Mahomed,
whose son, Mahomed Akhbar, had been recalled from Jellahabad, with the
troops guarding the Khyber Pass, and had formed a junction with his
father; their joint forces, according to our information, amounting to
about 13,000 men.

Every arrangement was made for the King and the army marching in a body
from here to-morrow; but in the course of the night, messengers arrived,
and since (this morning) a great many chiefs and their followers,
announcing the dissolution of Dost Mahomed's army, by the refusal of a
great part to advance against us with him, and that he had in
consequence fled, with a party of 300 horsemen, in the direction of
Bamian, leaving his guns behind him, in position, as they were placed at
Urghundee.

His Majesty Shah Shooja has sent forward a confidential officer, with
whom has been associated Major Cureton, of her Majesty's 16th Lancers,
taking with him a party of 200 men and an officer of artillery, to
proceed direct to take possession of those guns, and afterwards such
other guns and public stores as may be found in Cabool and the Balla
Hissar, in the name of, and for his Majesty Shah Shooja-ool-Moolk, and
the King's order will be carried by his own officer with this party, for
preserving the tranquillity of the city of Cabool.

A strong party has been detached in pursuit of Dost Mahomed, under some
of our most active officers. We continue our march upon Cabool
to-morrow, and will reach it on the third day.

We have, &c.,

(Signed) JOHN KEANE, Lieut.-General,
Commander-in-Chief.

(Signed) W.H. MACNAGHTEN,
Envoy and Minister.

* * * * *

_Extract from a Letter from his Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir John
Keane, K.C.B. and G.C.H., dated Head-Quarters, Camp, Cabool, August 8th,
1839_:--

"It gives me infinite pleasure to be able to address my despatch to your
Lordship from this capital, the vicinity of which his Majesty Shah
Shooja-ool-Moolk and the army under my command reached the day before
yesterday. The King entered his capital yesterday afternoon, accompanied
by the British Envoy and Minister and the gentlemen of the mission, and
by myself, the general and staff officers of this army, and escorted by
a squadron of her Majesty's 4th Light Dragoons, and one of her Majesty's
16th Lancers, with Captain Martin's troop of Horse Artillery. His
Majesty had expressed a wish that British troops should be present on
the