It is officially announced that Mahommed Jan, the officer who
has commanded in the recent insurrection, has proclaimed. Musa Khan, the eldest son of Yakoob Khan, Ameer of Afghani- stan. This was unexpected, and greatly simplifies the position, as if Musa Khan is accepted by the leaders generally, there will again be a Government in Afghanistan. The selection is sup- posed to be due to the influence of Musa's grandmother, the wife of Yrthiya Khan, who is said to have expended L-20,000 in getting the clans together ; but it is more probable that Mahommed JIL/1 found that the elevation of the old line would evoke less jealousy than his own pretensions. We do not know why the British should not recognise Musa Khan, even if they have to defeat his armies, as the plan of splitting up Afghanistan into sections has failed, and they must either annex or deal with some Ameer. The more national he is, the easier it will be for him to restore order, and maintain terms with us when we have retired from our foolish enterprise of making Afghanistan independent by conquest, and." friendly" by incessant executions. The only alternative is annexation, and Sir Stafford Northcote publicly repudiates that.
