According to the latest telegrams from Persia, Ayoub Khan had
successfully traversed Eastern Persia, and had appeared upon the frontier of Afghanistan. There, however, he was encountered by an Afghan commandant, and forced to retire into Persian territory, where, adds the bulletin-maker, his recapture if; speedily expected. That is an optimist view. As we have explained elsewhere, we do not think the fate of the British Empire depends in any way upon Ayoub Khan's adven- tures; but the Persians are not likely to recapture him. He could not have escaped without the connivance of the Court, and the influence which secured that will secure also that the provincial Governors shall not be too zealous or successfuL Ayoub will probably hover on the frontier until his partisans are fully aware of his escape and his arrival, and will then try some bold stroke either for Herat, as they expect in St. Petersburg, or for Candahar, which we should think more probable.
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