'Russia and India in 1903' [‎10v] (20/68)

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RUSSIA AND INDIA IN 1903.
It is well, then, for the world that His Imperial Majesty
Nicholas II., Lord and Autocrat of All the Russias,
and his august Consort, are sincere friends of peace,
with clearest understanding how essential and indis
pensable peace is, for the lagging progress and de
velopment of that Empire, which, in point of area and
population, is second only to the realms of Britain.—
The Daily Telegraph.
THE INDIAN FRONTIER QUESTION.
Afridis of the Khyber.
“ The frontier was his post, and the future his field.”
Thus runs the legend on the monument at Peshawar
of Major Mackeson. Since his death, half a century
ago, there has been a great transformation at Peshawar.
Frontier town of India it still is. But what a hive of
life and industry its bazaar, where all the tribes of
Central Asia strive to do business ! And in the broad
avenues of the British cantonments what a sphere of
order and neatness and civilisation ! Still, however,
the frontier question is the question before India, and
it is still unanswered. Of the problem Peshawar is
the centre. “The defiles of the Khyber, and the
peaks of the Black Mountain ” have witnessed the
exploits of many a gallant officer since the day when
Death Hill found Mackeson in the front, and will mark
the future of many a one yet to come.
Peshawar is the middle point of the North-West
frontier line, or, rather, that of the Punjab, stretching
from Hazara on the north, to Dera Ghazi Khan on
the west, over 700 miles in length. The fertile valley
in which it stands is watered by the Swat and Kabul
rivers, but the border is held by wild fanatical Moham
medan tribes. Of these, the Afridis are the chief.
They number about 500,000, divided into eight clans,