dividual, which is an act of justice. I have employed the most simple style, which is a type of the old-school: but, if I have rendered the work a useful record of facts, I shall be satisfied; and willingly concede to others, the ability to write in a more fascinating form.

5. From the nature of our operations, Cavalry were less employed than Infantry, the Affghan troops are chiefly composed of Cavalry, but do not equal the description given of the " Candahar Horse" of former days; though we had no opportunity of testing their military worth. The Ghiljies have proved themselves, of late, to be the boldest of the mounted troops of the country.

The European troops of our Army had no "rum" from the time we left Candahar, till a supply came from India, after the campaign. Owing to eating the fat Doomba mutton which is rich, and drinking the water of the country possessing an aperient quality, they suffered much from bowel complaints. Whatever may be the opinion of the "Abstinence Societies," all sound medical men declare the sudden deprivation of spirits to be injurious.

Now that the" Magnates" have received the meed of their merits, in the shape of Honors and Rank, it is to be hoped that the more humble officers, N. C. O. and soldiers may be honored with the "Medal" for the capture of Ghuznee, which his Affghan majesty designed to bestow, in high approbation of their services; while the public voice has sanctioned the justness of the expectation.

6. As it appeared to me that some account of a country so little known, and which has been the scene of our operations, should be afforded, and

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having possessed the means of effecting such an object; I have in my XVIIth Chapter given the History of the Dooranee Dynasty." It may, here, not be out of place, to show the ancient dimensions of the Empire; now reduced to the kingdom of Cabool and its dependencies.

At the death of Ahmed Shah the founder

(1747) who died in 1773, the Empire Under Shah Shoojah-ool

THE INVASION OF INDIA, AND THE MEANS

OF DEFENCE.

1. The Invasion of India, has been contemplated at various periods for more than half a century. Sir John McNeill (1) states that Prince Nassau Siegen presented to Catherine of Russia in 1787, a project, drawn up by a Frenchman, for marching an Army through Bokhara and Cashmeer (2) to Bengal, to drive the English out of India, this was to be preceded by a manifesto declarative of the intention to re-establish the great Moghul on the throne of India; (3) and though Potemkin derided it, the plan was favorably received by the Empress and has never been forgotten in Russia.

2. It is a singular fact that Zeman Shah, (4) brother to Shah Shoojah, whom the British Government has just replaced on the throne of Cabool, should have twice (1797 and 1798) threatened the invasion of India; the last time accompanied with a letter addressed to the minister at Delhi

(1) Progress and present position of Russia, (1838,) p. 46.

(2) Then possessed by the Affghans, now belonging to the Sikhs. In our treaty with the Sikh government (25th April, 1809), it was provided (Article 1st) that "the British Government will have no concern with the territories and subjects of the rajahs to the northward of the river Sutlej." But for this article, the Sikhs never would have obtained possession of this valuable province.

(3) Shah Alum was then in the hands of the Mahrattahs. The above measure, it was supposed, would secure the concurrence of the intermediate states, and attract all discontented spirits to the standard of Russia. The Shah was replaced on his throne in 1803, by the British Government.

(4) He was dethroned in 1801, and blinded. Shah Shoojah succeeded him as king, and was dethroned in 1809. Both were pensioners of the British Government, till the result of the expedition placed Shah Shoojah, a second time, on the throne of Cabool.

declaring his intention of returning, on a more favorable occasion, to replace Shah Alum on his throne, and make the Mahomedan the paramount power in India. An ambitious Government would in 1838 have taken possession of Affghanistan, instead of adopting the more generous act of the restoration of a long deposed monarch. Both the above events caused great alarm in India, and occasioned a considerable increase in the Bengal Army. (5)

A Persian of rank was entrusted, by the Government of Bombay, with a letter to the King of Persia to endeavour to secure his aid, which was afforded in the shape of an attack on an Affghan province in Khorasan; which caused Zeman Shah's return from Lahore to his Capital.

3. The Government of India next determined to send an Ambassador to Persia. Sir J. Malcolm was selected. He left Bombay in the end of 1799, arrived in Persia in 1800, and in 1801, commercial and political treaties were signed between the British and Persian Governments. The invasion of Egypt by France about this period, with 40,000 men, though it failed in gaining the object intended, owing to our successes, ought to have opened the eyes of the ministry of that period, to the probability of an attempt to invade India by the way of Persia; but the opportunity was lost. This was the first error.

In 1805, (6) the King of Persia being unable to cope with Russia, addressed a letter to Napoleon, desiring to form an alliance with France. M. Jaubert was sent to Tehran. Merza Reza, in return, went on a mission to Napoleon, accompanied him to Tilsit, and concluded a treaty, which was ratified at Fenkenstein in May, 1807. At the same time Mahomed Nebbee Khan was sent as Envoy to the British Government of India, to claim its assistance against Russia; but his mission was unsuccessful; and Persia losing all hope of support from her old ally, had no alternative but to throw herself into the arms of France.

(5) The 4th Lt. Cavy., the present 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th and 35th Regts. N. I. were raised in consequence. (6) McNeill, p. 55.

4. This was the second error in our policy towards Persia. There was also at this period, a secret treaty signed at Tilsit, between Napoleon and the Emperor Alexander, having for its object the invasion of India, each power to furnish 30,000 men. Napoleon was playing a double game. Probably his plans in Spain and Portugal prevented the execution of his designs on India on a great scale. Probably he was not desirous of sharing his conquest with Russia; and wished, by a successful invasion of Russia, to carry single-handed his views in the East. The next step of Napoleon was to send General Gardanne as Ambassador to the Court of the Shah. French officers were sent who first introduced European discipline into the Persian Army. French Engineers built the first regular fortifications.

5. In 1809 Sir J. Malcolm was sent on a second mission to Persia. On his arrival at Bushire he was denied permission to proceed to the capital, owing to French influence; (7) in consequence he returned to Calcutta. Sir Harford Jones, (8) who had been sent by the Court of London on a mission to Persia, was received at the Persian Court. The Shah apprehensive of the threatened hostilities from India, and more than all, the inability of the French Ambassador to perform the promises his master had made, (9) secured to this mission a favorable reception, and ultimately forced the French Embassy to retire, and procured a Persian Ambassador to be sent to England. Sir H. Jones settled a preliminary treaty on the 12th March, 1809, to the following effect: (10)

(7) He was told to communicate with the Viceroy at Shiraz, which he refused to do. It was expected that an Ambassador should be sent by the crown and not by the E. 1. Company.

(8) Since Sir H. Jones Brydges. He was (in January, 1809), entering, as he states, the harbour of Bombay just as Sir J. Malcolm had sailed from it.

(9) Genl. Gardanne had persuaded the Shah to take a French subsidiary force, but Napoleon disapproved of the measure, which is most unaccountable.

(10) And returned to England in 1811. A treaty founded on this was settled by Sir Gore Ousley, who was appointed Ambassador extraordinary from the king of England.