ind us true and faithful,
and that we should rest at peace between them [England and
Russia], for my tribesmen are unable to struggle with Empires, and
are ruined by want of commerce; and we hope of your friendship
that, sympathizing with and assisting the people of Afghanistan,
you will place them under the honourable protection of the two
Powers. This would redound to the credit of both, would give peace
to Afghanistan, and quiet and comfort to God's people. This is my
wish; for the rest, it is yours to decide.

* * * * *

APPENDIX IX.

(Referred to in Chapter LVIII, Footnote 6.)

_Letter from A. C. LYALL, ESQ., C.B., Secretary to the Government of
India, Foreign Department, to LEPEL H. GRIFFIN, Esq., C.S.I., Chief
Political Officer, Kabul, dated Simla, April, 1880._

I have the honour to inform you that the Governor-General has
received and considered in council your telegrams of the 22nd and
23rd instant, forwarding the translation of a letter received by
you from Sirdar Abdur Rahman on the 21st instant, together with
a summary of certain oral explanations which accompanied that
letter, and a statement of the recommendations suggested by it to
Lieutenaut-General Sir Frederick Roberts and yourself.

In conveying to you its instructions on the subject of this
important communication, the Government of India considers it
expedient to recapitulate the principles on which it has hitherto
been acting in northern Afghanistan, and clearly to define the
point of view from which it contemplates the present situation of
affairs in that country. The single object to which, as you are
well aware, the Afghan policy of this Government has at all times
been directed and limited, is the security of the North-West
frontier of India. The Government of India has, however, no less
invariably held and acted on the conviction that the security of
this frontier is incompatible with the intrusion of any foreign
influence into the great border State of Afghanistan. To exclude
or eject such influence the Government of India has frequently
subsidized and otherwise assisted the Amirs of Kabul. It has also,
more than once, taken up arms against them. But it has never
interfered, for any other purpose, in the affairs of their
kingdom. Regulating on this principle and limiting