We have elsewhere stated the reasons which compel us to
believe that no strong reinforcements can pass Jagdalak for six weeks at least, and that General Roberts must depend upon himself. This view is also taken by the Viceroy, for he ends a telegram of the 17th inst. by these extraordinary words :—" If tribes do not disperse of themselves, on finding they can make no impression on Roberts, n strong force will be pushed up to reopen communication." Lord Lytton, of course, does not ex- pect the " tribes to disperse of themselves," particularly when, as General Roberts allowed to be telegraphed on the 12th inst., there are 10,000 regulars among them, and the sentence is intended to break to the English people that there will be delay in sending reinforcements. There are plenty of men—certainly 11,000, in- cluding 4,000 Europeans—already across the Indus, but there is no transport, and all the clans, Ghilzies, Momunds, Shinwarrees, Khugianis, say, 40,000 fighters in all, are expected to fall upon the Khyber force. There is nothing to be done but push up Europeans and transport by railway from all parts of India to
PeshaWur, and there does not appear to be energy even for that. It is a remarkable 'fact that the name of the Commander- in-Chief, Sir F. Haines, has never appeared in any telegram. There are signs of want of adequate energy everywhere.
