Our pessimist view 9f the situation at Cabal was as
incorrect as pessimist views of British prospects usually are. Mahommed Jan made no attempt to stop General Gough, who, after A march of seven days, which covered only sixty miles, arrived at Shirpore on the 24th ult., with his brigade intact. He found General Roberts once more master of the whole situation. The Afghan leaders, probably finding it dill:silt to keep their troops together, resolved on a general attack on Shirpore, and accordingly delivered it, on December 23rd. It was not a very determined one, though on the Behmarn side the enemy occupied a village, from which at first they could not be driven out. General Roberts, however, clearing the village with artillery, let loose his large body of cavalry (1,500 men), and the Afghans, afraid of being surrounded, fled into the city. losing a considerable number of their followers. The British loss was slight, but the victory was complete, the Afghan leaders, with their troops, flying at night to Kohistan and other dis- tricts; and taking with them the Ameer, Musa Khan. The Bala Hissar was reoccupied on the following day, though it has again. been abandoned, and a military governor reappointed for Cabal. General Roberts has therefore com- pletely regained all that had been lost since the 10th, and the British can, if they please, retire victorious. We regret, however, to believe, that so far from retiring, General Roberts has recommenced the executions.
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