------- R K R K Kop. 56 1 68 -- 56 5,6 Thur. & Mon. Wed. & Sun. 109 3 27 1 09 10,9 ” ” Thur. & Mon. 126 3 78 1 26 12,6 ” ” ” ” 151 4 53 1 51 15,1 Fri. & Tues. ” ” 212 6 36 2 12 21,2 ” ” Fri. & Tues. 233 6 99 2 33 23,3 ⎫ 225 7 65 2 55 25,5 ⎬ Wednesday Wednesday 271 8 13 2 71 27,1 ⎭ 303 9 09 3 03 30,3 322½ 9 98 3 33 33,25 Thursday Thursday 358½ 10 76 3 59 35,85 Thursday Thursday

385 11 55 3 85 38,5 ⎫ ⎫ 399 11 97 3 99 39,9 ⎬ Friday ⎬ Friday 404 12 12 4 04 40,4 ⎭ ⎭ 433 12 99 4 33 43,3 --------------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

------------------------------------------------------------------ Voyage from Patta Hissar Cost of passage Points to Charjui. for passengers touched at. from Patta D E Hissar. --------------------------------------- Arrive. Depart. 1 Cl. 3 Cl. ------------------------------------------------------------------ R K R K Kop. Charjui ⎫ ⎫ 12 99 4 33 43,3 433 Natizin ⎪ ⎪ 11 31 3 77 37,7 377 Burdalik ⎬ Sat. ⎬ Sat. 9 72 3 24 32,4 324 Polvart ⎪ & Mon. ⎪ & Mon. 9 21 3 07 30,7 307 Bashir ⎪ ⎭ 8 46 2 82 28,2 282 ⎧ Karki ⎭ Fri. & Sun. 6 63 2 21 22,1 221 ⎨ Kundalem ⎪ ⎫ 6 00 2 00 20,0 200 ⎪ Mukri ⎬ Sunday ⎬ Sunday 5 34 1 78 17,8 178 ⎩ Ak Kum ⎭ ⎭ 4 86 1 62 16,2 162 Charshangu ⎫ ⎫ 3 90 1 30 13,0 130 Kelif ⎪ ⎪ 3 02 1 01 10,05 100½ Kuyu Kara ⎪ ⎪ Mazar ⎬ Saturday ⎬ Saturday 2 24 - 75 7,45 74½ Chushka-Gisar ⎪ ⎪ 1 44 - 48 4,8 48 Shur Ob ⎭ ⎭ 1 0 - 34 3,4 34 Patta Hissar - 87 - 29 2,9 29 ------------------------------------------------------------------

B.--WINTER SERVICE OF THE OXUS FLOTILLA

+-----------------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | Voyage from Charjui | | Voyage from Patta | | to Patta Hissar. | Points | Hissar Charjui. | +-----------+-----------+ touched at. +---------------------+ | Arrive. | Depart. | | Arrive. Depart. | +-----------+-----------+-----------------+----------+----------+ | Monday | Sunday | Charjui | Tuesday | Tuesday | | Tuesday | Monday | Narizim | Tuesday | Monday | | Tuesday | Tuesday | Burdalik | Monday | Monday | | Wednesday | Wednesday | Polvart | Monday | Sunday | | Friday | Wednesday | Bashir | Sunday | Sunday | | Friday | Friday | Karki | Sunday | Saturday | | Saturday | Saturday | Kundalem | Saturday | Saturday | | Sunday | Saturday | Mukri | Saturday | Saturday | | Sunday | Sunday | Ak Kum | Friday | Friday | | Monday | Monday | Charshangu | Friday | Friday | | Tuesday | Monday | Kelif | Friday | Thursday | | Tuesday | Tuesday | Kuyu Kara Mazar | Thursday | Thursday | | Wednesday | Wednesday | Chushka Gisar | Thursday | Thursday | | Wednesday | Wednesday | Kuyu Shur Ob | Thursday | Thursday | | Wednesday | Wednesday | Chur Ob | Thursday | Thursday | | Wednesday | Wednesday | Patta Hissar | Thursday | Thursday | +-----------+-----------+-----------------+----------+----------+

APPENDIX VI

RETURN OF ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM RUSSIA TO KHORASSAN DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 21, 1903, TO MARCH 20, 1904, COMPARED WITH 1900-03

------------------------------------------------------------------- Value. 1903-04. Articles. ------------------------- ----------- 1900-01. 1901-02. 1902-03. Quantity. ------------------------------------------------------------------- £ £ £ Animals-- Camels 592 858 8,198 Number 293 Donkeys -- 56 832 ” 47 Horses -- 584 2,901 ” 155 Unspecified -- -- 94 ” 1,626 Animal products, crude -- -- -- Lbs. 232,700 Beer, vinegar, and other fermented beverages 122 221 319 ” 32,273 Butter and other edible fats 62 195 967 ” 75,754 Candles 2,283 2,139 2,726 ” 59,898 Carpets 506 348 248 ” 5,018 Chemical products -- -- 299 ” 85,593 Cochineal 385 228 573 ” 34,775 Copper and nickel, in -- -- 85 ” 1,697 sheets, bars, &c. Copper, brass, and -- -- 355 ” 38,279 nickelwork Cotton, raw -- -- -- ” 6,045 Drugs 226 1,004 160 ” 15,048 Dyes and varnishes 83 171 165 ” 14,600 Earthenware and crockery 2,343 1,236 1,090 ” 123,507 Fabrics of hemp and flax 4,746 2,764 3,858 ” 302,310 Fish, fresh and salted 61 69 -- ” 1,528 Flour -- -- 232 ” 55,983 Fruits-- Dried -- -- 620 ” 1,242 Fresh 27 51 -- ” 17,167 Furniture 432 839 1,612 ” 76,174 Glass, mirrors, &c. -- -- 1,077 ” 57,585 Glassware 7,127 4,330 1,591 ” 148,909 Gold and silver work -- -- 22 ” 1 Grain, wheat, and barley 556 849 1,430 ” 408,389 Iron in bars, &c., and scrap-iron 7,084 5,248 4,671 ” 1,084,090 Iron and steel, manufactured 4,784 3,308 2,483 ” 225,713 Lead, zinc, and tin in sheets and ingots -- -- 399 ” 32,474 Leather work -- -- -- ” 4,316 Lemonade and fruit syrups 194 261 147 ” 28,966 Matches 573 5,127 2,005 ” 221,423 Mercery and hardware 1,276 7,786 4,697 ” 25,266 Minerals not specified 98 45 16 ” 3,679 Musical instruments -- -- -- ” 410 Oil-- Petroleum 14,847 14,618 14,375 ” 4,007,985 Other 14 37 248 ” 17,889 Papers and wares thereof 1,123 1,928 1,044 ” 71,189 Printed matter -- -- 110 ” 5,480 Provisions 4 7 2,217 ” 6,819 Rice -- 4,247 3,682 ” 2,329,587 Rope, &c. 87 89 134 ” 8,769 Rubber goods -- -- 5 ” 3,195 Silk, raw 72 332 515 ” 4,830 Skins Untanned 50 633 921 ” 11,206 Other 1,748 2,074 1,532 ” 23,713 Soap 101 88 187 ” 9,322 Spices -- 448 92 ” 531 Spirits 187 227 469 ” 6,176 Stones, precious and other -- -- -- ” 2,782 Sugar-- Loaf 107,032 118,422 132,090 ” 12,696,665 Other 19,259 26,203 38,444 ” 4,330,320 Tea 961 925 353 ” 110,949 Thread-- Cotton 222 356 177 ” 8,457 Imitation gold and silver 1,112 -- -- ” 7,326 Other 449 3,565 610 ” 169 Tissues-- Cotton 70,305 115,799 65,521 ” 1,682,447 Silk 1,498 3,978 997 ” 1,245 Woollen 1,405 2,548 3,361 ” 17,383 Other 476 2,600 -- ” 2,009 Tobacco and cigarettes 2,345 1,794 3,634 ” 54,113 Vehicles 82 410 653 Number 111 Vegetables and vegetable substances -- -- -- Lbs. 28,048 Watches 139 47 79 Number 83 Wearing apparel 1,145 1,350 842 Lbs. 3,811 Wines 98 127 297 ” 3,211 Wood, manufactured -- 126 44 ” 35,516 Miscellaneous 2,523 752 137 ” 293 ------------------------------------------ Total £260,844 £341,447 £316,642 -- -- -------------------------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1903-04. Articles. -------- Destination of Imports. Value. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- £ Animals-- Khorassan only, though many of the Camels 1,806 ⎫ camels go to Azerbaijan. Donkeys 73 ⎬ Specification of various animals Horses 649 ⎪ was only kept at Meshed. Those here Unspecified 6,386 ⎭ entered as “Unspecified” are animals that entered at Kuchan, and of which no detail was kept Animal products, crude 2,926 Khorassan. Chiefly intestines and some silkworm eggs from France Beer, vinegar, and other fermented beverages 360⎫ Butter and other edible ⎬ Khorassan fats 2,059⎭ Candles 1,836 Khorassan, Seistan, Birjand, Yezd, Kerman, and Afghanistan Carpets 618 Khorassan. Chiefly Turkoman carpets Chemical products 1,086 Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, and Seistan Cochineal 1,377 Khorassan and Birjand Copper and nickel, in 58 Khorassan, Birjand, and Afghanistan sheets, bars, &c. Copper, brass, and 2,669 Chiefly brasswork. Goes to Khorassan, nickelwork Afghanistan, Birjand, Yezd, Kerman, Seistan, and samovars (tea-urns) even to India Cotton, raw 126 Khorassan Drugs 640 Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, and Seistan Dyes and varnishes 321 Khorassan and Birjand Earthenware and crockery 3,208⎫ Fabrics of hemp and ⎬ Khorassan, Afghanistan, Seistan, flax 8,026⎭ Birjand, Yezd, and Kerman

Fish, fresh and salted 45⎫ Flour 317⎬ Khorassan Fruits-- ⎪ Dried 19⎭ Fresh 162 Khorassan. Lemons, oranges, &c., brought from Resht _via_ Russia Furniture 1,994 Khorassan, Birjand, and Seistan Glass, mirrors, &c. 732⎬ Khorassan, Birjand, Seistan, and Glassware 3,520⎭ Afghanistan Gold and silver work 127⎬ Khorassan Grain, wheat, and barley 1,888⎭ Iron in bars, &c., and scrap-iron 7,646⎫ Iron and steel, ⎪ manufactured 5,845⎬ Khorassan, Birjand, Seistan, and Lead, zinc, and tin in ⎪ Yezd sheets and ingots 972⎪ Leather work 543⎭ Lemonade and fruit syrups 214 Khorassan Matches 3,616 Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, Seistan, Yezd, and Kerman Mercery and hardware 2,590 Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, and Seistan Minerals not specified 61 Khorassan Musical instruments 269 Khorassan and Birjand Oil-- Petroleum 19,619 Afghanistan, Khorassan, Birjand, Seistan, and Yezd Other 153 Khorassan Papers and wares thereof 1,908 Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, and Seistan Printed matter 270⎬ Khorassan Provisions 120⎭ Rice 22,878 Comes from Resht in Persia _via_ Enzeli and Krasnovodsk to Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, and Seistan Rope, &c. 164 Khorassan Rubber goods 532 Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, Seistan, Yezd, and Kerman Silk, raw 1,630 Khorassan and Yezd Skins Untanned 585⎫ Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, Other 1,186⎬ and Seistan Soap 352⎭ Spices 40 Khorassan, Birjand, and Seistan Spirits 245⎫ Stones, precious and ⎬ Khorassan other 73⎭ Sugar-- ⎫ Loaf 107,978⎬ Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, Other 37,694⎭ Seistan, Yezd, and Kerman Tea 7,937 Largely Indian tea. Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, and Seistan Thread-- Cotton 604⎫ Imitation gold and ⎬ Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, silver 1,325⎪ Seistan, Yezd, and Kerman Other 66⎭ Tissues-- Cotton 122,522⎫ Silk 1,175⎬ Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, Woollen 4,175⎪ and Seistan Other 296⎭ Tobacco and cigarettes 3,120 Khorassan, Afghanistan, Birjand, Seistan, Yezd, and Kerman Vehicles 844 Khorassan Vegetables and vegetable substances 1,134 Khorassan and Birjand Watches 146 Khorassan and Afghanistan Wearing apparel 1,223 Khorassan, Birjand, and Seistan Wines 95 Khorassan Wood, manufactured 99 Khorassan and Seistan Miscellaneous 56 -------- Total £405,028 -----------------------------------------------------------------------

APPENDIX VII

RETURN OF ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM KHORASSAN TO RUSSIA DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 21, 1903, TO MARCH 20, 1904, COMPARED WITH 1900-03

-------------------------------------------------------- Value. Articles. ------------------------------ 1900-01. 1901-02. 1902-03. -------------------------------------------------------- £ £ £ Almonds and pistachio nuts 3,017 1,166 1,639 Animals-- Camels 540 -- 94 Cattle 1,719 7,913 13,702 Donkeys -- -- 19 Horses -- -- 136 Sheep 429 2,008 1,905 Unspecified 2 201 313 Animal products, crude -- -- -- Butter and other edible fats -- 3 -- Carpets 20,855 15,600 32,958 Charcoal 15 -- 134 Copper-work -- -- 317 Cotton, raw 162,318 74,330 121,906 Drugs 270 212 245 Dyes 2,783 1,918 1,999 Earthenware and crockery 146 61 35 Fodder -- -- 23 Fruits, dried and fresh 5,219 10,281 2,966 Glassware 16 1 40 Gold and silver work -- -- 6 Grain 696 765 2,378 Gums 279 14 151 Gut 233 627 195 Indigo 717 352 241 Iron, manufactured 39 11 580 Mercery and hardware 365 1,823 656 Minerals, not specified 273 418 57 Oils 128 286 89 Opium 36 6,681 2,975 Precious stones 492 595 5,592 Provisions, fresh and preserved 96 37 302 Raisins 2,948 20,483 37,041 Rope, &c. 6 51 37 Shawls 12,763 16,579 12,833 Silk, raw 361 204 278 Skins-- Untanned 29,006 26,466 18,951 Other 2,270 6,070 3,448 Spices 914 443 240 Sugar-- Loaf -- -- 1,029 Other 326 2,683 71 Tea 25,197 34,062 10,255 Thread-- Cotton 201 340 56 Silk 211 ⎬ 480 ⎨ 425 Wool 10 ⎭ ⎩ 59 Timber 106 38 175 Tissues-- Cotton 15,721 21,110 13,703 Silk 3,540 10,129 11,255 Woollen 291 1,874 2,853 Other 39 199 Tobacco and cigarettes 462 152 181 Vegetables and vegetable substances -- -- 1,929 Wearing apparel 1,032 372 1,403 Woodwork -- -- -- Wool 62,770 34,498 68,121 Miscellaneous 1,078 3,415 170 ------------------------------ Total £359,935 £304,951 £376,166 --------------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

------------------------------------------------------- 1903-04. Articles. --------------------- Quantity. Value. -------------------------- --------------------- £ Almonds and pistachio nuts -- -- -- Animals-- Camels Number 8 46 Cattle ” 5,764 8,496 Donkeys ” 14 18 Horses ” 43 199 Sheep ” 22,879 8,434 Unspecified ” 8,947 178 Animal products, crude Lbs. 38,590 505 Butter and other edible ” 2,919 114 fats Carpets ” 66,125 6,233 Charcoal ” 421,512 928 Copper-work ” 1,846 149 Cotton, raw ” 10,839,589 196,081 Drugs ” 4,921 135 Dyes ” 89,245 1,280 Earthenware and crockery ” 1,547 99 Fodder ” 132,392 91 Fruits, dried and fresh ” 10,244,286 54,716[47] Glassware -- -- -- Gold and silver work Lbs. 2 30 Grain ” 33,365 163 Gums ” 13,462 181 Gut -- -- -- Indigo Lbs. 761 53 Iron, manufactured ” 1,243 73 Mercery and hardware ” 9,438 1,859 Minerals, not specified ” 1,287 74 Oils ” 1,950 24 Opium ” 18,532 8,553 Precious stones ” 1,638 4,597 Provisions, fresh and preserved ” 15,457 1,245 Raisins -- -- -- Rope, &c. Lbs. 130 4 Shawls ” 45,065 6,134 Silk, raw ” 72,326 5,074 Skins-- Untanned ” 1,841,815 48,164 Other ” 29,029 1,509 Spices ” 32,050 684 Sugar-- Loaf ” 114,862 1,302 Other ” 41,757 293 Tea ” 170,840 11,569 Thread-- Cotton ” 345 21 Silk ” 1,547 561 Wool ” 13,429 218 Timber ” 460,025 320 Tissues-- Cotton ” 142,578 12,615 Silk ” 460,764 28,030 Woollen ” 27,399 5,253 Other Tobacco and cigarettes Lbs. 559 36 Vegetables and vegetable -- -- -- substances ” 893,009 5,372 Wearing apparel ” 11,025 1,167 Woodwork ” 7,781 154 Wool ” 5,477,771 104,166 Miscellaneous ” 1,378 52 ----------------------------- Total £527,252 -------------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

----------------------------------------------------------------- Articles. Remarks. -----------------------------------------------------------------

Almonds and pistachio nuts Included in “Fruits, dried”; separate figures not obtainable Animals-- Camels Cattle Donkeys Horses Sheep Unspecified Poultry, &c. Animal products, crude Butter and other edible fats Carpets For Constantinople, American, and European markets Charcoal Exported chiefly from Sarakhs district Copper-work Chiefly basins, ewers, and trays Cotton, raw Some for European, greater part for Russian, markets Drugs Dyes Chiefly henna and a dye made from the pistachio-tree and used for dyeing skins Earthenware and crockery Fodder Fruits, dried and fresh Glassware Gold and silver work Grain Gums Gut Indigo Entered as “Animal products, crude” Iron, manufactured Entirely Indian Mercery and hardware Minerals, not specified Oils Opium Precious stones Principally turquoises Provisions, fresh and preserved Raisins Included in “Fruits, dried”; separate figures not obtainable Rope, &c. Shawls Chiefly from Khorassan, some from Kerman Silk, raw Skins-- Untanned Other Spices Almost entirely Indian Sugar-- Loaf Other Tea Entirely Indian tea Thread-- Cotton Silk Wool Timber Tissues-- Cotton Chiefly turbans. Coarse locally made cloth Silk From Khorassan chiefly, but also from Yezd and Kerman Woollen Other Tobacco and cigarettes Vegetables and vegetable substances Wearing apparel Woodwork Wool Largely Afghan wool, _vide_ “Imports from Afghanistan” Miscellaneous Total ----------------------------------------------------------------

[47] Chiefly raisins.

APPENDIX VIII

RETURN OF ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM AFGHANISTAN TO KHORASSAN AND SEISTAN DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 21, 1903, TO MARCH 20, 1904, COMPARED WITH 1900-03

------------------------------------------------- Value. Articles. ------------------------ 1900-01.1901-02.1902-03. ----------------------------------------------- £ £ £ Almonds and pistachio nuts 404 3,297 1,479 Animal products, crude 22 68 25 Butter and other fats 2,070 14,100 6,486 Camels -- 188 351 Carpets 1,291 1,091 2,524 Cattle -- 357 -- Cotton, raw 18 388 358 Drugs 1,759 741 1,189 Fruits, fresh and dried 16 171 15 Grain 594 889 671 Gum 5 -- 21 Horses -- 33 1,116 Indigo 77 161 231 Iron, manufactured -- -- 17 Leather work -- -- -- Mercery and hardware 229 819 391 Oils 47 118 -- Opium 682 865 197 Packing materials 164 630 1,015 Provisions -- 436 650 Raisins 1 440 201 Rice 5,791 5,737 2,426 Rope -- 43 24 Sheep -- 2,039 12,223 Skins-- Tanned 3,493 1,635 8,638 Untanned 1,548 1,640 7,526 Spices 24 1,347 305 Thread 62 113 702 Tissues 1,062 1,703 774 Tobacco 230 307 174 Wearing apparel 781 1,184 1,120 Wool 11,245 29,156 45,113 Miscellaneous 37 420 156 ------------------------ Total £31,652 £69,759 £96,475 -----------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

------------------------------------------------- 1903-04. Articles. ------------------- Quantity. Value. ------------------------------------------------ £ Almonds and pistachio nuts -- -- -- Animal products, crude -- -- -- Butter and other fats Lbs. 38,318 1,231 Camels -- -- -- Carpets Lbs. 18,857 1,285 Cattle -- -- -- Cotton, raw Lbs. 57,779 1,061 Drugs ” 78,072 1,742 Fruits, fresh and dried ” 69,999 607 Grain ” 4,355 56 Gum ” 131 7 Horses -- -- -- Indigo Lbs. 6,747 720 Iron, manufactured ” 3,419 58 Leather work ” 208 58 Mercery and hardware ” 2,399 400 Oils -- -- -- Opium Lbs. 104 46 Packing materials -- -- -- Provisions Lbs. 28,756 285 Raisins -- -- -- Rice Lbs. 74,302 731 Rope -- -- -- Sheep Number 8,388 2,048 Skins-- Tanned Lbs. 11,363 833 Untanned ” 324,617 8,235 Spices ” 87,126 1,060 Thread ” 2,783 380 Tissues ” 6,815 271 Tobacco ” 1,762 22 Wearing apparel ” 1,534 275 Wool ” 3,240,692 90,366 Miscellaneous ” 80 3 ------------------------- Total £111,780 ------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

------------------------------------------------------------- Articles. Remarks. -------------------------------------------------------------

Almonds and pistachio nuts Included in “Fruits, dried”; separate figures not obtainable Animal products, crude Butter and other fats Decrease of importation in 1903-1904, due to mortality among the sheep owing to drought Camels Carpets Cattle Cotton, raw Re-exported to Russia Drugs Partly Indian Fruits, fresh and dried Grain Gum Horses Indigo This is entirely indigo come through Afghanistan from India Iron, manufactured Leather work Mercery and hardware Oils Opium Decrease due to heavy increase of duty under new tariff Packing materials These are woollen sacks for packing wool, &c. Provisions Raisins Included in “Fruits, dried” Rice Rope Sheep Decrease due to mortality among the sheep Skins-- Tanned These are chiefly postins (sheep-skin coats) Untanned Large part re-exported to Russia Spices Come chiefly from India Thread Tissues Tobacco Wearing apparel Wool Re-exported to Russia, and to United Kingdom and America _via_ Russia Miscellaneous

Total -------------------------------------------------------------

APPENDIX IX

RETURN OF ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM KHORASSAN AND SEISTAN TO AFGHANISTAN DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 21, 1903, TO MARCH 20, 1904, COMPARED WITH 1900-03

------------------------------------------------------- Value. Articles. ------------------------------ 1900-01. 1901-02. 1902-03. ------------------------------------------------------- £ £ £ Animal products, crude -- -- Camels -- -- 120 Candles 50 32 139 Carpets -- -- 28 Cattle -- -- -- Chemicals -- -- 67 Copper in bars -- -- 2 ” work -- -- 125 Drugs 39 120 158 Dyes 5 298 205 Earthenware and crockery 71 27 197 Fruits, fresh and dried 36 23 145 Glass, mirrors, &c. -- -- 166 Glassware 102 2 170 Gold and silver work -- -- 39 Grain 1 -- 2 Hardware 248 51 1,324 Horses -- -- 19 Indigo 72 71 572 Iron in sheets, &c. 260 152 38 ” and steel, manufactured 108 128 101 Leather-work -- -- -- Oil-- Petroleum 31 27 428 Other -- -- 273 Paper 10 106 102 Provisions -- -- 162 Sheep -- 2 4 Silk, raw 66 -- 96 Skins-- Furs -- -- -- Tanned and untanned 100 180 54 Spices 255 524 801 Sugar-- Loaf 3,747 -- 4,925 Other 1,982 450 2,600 Tea 1,155 802 1,898 Thread-- Cotton -- 144 266 Imitation gold and ⎫ ⎧ silver -- ⎬ 601 ⎨ 9 Silk 42 ⎭ ⎩ 2,547 Tin and lead in ingots -- -- 51 Tissues-- Cotton 9,588 12,713 24,550 Silk -- 622 1,865 Woollen 5,102 336 97 Turquoises -- -- -- Vegetables -- -- -- Vehicles -- -- 24 Wearing apparel 2 162 94 Wood, manufactured -- 4 63 Miscellaneous 215 204 129 ------------------------------ Total 23,287 18,245 44,655 -------------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

------------------------------------------------------ 1903-04. Articles. --------------------- Quantity. Value. ----------------------------------------------------- £ Animal products, crude Lbs. 12,670 196 Camels Number 7 43 Candles Lbs. 4,713 154 Carpets ” 12,428 989 Cattle Number 8 15 Chemicals Lbs. 2,425 52 Copper in bars ” 1,950 27 ⎫ ” work ” 9,562 475 ⎭ Drugs ” 12,883 228 Dyes ” 3,003 27 Earthenware and crockery ” 3,081 96 Fruits, fresh and dried ” 24,649 192 Glass, mirrors, &c. ” 2,340 40 ⎫ Glassware ” 11,213 364 ⎭ Gold and silver work ” 5 34 Grain ” 14,359 73 Hardware ” 17,986 1,248 Horses Number 34 115 Indigo -- -- -- Iron in sheets, &c. Lbs. 28,900 229 ⎫ ” and steel, ⎬ manufactured ” 5,259 151 ⎭ Leather-work ” 1,287 120 Oil-- Petroleum ” 137,163 818 Other ” 3,553 87 Paper ” 780 15 Provisions ” 1,346 8 Sheep Number 1,067 195 Silk, raw Lbs. 2,977 1,580 Skins-- Furs ” 13 33 Tanned and untanned ” 1,742 91 Spices ” 20,753 602 Sugar-- Loaf ” 615,180 7,743 ⎫ Other ” 357,494 4,751 ⎭ Tea ” 1,112 88 Thread-- Cotton ” 3,458 182 Imitation gold and silver ” 533 115 Silk ” 423 175 Tin and lead in ingots ” 2,301 192 Tissues-- Cotton ” 387,777 29,792 Silk ” 9,065 4,635 Woollen ” 17,108 2,843 Turquoises ” 384 591 Vegetables ” 4,589 117 Vehicles Number 2 84 Wearing apparel Lbs. 2,460 221 Wood, manufactured ” 1,755 37 Miscellaneous ” 468 40 --------------------------- Total -- -- 59,903 ----------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

---------------------------------------------------------------- Articles. Remarks. ----------------------------------------------------------------

Animal products, crude Camels Candles Entirely Russian candles Carpets Cattle Chemicals Copper in bars ⎬ Comes from Russia and is made into ” work ⎭ trays, water vessels, &c., in Khorassanand exported to Afghanistan Drugs Dyes Earthenware and crockery Comes from Russia Fruits, fresh and dried Glass, mirrors, &c. ⎬ Comes entirely from Russia Glassware ⎭ Gold and silver work Grain Hardware Lamps, boxes in wood and metal, needles, &c., buttons and beads; mostly from Russia

Horses Indigo Indian. Export ceased owing to heavy customs duty in Persia Iron in sheets, &c. ⎫ ” and steel, ⎬ Comes entirely from Russia manufactured ⎭ Leather-work Both Russian and Indian Oil-- Petroleum Entirely from Russia Other Paper Chiefly Russian Provisions Butter, flour, and salt Sheep Silk, raw Skins-- Furs Tanned and untanned Spices Almost entirely from India Sugar-- Loaf ⎬ Entirely Russian Other ⎭ Tea Indian green tea Thread-- Cotton Imitation gold and silver Silk Tin and lead in ingots Russian Tissues-- Cotton Chiefly Russian Silk ” Persian Woollen Turquoises Vegetables Vehicles Two Russian carriages exported for Commander-in-Chief, Herat Wearing apparel Wood, manufactured Miscellaneous

Total ----------------------------------------------------------------

APPENDIX X

RETURN OF ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM INDIA TO KHORASSAN _VIA_ THE SEISTAN ROUTE DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 21, 1903, TO MARCH 20, 1904

--------------------------------------------------------------------- Value. 1903-04. -------------------------------------------- Articles. Khorassan and Seistan. Khorassan only. -------------------------------------------- 1900-01.1901-02.1902-03. Quantity. Value. --------------------------------------------------------------------- £ £ £ Lbs. £ Camels -- -- 246 -- -- Candles -- 115 19 -- -- Drugs 9 150 45 -- -- Dyes -- 32 21 -- -- Earthenware and crockery -- 83 35 1,750 37 Fruits, dried 2 -- 389 -- -- Glassware -- 1,508 34 -- -- Indigo 1,825 8,226 3,575 47,097 5,531 Iron and brass in bars and sheets -- 96 3 1,120 64[48] Leather work -- -- -- 3,250 409 Machinery -- -- 121 -- -- Mercery, &c. -- 2,487 840 3,350 2 9[49] Provisions, preserved -- 113 69 -- -- Rice -- -- 102 -- -- Skins 89 195 721 10,925 1,463[50] Spices -- 556 183 7,345 236 Sugar -- 64 131 -- -- Tea -- 9,011 434 79,579 4,134[51] Thread (cotton) and yarn -- 2 101 6,500 818 Tissues-- Cotton -- 4,427 3,281 -- -- Silk -- 155 -- -- -- Woollen -- 206 109 -- -- Tobacco -- 83 109 840 74[52] Wearing apparel -- 245 464 -- -- Wines -- -- -- 728 49 Miscellaneous -- 148 71 227 26 -------------------------------------------- Total £1,925 £27,902 £11,103 £13,060 ---------------------------------------------------------------------

[48] Entirely brass sheets used for manufacturing tea-urns.

[49] Chiefly palm-leaf fans.

[50] Largely fox-skins, which are mostly re-exported to Russia.

[51] Of this, £517 worth was green tea and the rest black.

[52] Entirely snuff.

APPENDIX XI

RETURN OF ARTICLES EXPORTED FROM KHORASSAN TO INDIA _VIA_ THE SEISTAN ROUTE DURING THE PERIOD MARCH 21, 1903, TO MARCH 20, 1904

-------------------------------------------------------------------- Value. 1903-04. ------------------------ ------------------- Articles. Khorassan and Seistan. Khorassan only. ------------------------ ------------------- 1900-01.1901-02.1902-03. Quantity. Value. ------------------------------------------- ------------------- £ £ £ Lbs. £ Almonds and pistachio nuts 261 44 37 ” 87,750 1,039[53] Butter (_ghi_) -- 1,039 -- ” -- -- Carpets -- 134 273 ” -- -- Copper, brass, and nickel work -- -- -- ” [54] 10 (tea-urns) Drugs 153 507 316 ” -- -- Earthenware and crockery -- -- 32 ” 700 94 Fruits, dried -- 62 8 ” 10,400 87[55] Grain -- -- 179 ” -- -- Horses 862 2,493 3,631 Number 192 1,792 Mules 338 162 -- ” -- -- Silk, raw -- -- -- Lbs. 312 218 Skins, untanned -- -- 429 ” -- -- Tissues-- Cotton 50 -- 55 ” -- -- Silk 1,255 2,046 7,336 ” 7,598 3,658 Woollen -- 2 106 ” -- -- Turquoises -- -- ” 180 326 Miscellaneous -- 179 32 ” -- 32 ------------------------------------------------- Total £2,919 £6,668 £12,434 £7,256 --------------------------------------------------------------------

[53] Almonds only.

[54] Not stated.

[55] Plums.

APPENDIX XII

TRADE VALUE OF THE SEISTAN ROUTE COMPARED WITH COMPETING ROUTES

------------------------------------------------------------ By the-- ------------------------------------------------- Year. Quetta-Seistan Route. Bunder Abbas Route. ------------------------------------------------- Imports. Exports. Total. Imports. Exports. Total. ------------------------------------------------------------ £ £ £ £ £ £ 1900-01[56] 1,925 2,919 4,844 [57] [57] -- 1901-02[56] 27,902 6,668 34,570 85,813 [57] -- 1902-03[56] 11,103 12,434 23,537 108,319 [57] -- 1903-04[58] 13,060 7,256 20,316 80,261 38,165 118,426 ------------------------------------------------------------

[TN: Table continues]

-------------------------------------------------------------- By the-- ---------------------------------------------------- Year. Trebizond-Tabriz-Teheran Baghdad-Kermanshah-Teheran Route. Route. ---------------------------------------------------- Imports. Exports. Imports. Exports. -------------------------------------------------------------- £ £ £ £ 1900-01[56] [57] [57] [57] [57] 1901-02[56] 18,060 -- [57] [57] 1902-03[56] -- -- [57] [57] 1903-04[58] 21,780 -- 20,800 -- --------------------------------------------------------------

[56] For Khorassan and Seistan.

[57] Not recorded.

[58] For Khorassan only.

APPENDIX XIII

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND JAPAN

_Signed at London, August 12, 1905_

PREAMBLE.

The Governments of Great Britain and Japan, being desirous of replacing the Agreement concluded between them on January 30, 1902, by fresh stipulations, have agreed upon the following Articles, which have for their object--

(_a_) The consolidation and maintenance of the general peace in the regions of Eastern Asia and of India;

(_b_) The preservation of the common interests of all Powers in China by ensuring the independence and integrity of the Chinese Empire and the principle of equal opportunities for the commerce and industry of all nations in China;

(_c_) The maintenance of the territorial rights of the High Contracting

## Parties in the regions of Eastern Asia and of India, and the defence of

their special interests in the said regions:--

ARTICLE I.

It is agreed that whenever, in the opinion of either Great Britain or Japan, any of the rights and interests referred to in the preamble of this Agreement are in jeopardy, the two Governments will communicate with one another fully and frankly, and will consider in common the measures which should be taken to safeguard those menaced rights or interests.

ARTICLE II.

If by reason of unprovoked attack or aggressive action, wherever arising, on the part of any other Power or Powers either Contracting Party should be involved in war in defence of its territorial rights or special interests mentioned in the preamble of this Agreement, the other Contracting Party will at once come to the assistance of its ally, and will conduct the war in common, and make peace in mutual agreement with it.

ARTICLE III.

Japan possessing paramount political, military, and economic interests in Korea, Great Britain recognises the right of Japan to take such measures of guidance, control, and protection in Korea as she may deem proper and necessary to safeguard and advance those interests, provided always that such measures are not contrary to the principle of equal opportunities for the commerce and industry of all nations.

ARTICLE IV.

Great Britain having a special interest in all that concerns the security of the Indian frontier, Japan recognises her right to take such measures in the proximity of that frontier as she may find necessary for safeguarding her Indian possessions.

ARTICLE V.

The High Contracting Parties agree that neither of them will, without consulting the other, enter into separate arrangements with another Power to the prejudice of the objects described in the preamble of this Agreement.

ARTICLE VI.

As regards the present war between Japan and Russia, Great Britain will continue to maintain strict neutrality unless some other Power or Powers should join in hostilities against Japan, in which case Great Britain will come to the assistance of Japan, and will conduct the war in common, and make peace in mutual agreement with Japan.

ARTICLE VII.

The conditions under which armed assistance shall be afforded by either Power to the other in the circumstances mentioned in the present Agreement, and the means by which such assistance is to be made available, will be arranged by the Naval and Military authorities of the Contracting Parties, who will from time to time consult one another fully and freely upon all questions of mutual interest.

ARTICLE VIII.

The present Agreement shall, subject to the provisions of Article VI., come into effect immediately after the date of its signature, and remain in force for ten years from that date.

In case neither of the High Contracting Parties should have notified twelve months before the expiration of the said ten years the intention of terminating it, it shall remain binding until the expiration of one year from the day on which either of the High Contracting parties shall have denounced it. But if, when the date fixed for its expiration arrives, either ally is actually engaged in war, the alliance shall, _ipso facto_, continue until peace is concluded.

In faith whereof the Undersigned, duly authorised by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement and have affixed thereto their Seals.

Done in duplicate at London, the 12th day of August, 1905.

LANSDOWNE. (L.S.) TADASU HAYASHI.

APPENDIX XIV

CHRONOLOGICAL SKETCH OF AFGHAN HISTORY

1747.--Nadir Shah, a Turcoman bandit, conquers Persia with an army composed largely of Afghans. Sacks Delhi and is assassinated in camp on return from India.

Sirdar Ahmed Khan, an Afghan cavalry general of the Saddozai section of the Abdali Afghans, seizes the treasure near Kandahar and has himself crowned king of the Durani with the title of Ahmed Shah, Duri Duran. With Ahmed commences history of Afghan nation as an independent kingdom. He builds Kandahar shortly afterwards, calling it Ahmed Shahior Ahmed Shahr. (These events occur about 1747.) Ahmed Shah reigns twenty-six years. He replenishes his treasuries by frequent invasions of India. He is succeeded by his son Timour Shah.

1773.--Timour Shah’s succession to the throne. He removes the seat of government from Kandahar to Kabul. He reigns twenty years and dies 1793, leaving three sons:

(1) Zaman Shah, who reigns four years, living chiefly at Peshawar. He is deposed by his half-brother, Mahommed, and blinded as retaliation for having caused to be executed Wazir Surfaraz Khan Barakzai (called Paindah Khan).

(2) Mahommed, who is attacked and imprisoned by

(3) Shah Shujah, full brother of Zaman Shah. He ascends the throne of Kabul, but lives principally at Peshawar.

1800.--Proposed invasion of India by the emperors Paul and Napoleon.

1807.--Scheme of Indian invasion by the emperors Alexander and Napoleon.

1809.--News having been received that Emperor Napoleon and Tsar Alexander had agreed to invade India through Persia, Mr. Elphinstone is sent as an ambassador to Kabul, meets Shah Shujah at Peshawar, and concludes a treaty.

1809.--Fateh Khan, son of murdered Wazir Surfaraz Khan, releases Mahommed and places him on the throne. Flight of Shah Shujah from Peshawar to take refuge with Ranjit Singh at Lahore, the latter extracting from him the famous Koh-i-Nur diamond, but refusing to protect him.

1818.--Murder of Fateh Khan by order of Shah Mahommed and his son Kamran. Country again convulsed with anarchy. Mahommed and Kamran retire to Herat, the rest of the country being divided between the brothers of Fateh Khan, the murdered Wazir, amongst whom Dost Mahommed Khan got Kabul, Jelalabad, and Ghazni.

1826.--Accession of Dost Mahommed, Amir of Afghanistan.

1832.--Lieutenant A. Burnes’ journey to Kabul, Bokhara, Merv, and Meshed.

1833.--Unsuccessful Persian expedition against Herat.

1837.--Persia, instigated by Russia, marches against Herat.

1837.--Siege of Herat and defence by Eldred Pottinger, November 1837, to June 1838.

1837.--Mission of Sir Alexander Burnes to Kabul to make peace between Dost Mahommed and Ranjit Singh, September 1837.

1837.--Russian agent, Vitkievitch, at Kabul, December 1837.

1838.--Wood explores the Upper Oxus to Lake Siri-kol.

1838.--Rupture of relations with Dost Mahommed. Recall of Burnes.

1838.--Beginning of first Afghan War, November 1838.

1839.--Capture of Kandahar.

1839.--Capture of Kabul, flight of Dost Mahommed, and restoration of Shah Shujah (August).

1840.--Rising of Dost Mahommed (September).

1840.--Defeat and surrender of Dost Mahommed at Bamian (November).

1841.--Assassination of Sir A. Burnes at Kabul (November).

1841.--Murder of Sir W. Macnaghten at Kabul (December).

1842.--Siege of British forces in Kabul (December 1841, to January 1842).

1842.--Retreat and massacre of British army (January).

1842.--Advance of British relief column under General Pollock (April).

1842.--March of General Nott from Kandahar to Kabul (August to September).

1842.--General Pollock re-enters Kabul (September).

1842.--Evacuation of Afghanistan (October).

1842.--Dost Mahommed restored to throne.

1854.--Meeting between Ghulan Hydel, Envoy of Dost Mahommed and Sir John Laurence at fort Abbotabad to discuss question of alliance.

1855.--First treaty between Great Britain and Dost Mahommed (January).

1856.--Surrender of Herat to the Persians (October).

1857.--Meeting between Sir John Laurence and Dost Mahommed at Peshawar.

1857.--Second treaty between Great Britain and Dost Mahommed (January).

1857.--Grant of subsidy to Dost Mahommed of 12 lakhs.

1857.--Mission of Major Lumsden to Kandahar (March to April).

1857.--War between Great Britain and Persia upon behalf of Afghanistan (November 1856, to March 1857).

1857.--Appointment of British agent to Kabul. Removal to Kandahar.

1857.--Treaty of Paris between Great Britain and Persia (March).

1858.--Recall of Kandahar Mission: agent remains.

1858.--Russian Mission of Khanikoff to Herat.

1858.--Death of Ghulam Hyder, son of Dost Mahommed; and Shir Ali nominated successor to Dost Mahommed.

1863.--Death of Dost Mahommed (June). Accession of Shir Ali; return to Kabul with British Agent from Kandahar.

1863.--Requests recognition of Mahommed Ali; treaty of peace, and grant of 6000 rupees.

1863-1868.--Civil War in Afghanistan.

Consequent upon the nomination of Shir Ali, serious dissension occurred in the family of Dost Mahommed. Upon the succession of Shir Ali, rebellion broke out, and Azim, brother to Shir Ali by a different mother, fled into British territory. Afzal, the brother of Azim, serving as Governor of Balkh, also revolted. Shir Ali defeated Afzal, imprisoning him in August 1864. Abdur Rahman, the son of Afzal, was pursued by Shir Ali. Abdur Rahman was joined by Azim, the two marching on Kabul, released Afzal and attacked Kabul in 1866. Shir Ali fled to Kandahar, Afzal entering Kabul as Amir on May 21, 1866. Recognised by the Government of India, he died suddenly in 1867. He was succeeded by Azim, who was never recognised officially by the Government of India. Shir Ali then marched against Azim in 1869, defeating him. Azim died in flight to Teheran, the final triumph and the concluding act of the rebellion being the accession to the throne of Shir Ali Khan in 1869.

1865.--Mahommed Ali killed.

1869.--Flight of Abdur Rahman Khan to Samarkand.

1869.--Shir Ali endeavours to obtain recognition by British Government of his son Abdullah Jan as successor. Refused.

1869.--Umballa Conference between Lord Mayo and Shir Ali (March).

1869.--First overtures from Lord Clarendon to Prince Gortchakow about Afghanistan.

1872.--Gortchakow-Granville Agreement as to boundaries of Afghanistan (October).

1872.--Seistan Boundary Commission.

1873.--Evidences of estrangement of Shir Ali from Government of India.

1873.--Abdullah Jan proclaimed heir-apparent. Yakub Khan revolts. Flight to Herat.

1874.--Imprisonment at Kabul of Yakub Khan.

1876.--Cool reception of Mission from Lord Lytton to Kabul.

1876.--Quetta occupied.

1877.--Abortive Conference at Peshawar between Sir L. Pelly and the Prime Minister of Shir Ali, Nur Mahomet Shah (February).

1877.--Estrangement of Shir Ali completed.

1878.--Kauffman threatens invasion of Afghanistan and India (June).

1878.--Pamir column despatched under General Abramoff (June).

1878.--Arrival of Stolietoff mission at Kabul (July).

1878.--Refusal of Shir Ali to allow the Mission under Sir Neville B. Chamberlain, Commander of the Madras army, to enter Afghanistan. Major Cavagnari and party threatened with attack at Ali Musjid if progress through Khyber Pass maintained (September 20 and 21).

1878.--Advance continued, November 21.

1878.--Colonel Grodekoff’s ride from Samarkand to Herat (October to November).

1878.--Denunciation of alliance with Dost Mahommed by Lord Lytton (November 21).

1878.--Second Afghan War begun (November).

1878.--Flight of Shir Ali from Kabul and release of Yakub Khan.

1879.--Death of Shir Ali in February and accession of Yakub Khan (February).

1879.--Treaty of Gandamak with Yakub Khan (June 8).

1879.--Assassination of Sir L. Cavagnari at Kabul, Dr. Ambrose Kelly, Lieut. Hamilton, and Mr. Jenkins and others (September 3 and 4).

1879.--Third Afghan War begun (September 6). March of General Roberts on Kabul.

1879.--General Roberts arrives at Kabul (September 28), and occupies Dakka (September 22).

1879.--Execution of murderers of Sir L. Cavagnari (October 20-24).

1879.--Twenty-five thousand Afghans defeated by Generals Roberts and Gough (December 23).

1879.--Kabul deserted by Afghans; re-occupation by British (December 26).

1879.--Yakub Khan deported to India (December).

1880.--Recognition of Abdur Rahman Khan as Amir (July).

1880.--Disaster of Maiwand (July 27). Defeat of General Burrows by Ayub Khan.

1880.--March of Sir F. Roberts to the relief of Kandahar (leaving Kabul August 8, arriving Kandahar August 31).

1880.--Rejection of Ayub’s terms by Sir F. Roberts and defeat of Ayub at Mazra (or Battle of Kandahar on September 1).

1881.--Evacuation of Kandahar and entry of Abdur Rahman (September 30).

1882-1883.--Surveys of Lessar.

1882.--Moslim agent appointed to represent British Government at Kabul.

1882.--Quetta district handed over on a rent to the British.

1882.--Prince Lobanoff converses with Lord Granville _re_ Prince Gortchakow’s circular of 1873.

1883.--Occupation by Russia of Tejend oasis (October).

1883.--Quetta district ceded to Great Britain.

1883.--Shignan and Roshan occupied by Abdur Rahman Khan.

1883.--Abdur Rahman passes a law concerning the status of women.

1883.--Subsidy of 12 lakhs, granted by Lord Ripon to Abdur Rahman, due.

1884.--Frontier negotiations between Great Britain and Russia. Sir Peter Lumsden proceeds with British Mission to Herat to demarcate Northern Boundary of Afghanistan.

1884.--Recommencement of Quetta Railway.

1884.--Sir P. Lumsden sent as British Boundary Commissioner (October 1884).

1884.--The Russians occupy Pul-i-Khatun (October).

1885.--The Russians occupy Zulfikar and Akrobat, and advance upon Pendjeh (February).

1885.--Fight between the Russians and Afghans at Tash-Kepri on the Kushk (March 30).

1885.--Rawal Pindi conference between Lord Dufferin and Abdur Rahman Khan. Amir received K.C.S.I. (April).

1885.--War scare in Great Britain (April).

1885.--Sir P. Lumsden recalled. Colonel West Ridgeway remains on the scene of activities of Mission.

1885.--British and Russian Boundary Commissioners meet again. First boundary pillar formally erected (November 12).

1886.--Bolan Railway constructed to Quetta.

1886.--Demarcation of Afghan boundary up to separation of Commission (September).

1886.--Return of British Commission through Kabul to India (October).

1887.--Occupation of Karki by Russia (May).

1887.--Negotiations at St. Petersburg continued and concluded (July).

1887.--Final settlement and demarcation of Afghan frontier (winter).

1887.--Escape of Ayub Khan from Persia; failure of rebellion in Afghanistan.

1887.--Surrender of Ayub Khan to General Maclean, Viceroy’s Agent at Meshed, and detention in India.

1888.--Quetta Railway continued to Kila Abdulla (January).

1888.--Revolt of Is-hak Khan against Abdur Rahman Khan (July to September).

1888.--Retreat of Is-hak Khan to Samarkand.

1889.--War scare on the Oxus boundary (February to March).

1891.--Abdur Rahman introduces the Oath of Allegiance on the Koran among his councillors.

1891.--Abdur Rahman appoints Habib Ullah to hold public Durbars.

1893.--Sir Mortimer Durand goes to Kabul to explain drift of negotiations between Great Britain and Russia in connection with Northern frontier and Pamir region.

1893.--Durand Agreement.

1893.--Increase of subsidy granted to Abdur Rahman by six lakhs, and permitted to import munitions of war as required.

1893.--Abdur Rahman recognises British protectorate over Chitral and agrees to respect Bajaor and Swat.

1893.--New Chaman occupied as railway terminus.

1894.--Abdur Rahman invited to England by Queen Victoria; unable to accept.

1895.--Abdur Rahman abolished slavery in Afghanistan.

1895.--Oath of Allegiance accepted from whole of the State of Afghanistan by Abdur Rahman.

1895.--Abdur Rahman adopts title Zia-ul-Millat-ud-Din.

1895.--Visit of Nasr Ullah Khan, second son of Abdur Rahman, to England.

1901.--Death of Abdur Rahman (October 1). Habib Ullah proclaimed (October 3).

1902-1903.--Re-erection of boundary pillars on Perso-Afghan border.

1903.--Construction Quetta-Nushki Railway begun.

1903-1904-1905.--McMahon Mission for delimitation of Seistan boundary.

1904.--Opening of the Orenburg-Tashkent Railway.

1904.--Visit of Sirdar Inayat Ullah to India.

1904-1905.--Mission of Sir Louis Dane to Kabul.

1905.--Opening of the Quetta-Nushki Railway (November).

1905.--Resignation of Lord Curzon of Kedleston. Appointment of Earl Minto as Viceroy of India. Kitchener-Curzon controversy.

1905-06.--Extension of railway to Dakka.

1906.--Shah rejects the award made by McMahon Mission in respect of the waters of the Helmund.

1906.--Rumours of autumn. Visit of Habib Ullah to India.

[Illustration: MAP OF AFGHANISTAN BY Angus Hamilton Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society

London: H. Heinemann. _Stanford’s Geogˡ Estabᵗ London_]

INDEX

Abdur Rahman, 91, 152, 247, 253, 258, 355-356, 433 Accession of Habib Ullah and, 432 Administrative system of, 269, 272 Afridi Elders and, 421-422, 424 Army under, 318-321, 325 Chitral crisis and, 415 Decline and death of, 432-434, 439 Lord Dufferin and, 401 Sir M. Durand and, 406 Lord Elgin and, 416, 418, 420 Europeans employed by, 394 Fiscal policy of, 231, 290-291 Foreign relations, 356-357, 403, 446 Frontier disturbances, 419, 422, 424 Gifts to, 402 Gun-running, 397 Sir Lepel Griffin and, 400 Imports of munitions, 407 Indian Government and, 419-425 Invited to England, 409 Mobilisation scheme, 432 Mullahs and, 415-416, 442 Queen Victoria, 433 Reception of Turkish visitor by, 416 Recognition of, as Amir, 400 Refusal to visit India, 403 Refusal to receive Roberts Mission, 405 Lord Ripon and, 400 Shir Afzal, 413, 414 and South African War, 432 Subsidy, 407 Swat-Tochi rising, 417 Theological studies of, 415 Treaties, 406, 412, 455 Tribal affairs, 270-271, 443, 447 Visits Afghan-Turkestan, 402 Warns Viceroy, 409 Western therapeutics and, 389

Abramoff, General, 40

Adiz Abad, 69

Afghan Turkestan, 94, 242, 262 Area of, 247 Coal deposits in, 396 Subjugation of, 250 Visited by Abdur Rahman, 402

Afghan War, First, 148 Second, 151, 152, 448

Afghanistan, administrative system of, 269-287 British relations with, 147-149, 155-156, 187-189, 220, 250, 356, 373, 375, 446, 455, 457, 458 Climate of, 261, 262 Currency of, 283 Ethnographic distribution, 262-263, 267-268 Khanates of, 250-253 Laws of, 275-280 Minerals of, 304 Orology of, 259, 260 Products and manufactures, 298-307 Provinces of, 242-247 Revenue of, 282-287 Rivers in, 260-276 (_See_ Rivers) Russian relations with, 121-122, 356, 440, 443, 447, 457-458 Trade of, 236, 288-298, 306

Afridis, 264, 408, 417, 418, 419, 423, 446

Agerskski valley, 14

Agreements (_See_ Treaties)

Ahmed Khan, Sirdar, 189

Ahmed, Shah, tomb of, 190, 193

Akcha, 247, 258

Akrobat, 401

Aktash, 174

Ak-Tepe, 117

Aktinbinsk, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14

Alai mountains, 25, 26, 30

Alayar Khan, 62

Alcock, Surgeon-Captain A. W., 156

Alexander II., 60

Alexander of Macedon, 58, 62, 109

Alexandrovski, 18

Alexeieffski, 120, 124

Alichm Pamir, 174

Ali Mardan Khan, 377

Ali Masjid, 419 (_See also_ Khyber)

Ali Yai Khan, remarks of, 445

Alvar, 259

Amir Ullah Khan, 362, 436

Ampthill, Lord, 452

Amritsar, 202

Amu Daria (_See_ Oxus)

Amu Daria flotilla, 74, 75, 96, 97, 98, 102-104

Anardara, 204

Anderab, 244, 253

Anderson, Mr., 409

Andijan, 6, 11, 43, 49, 59, 110

Andkhui, 173, 242, 247, 258-259

Anglo-Afghan Boundary Mission, 155

Anglo-Russian Boundary Mission, 138, 141

Annenkoff, General, 7, 76

Annenkovo, 76, 77

Aral sea, 10, 16, 95, 96

Ardewan pass, 126, 157

Aris, 11

Army, 308-326 Under Abdur Rahman, 318-321, 325 Under Dost Mahommed, 308-311 Under Habib Ullah, 321-324 Under Shir Ali, 311-318

Askhabad, 3, 4, 5, 11, 70, 103, 173

Aslam Khan, Colonel, 419

Asmar valley, 403, 408, 425

Auckland, Lord, 1, 148

Aulie-ata, 8

Ayub Khan, 152, 187

Baber, 346

Badakshan, 242, 243, 244, 250-253, 405

Badghis, 156

_Bad-i-sad-o-bist roz_, 223

Badjira, 129

Baghdad, 237, 238

Baglan, 253

Bairam Ali, 77, 78, 79

Bajaur-Mohmands, 408, 412, 413, 414, 417

Bakhtiaris, 204

Bakwa plain, 181

Bala Murghab, 119, 135, 142

Balfour, Mr. A. J., speeches of, 457

Balkan hills, 96

Balkash, 8

Balkh, 173, 177, 242, 247, 250, 256-257, 260, 310-311

Balkh-Herat route, list of marches, 329-330

Baluchis, 204, 226, 227, 228, 241

Baluchistan, 189

Bam, 237

Bamian, 182, 243, 247

Band-i-Turkestan, 258

Bangash, Upper, 243

Bannu, 429

Barak pass, 228

Barakail, 250

Barkhani, 76

Barnaul, 8

Baroghil pass, 244

Barton, Captain, 419

Basawul, 359

Basra, 238

Basra-Baghdad-Kermanshah-Teheran route, comparison of, with Nushki-Seistan route, 237, 238

Belgian customs in Seistan, 235

Beetroot in Chimkent district, 19

Bell, Captain R. C., 241

Bellew, _cited_, 197

Benadar Kalan, 185

Benn, Major, 232

Ber Kazan, 10

Bibi Halima, 360, 361, 366, 369

Biggs, General Yeatman, 419

Binket (_See_ Tashkent)

Bird, Major, 357, 358, 394, 395

Bird, General Corrie, 416

Bish Agatchski, 49

Black Sands of Bokhara (_See_ Kara Kum)

Blood, General Sir Bindon, 417, 425

Bodorodski, 59

Bokhara, Khanate of, 25-39 City, 2, 6, 30, 36-39, 49, 52, 70-71, 104 Bazaars, 34, 44 Commercial relations, 70, 71 Imports from Kandahar, 203 Irrigation, 94 Masjid-i-Jama, 36 Medjidi Kalyan, 35 Medresse Mir-i-Arab, 36 Minai Kalan, 36 Population, 26, 29, 30, 33 Products, 29-30 Registan, 34 Soil, 29-30 Submission to Russia, 150 Walls of, 30 Water difficulty, 25, 26, 33, 72 Women in, 33, 34

Bolan pass, 230

Bombay, imports from, into Kandahar, 201-202

Bori valley, 260

Bozai Gumbaz, 85

British agent in Kabul, 374 Agent at Koh-i-Malik-Siah, 234 Interests in Persia, 220 in Seistan, 241 Merchants at Bunder Abbas, 237 Relations with Afghanistan, 147, 148, 149, 155, 156, 220, 250, 373-375, 446, 454, 457, 458 Relations with Russia, 1-3, 187, 188, 189, 448 Support of Abdur Rahman as Amir, 356

Brett, Lieutenant, 241

Brodrick, Mr. St. John, 452

Brooke, Captain Victor, 453

Brown, The Misses, 354, 395, 399

Bruce, Mr., 409

Buluna Khel, 408

Bunder Abbas, 234, 237 British merchants at, 237 Rate of camel-hire, 234

Buner, 408

Burnes, Alexander, 147-148

Burrows, General, 152, 187

Bushire, 237

Bustan, 69

Butkhak, 243

Cameron, Mr., 394

Campbell, Lieutenant, 310-311

Canals: Angar, 48 Balungar, 65 Bos Su, 11, 59 Emperor Nicholas I., 59 Khani Yab, 114 Russki, 61 Shari Rud, 33, 73 Tchüli, 18 Tokhtamish, 79 Tumen, 10

Caspian Sea, 4, 95, 96

Cavagnari, Sir Louis, 347

Central Asian railway, 8, 11, 15, 18, 70, 75, 103, 155, 173

Chageh, 231, 232, 234, 408

Chahil Dukteran, 112, 125

Chakdara, 414, 417

Chakmakchak, 182

Charasia, 152

Chardar, 67

Charhardeh valley, 346

Charjui, 8, 74, 75, 76, 96, 97, 98, 102, 103, 104, 107, 108, 109

Charog, 86, 90, 91, 174

Chasma Sabz, 126

Chelyabinsk, 23

Chemen-i-Bed, 120

Chernaieff, General, 20, 48, 60, 61

Chernaievo, 59, 60, 61

Chigman, 49

Chilas, 408

Chiltan hills, 226

Chimkent, 6, 16, 18, 19, 20, 23

Chitral, 408, 413, 414, 415 British occupation of, 403 Military establishments of, 427 Relief of, 414 Shir Afzal, Mehtar of, 413, 414

Christie, _cited_, 169

Chushka, 173

Cidj Duvan, 69

Clarendon, Lord, 445

Clarke, Mr., 406

Clements, Mr., 394

Cleveland, Major, 394, 399, 354, 399 Mrs., 354, 399

Coldstream, Lieutenant, 410

Coal, 14, 396

Communications, 91, 92, 93, 329-341

Connaught, T.R.H. Duke and Duchess of, 401

Connolly, _cited_, 169

Copper, 14

Cotton, 30, 69, 73, 78, 117

Court, _cited_, 197

Cranbourne, Lord, 451

Currency, 436

Curzon, Hon. George Nathaniel, M.P., 427 Literary works of, 427 Visits Kabul, 427

Curzon of Kedleston, Lord, 426, 439, 452 Abdur Rahman’s death and, 440 Dane Mission, 453, 454, 455 Habib Ullah, 451 N.-W. F. Province, 431, 432 Reforms of, 427

Customs, Belgian, in Seistan, 235

Dakka, 359, 429

Daly, Mrs., 391, 392, 394, 395

Dane, Sir Louis, 453, 454-456 Mission, 189, 348, 353, 357, 360 Treaty, 373, 455, 456

Darband, 90

Darwaz, 25, 29, 30, 93, 244

Dawar valley, 260

Dasht-i-Margo, 221

Daulatabad, 129

Deane, Major, 425

Dehdadi, 177, 257

Dera Ismail Khan, 409, 429

Dera Ismail Khan-Kandahar, list of marches between, 335-337

Deregez valley, 129

Dersai, 89

Deserts: Bolshiye sands, 9 Bolshiye Barsuki sands, 12, 13, 14 Golodnaya, 62 Kara Kum, 1, 6, 18, 44, 73, 76, 77, 96, 129, 156 Maliye Barsuki, 9

Desert shrubs (_See_ Saxaoul)

Dir, 408, 417 Mir of, 413

Diseases: Cholera, 450 Malaria, 18, 33, 50, 61, 114, 117, 124, 135 _Filaria Medinesis_, 33

Diwal Khol, 182

Djilgi valley, 11

Djulek, 10, 18

Djuma, 66

Dobbs, Mr. H. R., 453

Donald, Mr., 406

Donovan, Mr., 354, 394

Dost Mahommed, 169, 249, 269, 250 Afghan army under, 308, 311 Death of, 150 and Great Britain, 149

Dress, 379-384

Dufferin, Marquess of, 401, 402, 403

Durand, Major E. L., 155 Sir Mortimer, 405, 406, 446

Durani, Ahmed Shah, 249, 263, 264

Duranis, 178, 197, 263, 264, 344 Nurzai, 179

Durbadam, 129

Edrisi, 96

Education, 388-389

Edwards, Mr., 394

Elgin, Earl of, 409 Abdur Rahman, 416, 418, 420 Administration of, 439

Elles, Major-General Sir Edmond, 417, 418, 419

Ellis, Colonel, 406

Elphinstone, 348 _cited_, 197

Erivan, 130

Ersaris, 29, 111, 264

Europeans in Kabul, 394

Faizabad, 177, 242, 244, 253

Farab, 73, 74, 75, 96, 101, 103, 104, 129

Farah, 178, 180, 181, 182, 186, 249, 250 Strategic importance of, 181

Farkhar, 244

Fazindaz, 182

Fenn, Major, 406

Feramorz Khan, 162

Ferghana, 65

Ferozkhois, 264

Ferrier, _cited_, 169, 197

Ferries on the Oxus, 108

Festivals: Asad, 388 Barat, 387 Id, 387, 416 Nauroz, 387, 415 Ramasan, 387

Fever, Kushk valley, 124 Murghab valley, 135 (_See_ Malaria)

_Filaria Medinesis_, 33

Finlayson, Mr., 347, 354, 394

Fishing industry, Aral basin, 16

Firuza, 129

Fleischer, Mr., 392, 394 Murder of, 358-360

Fleischer, Mrs., 360, 397-398

Forts, list of, 326-328

Fowler, Sir Henry, 409, 415

Frontier, N.-W.: activity on, 403 Province, 429, 430, 431

Galkin, Colonel, 156

Gandamak, 402 Treaty of, 151

Gardan Diwar, 182

Garmab, 182

Gee, Mr., 416

Gerard, Major-General M. G., 155

Germany, antagonism of, 217, 218 Misrepresentations of Press, 218, 219

Ghaoch Khol, 182

Gharan, 90, 91, 93, 244

Ghazis, 388

Ghazni, 243, 260, 262, 305, 343-345

Ghilzais, 197, 263-264, 344 Trade with Kabul, 243

Ghorband, 243

Ghori, 244, 253

Ghorian, 248

Ghulam Ali Khan, Sirdar, 177, 247

Ghulam Haidar Khan (Sipah Salar) 403, 406, 412, 413, 414, 415, 417, 425 Abdur Rahman and, 410 Kafiristan, 413 Umra Khan, 413

Ghulam Hussein (Sipah Salar), 453

Giers, M. de, 445

Gilgit, 414 Agency, 427 Military establishment of, 427

Girdi Tallao, 228

Girishk, 178, 182, 185, 186, 187, 250

Girishk-Seistan, list of marches between, 341-342

God-i-Zirreh, 211

Gold, 14

Goldsmid, Sir Frederic, 212 Mission, 213, 216, 217, 218

Golodnaya steppe, 59, 62

Gomul pass, 343, 344, 345

Gomul valley, 260, 413, 429

Gore, Captain St. George, 155

Gortchakoff, Prince, 445

Grant, Mr., 394, 409

Gray, Dr. J. A., 389, 391, 392, 394, 395

Griffin, Sir Lepel, 400

Gulriz, 369

Gumesli, 123

Gun-running, 397

Guthrie, Mr. T. B., 375

Guzar, 173

Habib Ullah, Amir, 355, 360, 361, 362, 415, 432, 446 Abdur Rahman and, 433, 450 Accession, 434, 435, 436 Afghan envoys, 452 Army under, 321-324 Border tribes and, 446, 447 Dane Mission and, 454, 456, 457 Death of Abdur Rahman, 434 Europeans employed by, 394 received by, 354-358 Gun accident to, 357, 358, 394 Hadda Mullah and, 441, 442, 443, 448 Harem of, 362-369 Id festival and, 439 Inayat-Ullah and, 452 Islamism, 387 Khawas Khan and, 447 Nazr Ullah and, 338, 447 Pedigree of, 365 Policy of, 247, 291, 370-371, 388, 397 Priestly influence upon, 362 Quetta-Chaman Railway, 441 Russia, 440-441, 444, 457 Shiahs and, 386 Subsidy, 441, 446, 450 Sunnis and, 386

Hadda Mullah, 415, 417, 422, 425, 441, 442, 443, 446, 448

Hafiz Ullah Khan, 253

Haibak, 243, 254

Haji Khak pass, 182

Hamilton, Lord George, 431, 445, 448 Miss Lillias, 389, 390, 391, 394

Hardinge, Sir Arthur, 219

Hastings, Mr. C., 410

Hari Rud, valley of, 156

Hayat Ullah Khan, 247, 362, 369

Hazaras, 169, 243, 264, 344, 402, 403, 405

Hazrat Ali, 82, 257 Imam, 253

Helmund river, 107, 178, 182, 185, 260-261 Fords and ferries, 185 Seistan boundary and, 211, 213, 214, 215, 216

Herat City, 110, 111 119, 124, 125, 130, 166, 169, 178, 180, 181 Citadel of, 161 Defences of, 157-162 Description of, 157, 158 Deterioration of, 170 Garrison of, 162 Population of, 169, 170 Strengthening of, 401

Herat: Expedition to, 147, 148, 149 Independence of, declared, 148 India and, 136 Persia and, 148, 149, 249 Restoration of, to Afghanistan, 149 Russia and, 162, 165, 173 Strategic position of, 173 Trade of, 170, 173 Trans-Afghan Railway and, 189

Herat-Balkh, list of marches between, 329

Herat-Kandahar route, list of marches, 331-335

Herat-Maimana, list of marches between, 341

Herat, province of, 156, 248-249

Hindu Kush mountains, 1, 89, 90, 92, 242, 243, 244, 247, 259, 260

Hindus, 29, 33, 169, 197, 198, 230, 255, 256, 259, 344, 379

Hissar, 173

Holdich, Colonel Sir Thomas, 410, 413, _cited_, 197 Colonel T. H., 155 Major T. H., 155

Hough, _cited_, 197

Hunza, 403

Husseinabad, 223, 224

Huzar, 129

Ibrahim Khan, Sirdar, 362

Id festival, 387, 439

Idgah mosque, 387, 439

Igdy wells, 96

Ikan, 11

Ikram-ul-Mul, 129

Ilek, 7

Iletsk, 8, 13 Mines, 13

Ilijik, 104

Ilyan Uta defile, 62

Imam Baba, 117 Kuli, 129 Nasar, 129

Inayat Ullah Khan, 357, 362, 369 Visit to India, 452

Indekki palace, 406

Indian Government, border tribes, 447 Correspondence with Abdur Rahman, 401, 406, 416, 418-425 Claims of, 408 Relations with Kabul, 148-149, 250, 373-375, 446, 454, 457-458

Indian plague and Seistan, 235 Trade with Afghanistan, 295-297 Trade with Seistan, 235

Indus river, 260, 261, 429

Irghiz, 16

Iron, 14, 244

Irvine, Major W., 241

Isazais, 403

Ishkashim, 86, 90, 91, 93, 244

Ivanoff, General, 39

Jagdalik, 242

Jamshidis, 136, 169, 264

Jandol, Khan of, 413

Jan Mahommed, 169

Jelalabad, 243, 261, 408, 410

Jerome, Monsieur, 394

Jews, 29, 33, 114, 119, 169, 256, 259

Jizak, 43, 61, 62

Julfa, 130

Jusufzais, 264

Kabadian, 253

Kabir Jan Khan, 362

Kabul, 416 Arms traffic, 396-397 Bala Hissar, 347, 348 Bazaars of, 376-380 British agent in, 374 British occupation of, 148, 152 Cholera, 450 Europeans employed in, 394 European medical advisers, 390-395 Evacuation of, 1842, 148 Nauroz festival, 440, 442, 443 Industries: Leather Factory, 396 Ordnance yards, 396 Postin, 305 Tanning yards, 396 Workshop, 396 Military Academy, 388 Palaces: Dekusha, 347 Durbar Hall, 353 Erg, 348, 349 Indekki, 353 Shah Ara, 353 Russian emissary visits, 444, 445 Russian influence at, 148 Russian Mission, 148, 150, 151 Russian representative at, 448 Secret Intelligence Branch established at, 443 Shirpur cantonment, 346, 348 Situation of, 345-346 Temperature, 262 Trade of, 170, 203, 294, 345 University, Lahore College and, 388

Kabul-Kandahar, list of marches between, 338

Kabul-Oxus river, list of marches between, 338-340

Kabul-Peshawar, list of marches between, 340

Kabul province, 242-243

Kafarkala, 259

Kafiristan, 415

Kagan, 70

Kainar, 234

Kaisar, 259

Kakuris, 197, 204

Kala Bar Panja, 81, 82, 91, 173, 174, 176 Drosh, 414

Kala-i-Zist, 185

Kala-i-Mor, 119

Kala Kafir, 129

Kala Nao, 138, 249 Panja, 81, 82, 89, 176 Wamar, 174 Wanj, 174

Kandahar, 178, 180, 181, 187, 189, 190, 193, 242, 250 Area of, 250 Bazaars of, 197-198 British occupation of, 148 Intervention in, 250 Beggars in, 198 Climate of, 208-210 Connection with proposed railway, 187, 189 Defences, 190 Description of, 189-194 Diseases prevalent in, 210 Fruit industry of, 345 Horse trade of, 204, 207 Population, 194, 197 Products of, 298, 304-306 Relief of, 152 Revenue of, 250 Strategic importance of, and situation, 189, 190 Temperature, 262 Trade of, 198-208, 294

Kadahar-Dera Ismail Khan, list of marches between, 335-337

Kandahar-Herat route, list of marches, 331-335

Kandahar-Kabul, list of marches between, 338

Kara Kliss, 130 Kul, 30, 73 Kum, 1, 6, 18, 44, 73, 76, 77, 93, 94, 96, 129, 156 Teppe, 124

Karabyl hills, 117

Karategin, 93, 94

Karaul Kuyu, 76

Karawal Khana, 138

Karez, 235

Karki, 8, 43, 97, 98, 102, 109, 129, 173

Karmakchi, 10, 15

Karshine oasis, 26

Kashan valley, 119, 137

Kashtalinski, Colonel, 146

Kataghan, 93, 244

Katta Kurgan, 66, 67

Kauffman, General von, 47, 48, 58, 68

Kauffmanskaya, 58

Kaunchi, 59

Kazalinsk, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18

Keane, Lord, 148

Kelat, Khan of, 232

Kelat-i-Ghilzai, 250, 342

Kelif, 96, 97, 98, 102, 109, 173

Kelly, Colonel, 414

Kennedy, Mr., 445

Kerbela, 238

Kerman, 237

Kermanshah, 237

Kermine, 69

Kettechinar, 129

Khanabad, 247, 254

Kharkoff, 5, 19

Khash, 250

Khawas Khan, Habib Ullah and, 447

Khidarzais of Zhob, 403

Khiva, 6, 8, 15, 75, 81, 94, 96, 101, 147 Russian conquest of, 151

Khokand, 6, 11, 43, 49, 173 Khan of, 48

Khoja Daolet, 73 Kul, 14

Khojakand, 259

Khojand, 43

Khorassan, 124, 203, 233, 234, 235, 236, 237, 239, 240

Khost, 260, 433

Khudadad, 358

Khulm, 242, 247, 254, 260

Khudrud, 182

Khurram Sarbag, 254

Khwaja Amran, 402, 403 Sala, 109, 247

Khwaja-ali, 215

Khyber pass, 417, 418, 419, 428, 429, 446 Abandonment of, 417 Afridi attack upon, 418 Militia in, 417, 419

Khyber Rifles, 428, 454

Kieff, 5

Kila Abdulla, 402

Kin Asu defile, 14

King, Mr., 409

Kirghiz, 13, 14, 15, 18, 29, 33 Steppe, 1, 6

Kirshul, 59

Kishingi, 229

Kishm, 244

Kizil Rabat, 174 Steppe, 69

Kluchevi fortress, 61

Kohak, 213, 232

Kohat pass, 429

Koh-i-Malik-i-Siah, 213, 215, 232, 234

Koh-i-Mulla Khwaja, 157

Kohistan, 262

Kokcha valley, mines of, 244

Kok Tash, Samarkand, 43

Komaroff, Lieut.-General, 118

Konevski, Staff-Captain, 39

Konnogvardeiski, 59

Konstantinovitch, Grand Duke Nicholas, 59

Kopal, 8

Krasnovodsk, 11, 59, 70, 74, 79, 111, 155

Kuchan, 129

Kah-i-Khwajah, 213

Kukchinski, 49

Kulab, 93, 253

Kum Asu pass, 9

Kunar, 243

Krutorogin, Captain, 156

Kunduz, 173, 253, 260

Kungrad, 8, 96, 97

Kurak, 249

Kurban Kala, 77

Kurgan, 23

Kur Kulduk, 58

Kuropatkin, General, 62, 118, 120, 173, 440

Kuropatkino, 62, 65

Kurram Valley, 260, 414, 429 Militia, 429

Kushk (Afghan), 137 Valley, 80 Extent and population of, 136-137 Irrigation of, 137 Prevalence of fever in, 124 Trade of, 137

Kushkinski Post, 5, 111, 112, 124, 173, 187 Russian garrison at, 120-123 Station, 119, 120, 123, 125, 126 Strategic value of, 124

Kuyu Mazar, 69

Lakes: Berkazan, 10 Chakmaktin, 82, 91 God-i-Zirreh, 211 Hamun, 180, 182, 211, 212, 213, 218, 260 Issyk-Kul, 8 Koss Kue, 13 Sara Kamish steppe, 96 Tchelkar, 9, 14 Victoria, 82, 85

Landon, Lieutenant C. P., 241

Langar Kisht, 85, 86, 89, 90, 174

Lansdowne, Marquess of, 402, 403, 406, 409

Lapis-lazuli mines, 244

Lash, 180

Liebertziet, Frau, 397

Lockhart, General Sir William, 413, 423, 424

Logar, 243

Lomakin, General, 61

Lomakino, 61

Low, General Sir Robert, 414

Lughman, 243

Lumsden, Sir Peter, 155, 401

Lundi Khana, 358 Dane Mission arrives at, 453 Udny Mission at, 409

Lundi Kotal, 359, 419

Lytton, Lord, 431

Macdonald, Sir John, 147

Macnaghten, Sir William, 377

Macpherson, Captain, 223

Mahommed Afzul Khan, 310, 311 Akbar Khan, 250, 253 Alum Khan, 250, 253 Mirza Shah, 147

Mahmud Shah, 253

Mahsud-Wagiri operations, 439

Mai Libash, 10

Maimana, 173, 242, 247, 253, 258-260

Maimana-Herat, list of marches between, 341

Maitland, Captain, 155

Maiwand, 152, 187

Malakand, 414, 417 Military establishment of, 427

Malaria in: Bokhara, 33 Imam Baba, 117 Kushk region, 124 Merv, 50 Perovski, 18 Murghab valley, 112, 117 Jizak, 61

Malleson, Major W., 453

Mangan defile, 142

Manners-Smith, V.C., Captain, 406

Mardar, not Mirdar, 226

Margelan, 43, 49, 173

Martin, Mr. F. A., 358, 392, 394 Sir Acquin, 375, 394

Maruchak, 138, 141, 142, 173 Valley, 138

Masjid-i-Jama, 36

Masson, _cited_, 197

Mastang, 231

Maude, Fort, 419

Mayo, Lord, 150

Mazar-i-Sharif, 177, 247, 257, 369, 440, 451

Mazar-tepe, 85

McDermot, Mr., 283, 394

McMahon, Captain H. (_See_ Colonel Sir Henry) Colonel Sir Henry, 214, 215, 241, 406

McNabb, Surgeon-Captain, 410, 413

McSwiney, Captain E. F. H., 155

Measures, table of Afghan, 306-307

Medjidi Kalyan, 35

Medresse, Mir-i-Arab, 36

Menzikoff, Prince, 147

Merv, 4, 5, 11, 50-56, 80, 110, 173, 440 Annexation of, 155, 401 District of, 76 Old, 52, 78, 114 Station of, 79, 111, 112

Merv-Herat road, 156-157

Meshed, 3, 52, 129, 130, 203, 234, 239 Russian commercial influence in, 236 Various routes to, 236-239

Meshed-Askakbad, proposed railway, 129

Meshed-Bunder Abbas, rate of camel-hire, 234

Middleton, Mr., 394

Mikhailovsk, 96

Miller, M., Russian Consul at Nasratabad, 214 Misrepresentation of, 217, 218, 219

Milyautinskaya, 62

Minar Kalan, 36

Mineral deposits of Afghanistan, 304

Minerals: Coal, 14, 396 Copper, 14 Gold, 14 Iron, 14, 244 Lapis-lazuli, 244 Salt, 13, 244 Saltpetre, 181 Sulphur, 244

Mines of Aktinbinsk, 14 Iletsk, 13

Minjan, 244

Miranzai valley, 403

Mirza, Abbas, 147 Mahommed, 147

Missions: Afghan Boundary, 1884; 155, 401, 402, 405 British visit to Jelalabad, proposed, 403-404 Bruce, 409, 413 Cavagnari, 151, 152, 347 of Condolence, 436, 440, 441 Dane, 453, 454, 455 Durand, 405, 406, 407 Goldsmid, 213, 216, 217, 218 Pamir Boundary, 155, 407, 415 Pamirs, 155 Roos-Keppel, 452 Roberts, proposed, 405 Udny, 409, 414, 452

Mitana Pefshanba, 67

Mohmands, 264, 408-409, 412-413, 425

Mongols, 264

Moscow, 4, 5 _Bourse Gazette_, statements of, 444

Mountains: Alai, 25, 26, 30 Asmai, 345, 346 Badakshan, 91 Bend Chengurek, 120 Chupan Ata, 39, 65 Djaksi, 14 Djaman, 14 Gilkoh, 343 Go Um Tau, 65 Hindu Kush, 1, 89, 90, 92, 242-244, 247, 259, 260 Hissar, 25, 29, 30, 43, 44 Kara, 120 Kara Tau, 73 Karatavski, 23 Koh-i-Baba, 156, 182, 242, 259, 260 Kizi Kurt, 11 Mirdah, 226 Mugodjarski, 9, 12 Mustagh, 243 Nura Tau, 6, 62 Nuratinski, 62 Paropamisus, 120, 125, 156, 157 Sarikol, 243 Siah-koh, 213, 216 Sufed Koh, 242 Takht-i-Shah, 345 Tian Shan, 47 Trans Alai, 25, 93

Mouravieff, Count, 431

Mullagori country, 429

Mullah Powindah, 442 Said Akbar, 442

Multan, 202

Muminabad, 253

Munitions of war, 403, 407, 432, 433, 449, 450

Murad, Amir, 78, 146 Khan, 228, 229

Murgak, 72

Murghab Imperial estate, 78 River, 76, 80, 91, 93, 107, 111-114, 117, 119, 131, 136, 138, 146, 156 Valley, 80, 117, 131-146, 260 Prevalence of fever, 124 Railway, 3, 110, 111, 112, 120, 130 Trade of, 137

Murghabi, Fort, 174

Nadejdinski, 59

Nagornaya, 66

Naizar marsh, 211, 213

Namagut, 90

Namangan, 43

Naphtha, 14, 60

Narmashir, 237

Nasratabad, 179, 214, 217-219, 223-225 Garrison of, 225, 226 Russian Consul at, 214, 217, 218, 219, 224

Nasratabad-Nushki route, 226, 231-232

Naus, M., and Persian Customs, 235

Nawagai, 413

Nazr Ullah Khan, 360, 369, 386, 388, 415, 433, 436, 443, 447

Neh, 237

New Bokhara, 70 Chaman, 187, 189

Nialbash, 58

Ni-Amat Ulla, Shah; Wani of Kirman, 122

Nijni Volinski, 59

Nikolævski, 59

Nikolski, 49

Ningrahar valley, 408

North-W. F. Province, 429, 431

Novo Astrakhanski, 18

_Novoe Vremya_, statement of, 443-444

Nukus, 94, 96

Nushki, 229, 230, 429

Nushki-Quetta trade route, 226-229 Railway, 226

Nushki-Seistan trade route, 226, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235 Camel-hire, revision of charges, 234, 335 Comparison of, with alternative routes, 236, 237, 238, 239 List of marches, Nushki-Nasratabad, 233 Trade facilities of, 234 Returns, 233

Nut, 89

Obeh, 249

Obi, 8 Siab ravine, 65

Obrutcheff, General, 61

Obrutchevo, 61

Obyetovanni, 59

Odessa, 5

Old Tashkent (Stari Tashkent), 58 Merv, 78

Omar Khan, Sirdar Mahommed, 360, 361, 366, 369, 436

Omsk, 8

Orakolow, Lieutenant, 156

Orakzais, 264, 403

Orenburg, 6, 8, 12, 15, 23

Orenburg-Tashkent, old post-road, 6, 7 Railway, administration of, 12 Alternative schemes to, 7, 8 Branch line to Syr Daria, 10 Construction of, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 50 Double track proposed, 11 Markets of Central Asia, 23, 24 Opened by General Kuropatkin, 440 Route followed by, 7, 8 Water-supply, 9, 13, 14, 16

Orsk, 6

Osh, 3, 4, 6, 43, 49, 173

Otrar, 11

Oxus flotilla, 74, 75, 96-98, 102-104 Region, temperature, 262 River, 8, 25, 26, 29, 43, 73, 74, 75, 76, 95, 96, 260, 261 Fall of, 98 Ferries and fords, 107, 108 Mines in valley of, 244 Mouths of, 94, 95 Navigation of, 96, 98, 104, 107 Russian and Afghan communications along, 91, 92 Russian military disposition along, 174, 175 Proposed railway to, 129 Source of, 81, 82 Trade upon, 104, 107 Upper, 82 (_See_ Panja)

Oxus-Kabul, list of marches between, 338-340

Pack, Mr. E. T., 375

Paghman hills, 182, 346

Paiwar Kotal, 151

Palankoh route, 234

Pamir, Alichur, 405 Boundary Mission, 4, 155 Fort, 405 Great, 82 Little, 82 Sarez, 405

Pamirs, 4, 25, 81, 82, 91, 92, 405, 407 Afghan position in, 407 Russian force in, 174

Panafidine, M., 156

Panja River, 81, 82, 85, 86, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93

Paropamisus mountains, 120, 125, 156, 157

Parsiwans, 197

Pathans, 263, 264 (_See also_ Ghilzai)

Patta Hissar, 75, 96, 97, 98, 102, 107, 173

Peacocke, Captain, 155

Pendjeh, 110, 111, 112, 119, 129, 145, 156, 173, 401 Fight at, 405

Pendjeh-Tanur-Sangi branch line, 80

Perovski, 6, 7, 10, 16-18 Count, 17 Fort, 17

Persia: Designs upon Herat, 148, 149 Interests in Seistan, 213, 214 Obstruction to Seistan Boundary Commission, 215, 216 Relations with Afghanistan, Great Britain, and Russia, 147-149, 214

Perso-Afghan War, 147, 148, 149

Persians, 29, 33, 111, 114, 119, 198, 258, 264

Peshawar, 149, 429, 440, 449, 453

Peshawar-Kabul, list of marches between, 340

Pesski, 176

Petro-Alexandrovsk, 75, 96, 108

Pitniak, 94

Plague, Seistan and Indian, 235

Pollock, General, 377

Poltavski, 120, 124

Polytimætus (_See_ Zerafshan)

Postins, manufacture of, 305-306

Practitioners, native, 392, 393 European, 394

Ptuk, 86

Pul-alak, 185

Pul-i-Khatun, 129, 401

Pul-i-Khisti, 117 (_See_ Tash Kepri)

Pukhtun (_See_ Pathans)

Pyne, Mr. (_See_ Sir Salter) Sir Salter, 373, 394, 396, 405, 408

Quetta, 187, 189, 215, 226, 228, 429 Railway, extension of, to New Chaman, 402

Quetta-Nushki railway, 226, 230, 231, 234 Route, 226-229, 291

Ragh, 244

Railways: Across Persia, 130 Askhabad-Meshed, 129 Central Asian, 8, 11, 15, 18, 70, 75, 103, 155, 173 Indian, Kabul river, 429 Khyber, 429 Nowshera-Dargai, 428 Quetta-Chaman, 402, 441 Sakkur-Sibi, 401 Thau-Kushalgarh, 429 Murghab valley, 3, 110-130 Orenburg-Tashkent, 3-50 Russian, in Afghanistan, 457, 458 Saratoff-Uralsk, 8 Trans-Afghan, 189 Trans-Siberian, 7, 8, 11

Ramasan, 387

Ramsay, Captain, 241

Rang, 85, 86, 89

Ranjit Singh, British alliance with, 148

Ravania, 76, 77

Registan, Bokhara, 34 Samarkand, 40

Religion, 386-387, 388

Repetek, 76

Riches, Mr., 394

Ridgeway, Colonel Sir West, 155

Ripon, Marquess of, 400, 403

Rivers: Ab-Dilawar, 182 Ab-i-Siah, 182 Ab-i-Wakhan, 82, 85 Abs-i-Panja, 82, 85, 93 Aksarai, 94 Ak-su, 19, 82, 91, 93 Alabass, 14 Argand-ab, 185, 260 Arghesan, 260 Arisi, 11, 19 Atrek, 129 Badam, 19 Balkh, 256 Bartang, 91, 93 Bolshoi, 9 Bugun, 19 Buraldai, 19 Burdjar, 19 Burgutai, 85 Burl, 14 Burt, 14 Chirchik, 47, 48, 49, 58, 59 Darban, 94 Djus, 14 Doaba, 255 Donguz, 13 Elshanka, 13 Embi, 9, 13 Farah Rud, 180, 211, 260 Farkhan, 254 Ghazni, 343 Ghori, 94 Ghund Daria, 90, 91, 174 Hari Rud, 130, 156, 248, 260, 261 Harud, 178, 211 Helmund, 107, 178, 182, 185, 211, 213, 214, 215, 216, 222, 260, 261 Ilek, 7, 13 Irtish, 8 Khargosh, 85 Kabul, 260, 261, 345, 346, 429 Kafirnahan, 94 Kaisar, 229 Karanzyak, 10 Kashan, 131, 137 Kashka, 25, 26 Keless, 11 Keshef Rud, 129, 130 Khabd, 14 Khanabad, 94 Khash, 211 Kizil-su, 94 Kokcha, 94, 247, 260 Krash, 221 Kuban, 14 Kubele, 9, 13 Kulab, 94 Kulden, 13 Kuljur, 9, 14 Kunar, 260 Kunduz, 94, 101, 108, 254 Kushk, 111, 113, 117, 119, 120, 131, 137, 138 Kutchuk-sai, 14 Little Pamir, 85 Logar, 260, 345 Mali Karagandi, 9 Maloi Khabd, 14 Murghab, 76, 80, 91, 93, 107, 111-114, 117, 119, 131, 136, 138, 146, 156 Narpai, 67, 68 Obi, 8 Oxus (_See_ Oxus) Pamir, 82, 85, 86 Panja, 81, 82, 85, 86, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93 Panj-Kola, 414, 425 Panjsher, 242, 260 Salar, 11, 58 Sangalak, 258 Sanzar, 61, 62, 65 Shakh Dana, 91 Sherinab, 228 Suchan Daria, 91, 93 Surkan, 29, 94 Syr Daria, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 20, 59 Taldik, 94, 95 Tchayan, 19 Tejend Rud, 130 Temir, 9, 13 Teress Butak, 14 Tezin, 182 Ulkan, 94 Ural, 7, 8, 9, 13 Wakhan Daria, 85 Wakhan-su, 85 Wakh-jir, 82, 85 Waksh, 29, 94 Yani Su, 94, 95 Zerafshan, 25, 26, 33, 39, 65, 67-69, 72, 73 Zirreh, 211

Robat, 232

Roberts, General Sir Frederick (_See_ Lord Roberts) Lord, 151, 152, 403, 404, 405, 408

Robertson, Dr. Sir George, 414

Romanovski, 89 General, 61, 62

Roos-Keppel, Major, 452, 453

Rosebery, Earl of, 409

Roshan, 25, 253

Rostovtseff, Count, 65

Rostovtsevo, 65

Rubies, 244

Rudbar, 213

Russia: Afghanistan and, 121-122, 148-150, 151, 162, 165, 173, 356, 405, 440, 441, 443, 444, 447, 452, 457, 458 Agents of, 444 and Great Britain, 1-4, 147, 187, 188, 189, 448 Imperial Bank of, 70, 129 Khorassan in, 236 in Mid-Asia, 2, 3-4, 5, 55-57, 149, 150, 174, 401 Oxus river and, 91, 149-150, 174, 175 Pamirs in, 405 Persia and, 147, 158 Seistan and, 214, 215, 217, 219, 236, 241

Russian Railways: Askhabad-Meshed, 129, 130 Murghab Valley, 110-130 Railway schemes, 1, 126, 129,188, 189, 237 Trade with Afghanistan, 179, 295-298

Russo-Chinese Bank, 70

Russo-Persian War, 147

Rustak, 93, 244, 253

Saad-ud-Din Khan, 362

Sabzawar, 178, 179, 181, 186, 240, 249

Safi Mullah, 442

Said Akbar, 415

Saids of Peshin, 204, 207

_St. Petersburg Bourse Gazette_, 444

Sais Khaneh ravine, 62

Sakhir, 182

Sakis, 58

Salaam Khana, 387

Salisbury, Marquess of, 431

Salt, 13, 244

Saltpetre, 181

Samana, 414, 418, 429 Rifles, 429

Samara, 7

Samarkand, 3, 5, 6, 11, 39-44, 49, 52, 65, 110, 155, 173 Bazaars of, 43, 44 Bibi Khanum, 43 Capture of, by Russia, 149 Gur Amir, 43 Ivanovski Square, 39 Kok Tash, 43 Old town, 40, 43 Population, 39, 40 Registan, 40 Shir Dar, 40 Station of, 66 Tillah Kori, 40 Tomb of the Shah Zindeh, 43 of Timur, 43 Trade of, 40, 43, 66 Ulug Beg, 40 Urda, 43

Samchan, 89, 90

Samungli, 228

Sand shrubs (_See_ Saxaoul)

Saraghari, fort, 423

Sarakhs, 111, 129, 130, 156, 401

Saratoff-Uralsk railway, 8

Sarhad river, 82, 85, 247

Sari Agatch pass, 11

Saripal, 258

Sari Tchegonak, inlet, 10 Yazi, 117, 145

Sarlor Fakir, 415, 417

Sarshela ravine, 211

Sarts, 29, 111, 114

Sarwar Khan, Shahgassi Mahommed, 361, 362

Sauran, 20

Saxaoul, (desert shrub), 73, 75, 76, 77

Sayid Mozaffrar Eddin, Amir, 68

Sazan Bulak, 91

Seistan, 179, 186, 211, 212, 213, 214, 240, 241, 242 Afghan, 250 Afghan interests in, 213, 214 Belgian customs and, 235 Boundary Mission, 215, 216, 217, 219, 220, 221, 222, 241 British interests in, 241 Indian plague in, 235, 236 Irrigation of, 222 Persian interests in, 213-214 Population of, 213 Russian interests in, 214, 215, 236 Taxes and revenue of, 222, 223 Trade with India, 235

Seistan-Girishk, list of marches between, 340-341

Seistan-Nushki, overland route, 231, 232, 233, 234, 235

Sekuha, 213

Semipalatinsk, 8

Semut, 86

Shabkaddar, 417

Shah Maksud, 306 Zindeh, tomb of, Samarkand, 43

Shaikhantaurski, 49

Shakhri oasis, 26

Shar-i-Sabz, 129, 173

Shezand, 230

Shiahs, 169, 258, 386, 387

Shibirghan, 247, 258

Shignan, 25, 82, 91, 203

Shikarpur, 230

Shinwaris, 264

Shirabad, 129

Shir Afzal, 413-414 Ali, 150, 151, 250, 269-270 Conference with Lord Mayo at Umballa, 150 Refusal to admit British representatives to Kabul, 151 Reform of Afghan army by, 311-318 and Stolietoff Mission, 448 Dar, Samarkand, 40 Darwaza, Mrs., 345, 346

Shirtar, 86, 89

Shiwa, 244

Shoemaker, _cited_, 51

Shujah, Shah, 1, 48

Shuturket, 59

Shveikovski, Major-General Povalo, 156

Sibzyarski, 49

Sikandur Khan, 444

Si Khanah, 89

Simpheropol, 5

Skobeleff, 7, 10

Skobelevski, 18

Slave trade in Kandahar, 207-208

Slee, Mr., 231

Sokovnin, Colonel, 39

Somatash, 405

South African War, 439

Spies, Russian, in Mazar-i-Sharif, 451

Staal, M. de, 431

Stari Tashkent (Old Tashkent), 58, 59

Stewart, Lieutenant-General Sir Donald, 151, 152, 400 Lieutenant A. E., 241 Mr., 394

Stolietoff Mission, 448

Strabo, 95

Stroieff, M., 129

Sulphur, 244

Sultan-i-band, 114, 146

Sundukli, 73

Sunnis, 258, 386, 387

Superstitions, Afghan, 385-386

Swat, 408, 417, 427

Syabz oasis, 26

Syr Daria, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 20, 59 Province, 81 Darinskaya, 59

Tabriz, 130, 237, 239

Tagis, 433

Taimanis, 169, 180, 264

Tajiks, 29, 30, 244, 258, 259, 264, 344

Takhta Bazar, 118, 119

Takht-i-pul, 173, 177, 257

_Takht-i-rawan_, 446

Talbot, Captain the Hon. M. C., 155

Talikhan, 253

Talkhatan Baba, 113

Tamerlane, Ark of, 65 (_See also_ Timur) Gates of, 62 (_See also_ Timur)

Tanur Sangi, 80, 112, 119, 138, 173

Tarnak, 189, 260

Tartars, 18, 119

Tashkent, 4-7, 11-13, 15, 16, 20, 23-24, 43-50, 74, 79, 110, 173, 440 Alexandrovski Park, 48 Angar canal, 48 Capture of, by Russians, 60 Cathedral, 44, 47 Climate, 47, 49 District, 23 Population, 16 Dukhovskaya, 48 Fortress Esplanade, 49 Gospitalnaya, 48 Irrigation of, 12 Kailuski Prospekt, 48 Konstantinovski Square, 47 Native quarter, 49 Oasis of, 12 Old (_See_ Stari Tashkent) Orenburg-, railway (_See_ Orenburg-Tashkent railway) Population, 49, 50 Romanovski Street, 48 Russian garrison, 48-49 Quarter, 44, 48, 49 Sobornaya Boulevard, 48 Station of, 11 Town revenues, 48 Trade returns, 24 Turkestan Public Library, 48 Water difficulty, 48

Tash Kepri, 117-119, 135, 401

Tashkurgan, 174, 242, 247, 254, 255 Population of, 255

Tasker, Mr., 394

Tate, Mr., 241

Teheran, 130, 147, 237-239 Routes to, 237-239

Tejend, 111, 129, 156

Tekkes, 77, 114, 117

Temir Utkul, 13

Termes, 3, 8, 97, 129, 173

Thana, 417

Thornton, Mr. E. T., 354, 392, 394

Tian Shan mountains, 47

Tiflis, 130

Tigris river, 237

Tillah Kori, Samarkand, 40

Tilleri, 228

Timur, 11, 40, 43, 249 (_See also_ Tamerlane) Tomb of, Samarkand, 43 (_See also_ Tamerlane)

Tirah operations, 423, 425, 426

Tirogkhoi plateau, 259

Tochi, 414, 416, 429

Torashekh, 119

Torkhana, 453

Trade of Afghanistan, 288-298, 306

Traku, 185

Trans-Afghan railway, proposed, 187

Trans-Atai mountains, 25, 93

_Trans-Caspian Gazette_, 218-219

Trans-Caspian railway, 3-6, 110, 111

Trans-Siberian railway, 7, 8, 11

Treaties: Anglo-Russian, 1873, 406 Dost Mahomed and British, 149 Durand, 231, 373, 407, 408, 412, 446 Gandamak, 402 Khyber, 481

Trebizond-Tabriz-Teheran route, comparison of, with Nushki-Seistan route, 239

Trench, Major, 223, 232

Tribal affairs, 270-271, 443, 447

Troitzki, 49

Tuckatoo hills, 2260

Turbat, 237

Turbat-i-Naidari, 235

Turcomans, 29, 33, 52, 258, 264

Turkestan, 7, 10-11, 20, 23, 179 Afghan (_See_ Afghan Turkestan) Cotton Company, 67 Public Library, Tashkent, 48 Russian, 11, 20, 23, 39, 44, 47, 68

Turgai province, 13

Turkish Emissary to Abdur Rahman, 416

Turkoman Expedition, 61

_Twakim-ud-Din_, 415

Uch Udja, 76

Udny, Mr. (_See_ Sir Richard Udny) Sir Richard, 410, 412, 417-419, 452 Proclamation, 410, 412, 413

Ulia Jancah, 362

Ulug Beg, Samarkand, 40

Ulyanin, Colonel, 111

Umra Khan, 413, 425

Upper Oxos (_See_ Panja river)

Ural Cossacks, 18

Uralsk, 8

Urda, Samarkand, 43

Urt plateau, 182

Urta Chul steppe, 30

Urumbai, 59

Usef Khan Barakzai, 362

Ushturket, 59

Utch Tubeh, 59

Uzbegs, 30, 33, 258, 259, 264

Uzboi channel, 96

Vaganzi, 69

Vambéry, _cited_, 169, 170

Vani Kurgan, 20

Venice Sanitary Congress, 235

Verevkin, General, 20

Verkhni, 59

Verni, 8, 11, 20

Victoria, lake, 82, 85

_Viedomosti_, statements of, 444

Vrevskaya, 58

Wahab, Lieutenant-Colonel R. A., 155

Wakhan, 91-93, 242, 244, 247, 253 Valley, 85, 86

Wakh-jir pass, 82, 85

Walter, Mr., 394

Walters, Major H. F., 241

Wanliss, Major, 453

Wano, 345, 413, 414, 416

War, Afghan, First, 148 Second, 151, 152, 448 Perso-Afghan, 148-149

Ward, Mr., 241

Ware, Captain Webb, 232

Waziris, 264

Waziristan, 408, 413, 416, 429, 439

Weights, Afghan, 307

Welman, Doctor, 156

Women in Afghanistan, 197, 383-385 in Bokhara, 33, 34

Wood, Lieutenant, 82, 85

Wood’s Lake (_See_ Victoria Lake)

Woodside, Mr., 231

Yaghistan, 408

Yaims, skirmish at, 407

Yakatut, 72

Yakshi Kargach river, 14

Yakub Khan, 151, 152

Yarkand, 255

Yate, Colonel A. C., 182, 449 _cited_, 170 Lieutenant A. C., 155 Major C. E., 155

Yezd, 237

Yonoff, Captain, 405

Young, Mr., 231

Yulatan, 111, 113, 114, 145, 146

Zakka Khels, 446

Zamindawar, 178, 186

Zangi-ata, 58

Zarghun hills, 226

Zarghim, 226

Zebak, 244

Zerafshan river, 25, 26, 33, 39, 65, 67-69, 72, 73

Ziadin, 68, 69

Zirabulak, 68

Zhob valley, 260, 403

Zulfikar, 129, 401

Zung, 86, 89

Printed by BALLANTYNE & CO. LIMITED Tavistock Street, London

Transcriber’s Note:

Words and phrases in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like this_; those in bold by equal signs, =like this=. Footnotes were renumbered sequentially and were moved to the end of the chapter. Footnotes [27], [56] and [57] have multiple anchors. A few anchors are positioned at the beginning of the sentence.

Words may have multiple spelling variations or inconsistent hyphenation in the text. Obsolete and alternative spellings were left unchanged. Misspelled words were corrected. Where spelling varies between an index entry and the text of the book, the index entry was adjusted to match the text. Obvious printing errors, such as backwards, upside down, or missing letters and punctuation, were corrected. Use of italics was made consistent in various lists. Final stops missing at the end of sentences and abbreviations were added.

The variance between Julian and Gregorian dates in Appendix IV are displayed separated by a slash, e.g. December 1 / 13.

Very wide tables were split into sections to fit electronic screens. Follow-on sections are preceded by [TN: Table continues]. Some tables may not display completely on small handheld devices.

The pedigree chart in