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'ABSTRACT of DESPATCHES and MEMORANDA on Asiatic Politics and European Diplomacy in the countries between India and Russia, and especially in Afghanistan; and as to the establishment of a British Agent at Herat, to watch the progress of events on the Perso-Afghan frontier and in other parts of Central Asia; and further as to the continuance of the subsidy to Dost Muhammad.' [‎33r] (11/12)

The record is made up of 1 file (6 folios). It was created in Jul 1859. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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51
'Wonl, together witl
m Ofey, have bee, , 3 "^-
8 -‘hatwl, ilea p ! here ^»f
lssia » eo Un ,elv 1 n ,“ 0 " ineC '
houvli he h °*%* i»
■rsia , \ “^^"neea
s ' t I ha,, "« tlle ‘Khutbah'
I P™'” 068 »f Herat „cc„.
” re ) it requires no demon-
,® U f "f'^Mheanerror.
3 l ' vl we ’ "’hen masters of
™s, and insiste,] on He rat bei
and their ruler the Amir, the
ctorv.
"'hat is the real value of the
se, had that state possessed the
'ii independence, it would have
lerate way, and thus to stave off
ivhen we find Herat alternately
ely it is mere self-deception to
slightest obstacle to a Russian
that power to enter on such an
fortress, upwards of five hundred
ides the possibility of our placing
:ie only sure way of securing the
his direction by which an army
even were Persia and Russia to
11
“ concentrating on Farah and Gharisk, and radiating from Herat to
“ Merve, Sharaks, Mashhad, Naishapur, and Khaf, and this was the line
“ contemplated by Napoleon, and which since the days of the Macedonian
“ Alexander has been so often trod by armies in both directions. The
“ feasibility of this route is beyond doubt, and the resources upon it have
“ been so frequently detailed by men conversant with the subject, that
“ I need not here repeat them. By no other line* can India be approached,
“ save by an army crossing the Hindu Kush, or passing Kabul, the
“ difficulties of which are beyond calculation.
“ 90. It will be remarked that all these routes lead vid Kandahar,
“ on the Bolan. It, therefore, strikes me that our obvious course now is
“ to discard all idea of Herat being an outwork of Hindustan; and
“instead of squandering our resources on the doubtful friendship of
“ distant native governments, to fix on some really defensible line, over
which we can have some control.
“ 91. Providence has blessed us with a strong line of frontier,
“ covered by rugged and barren hills, through which there are but a limited
“number of passes by which any army could approach India; and the
“ military art teaches us that the best position for the defence of such
“ ground is on our side of the passes, just where an army must debouch on
“ the plain ; here, then, is our true position, which we are of course, in
“ common prudence, bound to strengthen in every possible way. Of the
“ nature and extent of the preparations required it is not for me to speak,
“as they would be determined by the general and engineer officers
“intrusted with the defence of the frontier; but the most important
“and first to be attended to is the opening up of our communications
“ with the real base of all military operations in India, the Sea, and con-
“ necting these distant points with it by rails and steamers.
ir Vaiz, at the head
ncement of the last
iplies, and the arid
1 prevent this line
rh Light Irregular
bove route, a force
. would lie
j(f Tubbas, a sketch
fliis is a li ne
“ 92. With Peshawar, Kohat, and Sindh in our possession, and the
“ communication with our Indian provinces open by rails and steamers on
“ the Indus, and a strong force of Europeans located in healthy eanton-
“ ments all over the country, supported by a well-organized Native army,
“ I consider that we should really have the keys of India in our own
“ pockets, and be in a position to lock the doors in the face of all enemies,
“ white or black.
“ 93. At the same time, I would strongly advocate the carrying out
“ a conciliatory policy towards our hill neighbours, but bearing in mind
“ the real Pathan character, which the touch of money only renders the
“more rapacious; that will swear to anything for filthy lucre, but only
“ respect that power which shows ability to punish with the one hand
“ and reward with the other. Our Peshawar authorities have, ever since
“ the Panjab became ours, pursued a policy towards the Afridi tribes, the
■outes
* Hence, if this one line be effectually closed to an enemy, India is beyond fear of
invasion.
mtm

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This file contains a memorandum which provides summaries of three despatches sent from Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for the Colonies, to the Governor-General of Khorassan, conveying the British Government's proposals both to send a mission to Herat in order to prevent its annexation by Persia, and to continue the subsidy to Dost Muhammad [Dōst Moḥammad Khān Bārakzay], Amir of Afghanistan, with a view to maintaining British influence in Afghanistan.

The memorandum also summarises a report by Major Peter Stark Lumsden and notes written by political advisers, in which the authors state their opinions and make proposals regarding the state of politics and diplomacy in the countries lying between India and Russia, and with a focus on Afghanistan.

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1 file (6 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio with 28 and terminates at the last folio with 33; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.

An additional foliation sequence exists in parallel throughout; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

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English in Latin script
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'ABSTRACT of DESPATCHES and MEMORANDA on Asiatic Politics and European Diplomacy in the countries between India and Russia, and especially in Afghanistan; and as to the establishment of a British Agent at Herat, to watch the progress of events on the Perso-Afghan frontier and in other parts of Central Asia; and further as to the continuance of the subsidy to Dost Muhammad.' [‎33r] (11/12), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/C3, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100033397303.0x00000c> [accessed 29 March 2024]

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