3 JANUARY 1874, Page 10

An ugly telegram has reached the Times from the borders

of Northern India. Shere Ali, who is known to have been exceed- ingly ill, has formally proclaimed his youngest son—or son of his favourite wife, we forget for the moment which—Abdoolla Jan, his successor on the throne. As Abdoolla an is a mere lad, and as Yakoob Khan has every conceivable title to the throne, being eldest descendant after Shere Ali, of the founder, eldest son of the Sovereign, and incomparably the ablest man in Afghanistan, there is no chance of his bearing this, and he will be in rebellion either now or soon. That does not particularly matter, if he 'wins or dies, but if he does neither, and we acknowledge Abdoolla Jan, Russia has another most efficient ally.