NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THICK fog has settled for the moment upon affairs in IX Afghanistan. The Ameer has despatched two of his highest officers to General Roberts, apparently to assure the British of his friendship, and they are now in the camp on the Peiwar ; and he has, it is affirmed, purchased the obedience of the soldiery in Cabal itself. The advance-brigade of the Kurrum force, moreover, under Colonel Baker, has been suffered to enter Kuala, forty miles from Cabul, unopposed. Nevertheless, Herat has revolted against the Ameer, Yakoob Khan writes as if he only lived from day to day, and resistance to the entry to Cabal is fully expected. The Hill-men, too, are signing agreements, which merely means accepting bribes, and yet the first convoy left insufficiently guarded on the Shutur- gardan, was cut up, the SepoYs and muleteers being all killed, ,while at another point some British officers were fired at. That we have the Afghans to subdue is certain., but whether we cuter the country as invaders or as allies of a powerless but legal government, is still unknown, even to the highest authorities. It is announced that General Roberts has overcome transport diffi- culties, and will shortly advance ; but there is extreme difficulty in supplying the supporting Khyber force, and cholera has broken out among the Europeans at Jumrood to such an extent
fall back. that one regiment has been ordered to
