er
objects in view than those avowed. The conditions, however, were
rejected, and it was evident that the shah would only be satisfied with
the sovereignty of Herat. His troops were again put in motion on the
23rd of July; but in consequence of obstructions, on the 14th of October
they had advanced no further than Nishapoor, about half the distance
from Teheran to Herat. About this time an emissary from Russia appeared
in the Persian camp, from whence he proceeded to Candahar and Cabool;
everywhere giving out that he was sent to intimate the arrival of a
large Russian army to co-operate with the army against Herat. Dost
Mohammed, the chief of Cabool, had sent agents to St. Petersburg, as
well as Teheran, to procure assistance against the Sikhs; and shortly
after, he applied with the same intention to Lord Auckland, who had just
arrived in India as governor-general. Lord Auckland decided on sending
Captain Burnes on a commercial mission to Cabool; and that officer
reached the capital of Dost Mohammed about the time that the Persian
and Russian agents arrived in Candahar and Cabool. Negotiations were
commenced between these various agents and the chief of Cabool; and
they were not concluded when the Persian army arrived before Herat. The
shah had previously captured the border fortress of Ghorian; but he was
destined to meet with a different reception before the city of Kamrau
Shah: week after week elapsed, and not the slightest impression was made
upon its walls. While the siege was proceeding, Lord Auckland directed
Mr. M'Neill to proceed to the camp, and make one more endeavour to
effect a pacific adjustment, and to obtain redress. He had so far
succeeded as to bring the mind of the shah to be favourable to a
treaty; but all his efforts were again set aside by the arrival of Count
Simonich, the Russian envoy, in the Persian camp. The siege, therefore,
continued, nor could subsequent efforts made by Mr. M'Neill set it
aside. His failure was made known to the British government; and on
the 21st of May he received a despatch from Lord Palmerston, which
authorized him to inform the shah that his designs were in complete
contravention of the spirit of the alliance subsisting between the two
nations; and that he must expect the cessation of intercourse in the
event of such hostile proceedings being persevered in. In consequence
of this direction Mr. M'Neill wrote the following letter to the Shah of
Persia:--"I am directed to