The Fortnightly Review: No. CCCCLXIII, New Series [‎609v] (109/239)

78
THE MISSION TO CABUL.
by the wished-for reorganisation of the Afghan army by British
officers, and the opening up of more adequate means of com
munication between Peshawar and the Afghan frontier than the
Khyber route affords, are the more important of several which,
presenting themselves for discussion, it was hoped might be solved
by acceding to the proposal of the Amir for the despatch of a
representative of the Government of India to Cabul.
Broadly speaking, other questions, comprising the rectification
of the Afghan-Persian and Afghan-Baluchistan frontiers, and the
more general one which arises from the political and religious
control exercised by the Amir over many of the tribes of the north-
vest frontier of India, might be grouped together as of less imme
diate significance but of material importance. Even now the list
of questions suitable for discussion at Cabul could be extended,
vhile, before alluding to those which the Government of India
thought of sufficient importance to place on paper, it is of interest
to recall the fact that at one time it w r as believed that among
those points which were to be raised by the Amir himself would
be :—
(1) The demand for an Afghan port which should be created
by the grant of a strip of Baluchistan.
(•2) The construction of a railway to run in connection with the
port and the capital of Afghanistan.
(3) The introduction of the telegraph.
(4) The appointment of a representative in London.
It will be known already to students of Afghan affairs that
the appointment of an agent in London and the provision of an
outlet to the sea were regarded by the Amir Abdur Rahman with
some little favour. But, however much he may have felt the
desirabdty of securing for Afghanistan some channel through
which the internal trade of his State might be developed and his
people placed in a position to carry on an export and import trade
without being dependent upon neighbouring countries, the present
. mir has given marked evidence of his opposition to any such
scheme. As propounded originally, it was contended that the
Amir should acquire a strip of Baluchistan territory, starting from
a point in the south-west corner of Afghanistan and terminating
at a port on the Indian Ocean. This strip was to run along the
r coiirrh* 100 B k ° n the Pers °- B ^^histan frontier through
country inhabited by nomad tribes to a natural harbour situated
hundr f TB f !° U ° f Baluchista *, ^d distant about two
undred and fifty miles from the Afghan frontier. If the Amir
ilTT a? u ta T g this concess ion he was to construct
thr u ^ an f i Afg T ha j n ra l Way ’ havin S one terminus at Cabul and
has t l ^ ° Cean - The route throu g h Baluchistan
has been described as presenting no very serious difficulties. On