rit of candour and goodwill in which
these communications have been received and are reciprocated.

But I am to impress on your attention the importance of avoiding
any expression which might appear to suggest or admit matter for
negotiation or discussion in reference to the relative positions
of the Sirdar and the Government of India.

In conclusion, I am to request that on receipt of this letter you
will be so good as to lose no time in submitting its contents to
General Sir Donald Stewart, should he then have reached Kabul.
In any case, you will, of course, communicate them to General
Roberts, and act upon them in consultation with the chief military
authority on the spot.

* * * * *

APPENDIX X.

(Referred to in Chapter LIX, Footnote 2.)

_Extract from a Report by LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR FREDERICK ROBERTS,
V.C., K.C.B., to the QUARTERMASTER-GENERAL IN INDIA, dated Kabul,
17th April, 1880._

25. I think I have now dealt with all the points of military
importance connected with the military position in northern
Afghanistan, but there are a few questions of more general interest
which I desire to bring to the notice of His Excellency the
Commander-in-Chief and the Government of India.

26. First with regard to rations. The daily scale of issue to Native
troops is given in the margin.

[Sidenote: _Daily ration of Native soldiers_:

Atta[1] 12 chittacks [2]
Dall[3] 2 chittacks
Ghi[4] 1 chittack
Salt 1/3 chittack
Meat 1 lb. bi-weekly
Rum 1 dram " ]

It has been found throughout the campaign, even when the men were
employed upon hard work, that '12 chittacks' of 'atta' daily are amply
sufficient for the Native troops, supplemented, as of late, through
the liberality of Government, by a bi-weekly issue of 1 lb. of
meat. In a climate like Afghanistan, where the inhabitants are all
meat-eaters, this liberality has been most wise. Every endeavour was
made, before this sanction was granted, to supply the Native portion
of the force with meat on payment, and I attribute to this in great
measure the sound health and excellent stamina which they now exhibit.

With regard to the issue of rum, I would suggest that it should not be
issued free to Native troops, except under exceptional circumstances
of fatigue and weather, but that the Commissariat Department should
be auth