ملف ٣٩٣٩/١٩٢٦ الجزء ٤ "المنشورات: تنقيح معاهدات أيتشيسون: القسم المتعلق بأفغانستان." [و‎‎٢‎٧‎٦] (٣٧٠/١٣٥)

20
AFGHANISTAN.
t i
enforcement of the arrangements. Such consent was, however, never-
obtained.
In the summer of 1909 the Amir suggested the appointment of a
Joint Commission for the settlement of various differences between the
frontier subjects of the two Governments. A settlement, by way of
cancellation and set-off on tribal lines, of the great majority of out
standing cases was effected in October. Most of the cases settled related
to the Kurram border, the amount due, on balance, being found to be
Rs. 2,685 in favour of the Afghans. This sum was paid by the Govern
ment of India.
The outbreak of the Great War, and particularly the entry of Turkey
into the conflict, placed the Amir in a difficult position. No efforts were
spared by the Central Powers to bring Afghanistan into the War. In
spite of the formation of a preventive military cordon in East Persia,
a German-Turkish mission succeeded in reaching Kabul in October
1915. The Amir summoned a meeting of representatives from all parts
of the country, delivered a strong speech in favour of peace and friend
ship with the British, and succeeded notwithetanding the concluBien-of
a ‘jpcre* m ;*v. n..TTv.»wTMrUi«b keeping his country
neutral throughout the Great War.
In February 1919 Amir Habibulla, .feeling that the time had come
when he might claim the reward of steadfastness throughout the war,
and vindicate his policy to his people, wrote to the ^ iceroy, demanding
written recognition by the Peace Conference of Afghanistan s absolute
liberty, freedom of action, and perpetual independence ”.
On the night of the 19th/20th February 1919, Amir Habibulla was
murdered at his shooting camp at Qala-i-gush in the Laghman Valley.
His brother Sardar Nasrulla/ was at Jalalabad at the time. He imme
diately proclaimed himself Amir, Inayatulla, the heir apparent^ who
was also in Jalalabad, making no attempt to establish his own claim.
In Kabul Sardar Amanulla, the 27 year old son of Habibulla by the
tllya Hazrat, took possession of the citadel. Conciliating the army by
promises of increased pay, and disarming opposition by the boldness
of his act, he ordered the arrest of Nasfulla on the charge of having
murdered Habibulla, and on the 28th February was proclaimed King
of Afghanistan in the presence of all civil and military officials in Kabul.
Amanulla’s first act on taking over the reins of Government was to
proclaim the independence of Afghanistan both in internal and in exter
nal affairs. For this purpose he desp%hed special messengers to
Russia, Turkey, Bokhara and Khiva. On the 3rd March he wrote to
the Viceroy intimating his succession, and emphasising that, in seeking
friendship, he did so on behalf of “ our independent and free govern
ment of Afghanistan ”.