sia, which (as we pointed out in April
1840, p. 522) had for many years been progressively declining, was
doubled during 1840 and 1841, (_Bombay Times_, April 2, 1842,) and is
believed to be still on the increase! The opening of the navigation of
the Indus, with the exertions of the Bombay Chamber of Commerce to
establish depots on its course, and to facilitate the transmission of
goods into the surrounding countries, has already done much for the
restoration of traffic in this direction, in spite of the efforts of the
Russian agents in the north to keep possession of the opening thus
unexpectedly afforded them; but it cannot be denied that the "great
enlargement of our field of commerce," so confidently prognosticated by
Lord Palmerston, from "the great operations undertaken in the countries
lying west of the Indus," has run a heavy risk of being permanently
diverted into other channels, by the operation of the causes detailed
above.

[37] Khelat (more properly Khelat-i-Nussear Khan, "the citadel
of Nussear Khan," by whom it was strongly fortified in 1750,)
is the principal city and fortress of the Brahooes or Eastern
Baloochee, and the residence of their chief. It had never been
taken by any of the Affghan kings, and had even opposed a
successful resistance to the arms of Ahmed Shah;--but on
November 13, 1839, it was stormed by an Anglo-Indian force
under General Wiltshire, and the Khan Mihrab was slain sword in
hand, gallantly fighting to the last at the entrance of his
zenana. The place, however, was soon after surprised and
recaptured by the son of the fallen chief, Nussear Khan, who,
though again expelled, continued to maintain himself with a few
followers in the mountains, and at last effected an
accommodation with the British, and was replaced on the musnud.
He has since fulfilled his engagements to us with exemplary
fidelity; and as his fears of compulsory vassalage to the
nominally restored Affghan monarchy are now at an end, he
appears likely to afford a solitary instance of a trans-Indian
chief converted into a firm friend and ally.

Before we finally dismiss the subject of the Affghan war and its
consequences, we cannot overlook one feature in the termination of the
contest, which is of the highest importance, as indicating a return to a
better system than that miserable course of reduction and parsimony,
which