7 MARCH 1908, Page 2

The war on the Indian frontier has ended in a

most satis- factory manner, on which the Indian Army and the Govern- ment are to be heartily congratulated. On Thursday week, after a discussion between the Afridi headmen and the British political officer, who visited them unarmed, the Afridis sent a petition to General Willcocks, of which the feature is said to be a promise that the other Afridi tribes will hold themselves responsible for the behaviour of the Zakka Khel, and will them- selves exact punishment when necessary. The tribes hope that past offences will be forgiven, as the Zakka Khel have lost heavily in the fighting. The Afridi headmen, however, definitely undertake to punish certain notorious offenders who have escaped, and to lodge a number of rifles as a guarantee of good faith. On Friday week General Willcocks announced his willingness to lay the petition before the Government, and on Saturday last the withdrawal of the expeditionary force began. The cost of the campaign is estimated at between sixty and eighty thousand pounds.