Two more misfortunes in Cabal, and one of them a
great .one. The Ameer, Yakoob Khan, unable any longer to endure his position, which, indeed, had become intolerable, has abdi- cated. General Roberts, the Viceroy says, endeavoured to change his decision, but it was final, and has been accepted by the Government of India, which has now detained him in honourable imprisonment until the conclusion of the inquiry into the murder of the Envoy. The effect of this revolution, for it is no less, is to leave Afghanistan without a government, and to compel the Viceroy either to annex, or to manufacture a new Prince, a very long and difficult process, as, if he is to reign, he must be secured a country to reign over. The second misfortune is another attack on the British in Cabul, this Yakoob Khan's stores of cart-
time through an explosion of ridges. It was intended, doubtless, to fire the great powder magazine, and blow the garrison into the air ; but the plot failed, and the British only lost Captain Shafts, and some Coorkhas killed and wounded. General Roberts says there is no proof that the explosion was not accidental, 'but the device is one which always occurs to a native, and has once or twice, notably at Kotah, proved successful. Moreover, General Roberts instantly moved all British troops out of the Bala Hisser to a higher cantonment called Shirpur, which commands Cabal, and which he pronottnces satisfactory.
