‘A collection of treaties, engagements and sanads relating to India and neighbouring countries’ [‎208] (225/578)

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208
AFGHANISTAN.
By the treaty* of Paris concluded between England and Persia in
1857, the Persians were required to evacuate Herat. Before they
withdrew they installed Sultan Ahmad Khan, better known by the name
of Sultan Jan, as ruler of Herat, and the British Government did not
refuse to recognise him as de facto ruler. This Chief was a nephew and
son-in-law of Dost Muhammad. On the occupation of Kandahar by the
Amir he had fled to Persia, where he was well received. He was sup
posed to be unfriendly to the British Government; and, although
relieved of the presence of a Persian army, he observed all the outward
forms of dependence on the Shah. In consequence of a quarrel with
Muhammad Sharif Khan, the Governor of Farrah, who was one of Dost
Muhammad s sons, Sultan Jan made an expedition against Farrah,
which surrendered to him in March 1862. The Amir of Kabul imme
diate! v collected his forces to revenge this aggression. He re-took
I arrah in June, and in July laid siege to Herat. After a siege of ten
months, during which Sultan Jan died, the Amir took Herat by storm
in May 1863. Having thus restored the western boundary of the
Sadozai dominions, Dost Muhammad died in the following June. He
was succeeded in the government of Kabul by his third son Sher Ali
Khan, who placed his own third son Muhammad Yakub Khan in charge
of Herat, and marched towards Kabul.
A struggle for power at once arose among the numerous sons left
by Dost Muhammad Khan. Early in 1864 Amir Sher Ali, who had
previously been recognised by the British Government, sent an envoy
to India to negotiate a new treaty, to apply for aid in warlike materials,
and to obtain the recognition of his eldest son Muhammad Ali Khan
as heir-apparent. It was held that no new treaty was necessary, as the
one concluded with Dost Muhammad Khan was still in force; and the
envoy returned to Kabul without waiting for an answer to the other
requests.
Meanwhile, civil war in Afghanistan continued. Sher Ali, whose
eldest son Muhammad AH Khan was killed in the course of if, held his
own until 1866 when he was defeated by Abdur Rahman Khan, son of
Muhammad Afzal Khan the eldest son of Dost Muhammad, and fled to
erat. Muhammad Afzal Khan, who had been imprisoned at Ghazni
by Sher All, was released and proclaimed Amir. Throughout these
events the British Government maintained a policy of strict neutrality:
no an was gi\en to any party, and the Afghans were left to settle
their own quarrels.
Muhammad Afzal Khan having thus become de facto ruler of Kabul
and Kandahar, was recognised as such by the British Government, which
also declared, m pursuance of the policy of neut rality, its determination
See Part I, Persia, No. XVIII,