The Whitehall Review publishes a letter from the Ameer of
Afghanistan to the Sultan, dated January 19th, 1878, which it declares to be authentic, and which certainly looks so. In it Shere Ali, after praying God to guard the residence of the centre of Islam from the invasions of the enemy, warns the Sultan that the English " willingly desert the basis of friendship and candour," and states that all his efforts are directed to keep them at a distance. "The Russians possess as much energy as the English, and always sur- pass them when it is a question of good-faith." I know well that " your Highness did not approve of what I said in my last, that the friendship of the English was only a word—a word written on ice; but now your Highness has been able to convince yourself by your own experience how little reliance there is to be placed in their friendship, and you see that the English always abandon their friends in their misfortune to their fate." " Confident in their power, they have always acted in an arrogant and disdainful manner." He therefore advises the Sultan to " reject alliance with England, and come to an understanding with Russia." It is curious to note how completely Shere Ali agrees with Continental politicians that England is specially perfide. What is it in our conduct that gives that impression,—our talk about our " interests," or our habit of always getting something out of every imbroglio ?
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