Sir Mortimer Durand has arrived in Peshawur safe and whole,
and very well content. It is not probable that a full account of the negotiations will be presented even to Parliament, for reasons of public policy, but some main points in the settlement have been made clear. The Ameer obtains his rights over a Pathan State or two lying between our frontier and his own, and an increase of 50 per cent. on his subsidy, which is raised .from £120,000 to £180,000 a year. This subsidy being actually paid in cash to the Ameer, is invaluable to him, because it enables him to keep up a small standing Army, independent of the clans. On the other hand, the Ameer acknowledges that Kafiristan, with Chitral as its centre, is under our protection, and agrees that the Quetta Railway may go on to Chaman on the road to Candahar. He certainly is not afraid of any design of ours on his own territory, or he would not have placed us in such splendid positions for offence. He is probably aware, however, that we do not want Afghanistan, and that we do want ready means of getting northward to the East as much as the West. We think ourselves that we are getting too far from our true base, the sea; but all the local experts are of a contrary opinion.
Previous page
