'Ile first movement towards the evacuation of Candahar has tat
length been made. Shere Ali, the incompetent member of the Barnkhzye family whom Lord Lytton made " Wali " Candahar, and addressed as "your Highness," finding his posi- tion intolerable, has requested and received permission to retire with his family into British India, where we hope a large jaghire will be found for him. He has been a victim of his own ambition, and of the Tory determination to believe the Candaharees favourable to white Infidels. His claims, whether shadowy or real, have thus ceased, and the British have once more the opportunity of retiring within their own frontier. There is no need to assign the province formally to anybody, for it has never been legally ceded, and belongs to Abdurrah- man Khan, as recognised ruler of Afghanistan. If he cannot -hold it, that is his fault, and no more business of ours than his ability to hold Balkh, or to keep open the passes through the Hindoo Koosh. We believe, however, that either he or Ayoub Khan will hold both Cabul and Candahar, the one statesmanlike idea of the Afghans being that their empire, of which Candahar is the most fertile province, shall be held together.
