n to
Afghanistan, but that the names of any Sirdars, approved of by a large
proportion of the people for the Amirship, would be laid before the
Viceroy; that there was no intention of annexing Afghanistan, and
that there would be no occupation of any places except such as were
necessary for the safety of our Indian frontier. They were further
informed that the British army would be withdrawn as soon as the
country had settled down peacefully and an Amir, amicably disposed
towards us, had been selected; but that Kandahar would not again be
united to Kabul.

The effect produced was good. The deputation was greatly disappointed
that Yakub Khan was not to be permitted to return, but all present
felt that they had received a definite reply.

[Footnote 1: In reply to a reference made to me on the subject,
I represented that, before operations could be undertaken on so
extensive a scale as was proposed, it would be necessary to reinforce
the Kabul garrison and the several posts on the Kyber line by:

One battery of Horse or Field Artillery.
One Heavy battery.
One Mountain battery.
A detachment of Garrison Artillery.
A brigade of Cavalry.
Three companies of Sappers and Miners.
Two regiments of British Infantry.
Six regiments of Native Infantry.
Drafts sufficient to raise each Infantry regiment at
Kabul to 800 men.

This was agreed to; the reinforcements were sent up by degrees, and
a second division was formed at Kabul, to the command of which
Major-General J. Ross,[*] C.B., was appointed.]

[Note *: Now General Sir John Ross, G.C.B.]

[Footnote 2: As the deportation of Yakub Khan was believed to be one
of the chief causes of recent disturbances, and as a powerful party in
the country still looked forward to having him back as their Ruler, I
was directed to make it clear to his adherents that the ex-Amir would
never be allowed to return to Afghanistan, and that his abdication
must be, as he himself at the time wished it to be, considered
irrevocable. In support of this decision, I was informed that the
unanimous verdict of guilty of murder, recorded against Yakub Khan
by Colonel Macgregor's Commission, was substantially endorsed by the
Chief Justice of Calcutta and the Advocate-General; and that, although
other authorities who had considered the evidence did not quite go so
far as these two high legal functionaries, the general conclusion
come to was that, if the Amir did not connive at the m