promptness and accuracy through Persia than Historical through Afghanistan; that it was doubtless true that Summary the position of the agent compelled him to be cautious in communicating news to the British Government; but that, making due allowance for the difficulty of his position, the information supplied by him was fairly full and accurate. While it was thought that either the Amir or his Minister, during the conference at Umballa, had expressed, in confidential conversations, a readiness to accept at some future time, not far distant, the presence of British agents in Afghanistan, excepting at Kabul itself, it was pointed out that no formal record of the alleged admission existed, and that its scope and intention were uncertain, and that Lord Mayo had distinctly informed the Amir that no European officers would be placed as Residents in his cities.' Under these circumstances the Government of India held that they would not be justified in founding any representation to the Amir regarding the appointment of a British agent at Herat upon the assumption that he had formerly expressed his willingness to agree to such an arrangement. It was shown that, in the opinion of all the officers most likely to form a correct judgment on the subject, the Amir would certainly be altogether disinclined to receive a British agent, and if he should give an unwilling consent no advantage would be gained from the proposed measure. If, on the other hand, he should refuse, his refusal would impair the influence of the British Government in Afghanistan, and would weaken the hands of Her Majesty's Government in any future negotiations with Russia. At the same time,' it was said, 'we agree with Her Majesty's Government that, having regard to the present aspect of affairs in Turkestan,

Lord Salis

Despatch

it would be desirable that a British officer should be stationed at Herat.' But for the successful realisation of this end it was essential that the proposed arrangement should have the cordial consent of the Amir. Believing that this consent could not possibly be obtained, the Government of Lord Northbrook concluded that the present time and circumstances are unsuitable for taking the initiative in such a matter.'

They advised that no immediate pressure should be put upon the Amir, or particular anxiety shown upon the subject, but that advantage should be taken of the first favourable opportunity that his own action or other circumstances might present for the purpose of sounding his disposition, and of representing to him the benefits which would be derived by Afghanistan from the proposed arrangement. The object in view was, in their judgment, more likely to be attained by taking this course than by assuming the initiative at once.

The Government at home was little disposed to bury's Second accept this opinion of the Government of India, that it was inexpedient to put any immediate pressure on the Amir of Afghanistan to induce him to enter into new arrangements, and on November 19, 1875, a further despatch was sent to India by Lord Salisbury, containing a complete statement of the policy which Her Majesty's Government considered it essential to carry out. In this despatch the Secretary of State recapitulated and emphasised the urgent and important grounds upon which Her Majesty's Government desired the establishment of a British agent in Afghanistan, and the Viceroy was instructed to press upon the Amir the reception of a temporary

Embassy in his capital. Neither the desirability of this object nor the strength of the reasoning in demonstration of its importance was disputable, or

in fact disputed; but Lord Northbrook's Government, Lord Northin their reply, insisted on the improbability that the brook's reply Amir would willingly agree to the location of British officers in his country, on the impolicy of pressing the demand against his will, and on the inutility, in their opinion, of establishing agencies there without his hearty consent. This correspondence fully represents the differences of opinion which had arisen between the Government of India and the Home Government at the time of Lord Northbrook's resignation in the spring of 1876; and it will be seen that they all converge upon one main issue-whether an immediate and strenuous attempt should be made to induce the Amir to receive a Mission at Kabul for the purpose of negotiating the establishment within his dominions of a representative of the British Government. That the issue thus defined was one of extraordinary difficulty cannot in fairness be denied. The objections urged by Lord Northbrook's Government were grave and substantial; yet, on the other hand, Lord Salisbury's despatches prove that he had rightly appreciated the true situation, in treating the reception of a British diplomatic agent by the Amir as the first essential step towards improving our relations and restoring our influence with the Afghan ruler. By no other pacific measure could we hope to counteract the growth of Russian influence at Kabul, to explain our policy, or to obtain the Amir's consistent adherence to and co-operation with it; while even if the moment for beginning fresh overtures was not opportune, it was quite possible that

the situation might not improve, but the reverse, by delay. It was at this juncture, when the difficulties of the position and the conflict of opinions had reached their climax, that Lord Lytton assumed charge of the Viceroyalty in April 1876.

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CHAPTER II

PREPARATIONS FOR INDIA-JOURNEY THITHER-FIRST NEGOTIATIONS WITH AFGHANISTAN

DURING the time which elapsed between the nomination of Lord Lytton as Viceroy of India and his departure from England to assume charge of his office he devoted himself to the work of increasing his knowledge of Indian subjects. He studied assiduously all books and papers on recent events which the India Office could furnish, and he endeavoured to place himself in personal communication with everyone who he thought could speak with authority on the more important questions with which he would soon have to deal. A few years before he had made the acquaintance of Lord Lawrence. They had met at the house of their common friend John Forster, and they had been neighbours in Hertfordshire when Lord Lawrence was living at Brocket. They had at that time many conversations, and Lord Lytton would afterwards recall with interest much that Lord Lawrence had said to him about India, his stories of the stirring times through which he had passed, the adventures and daring deeds of our officers, and how Lord Lawrence had explained to him at length his views on a multitude of subjects connected with Indian Government, our relations with Afghanistan and the tribes on the North-Western Frontier, and with the advance of Russia through Central Asia. These