Lord Kimberley—who, in consequence of the illness of Lord Granville,
led the Opposition in the Upper House—accepted Lord Salisbury's assurances as to Russia and Afghanistan, and agreed that, in the loose condition of affairs there, we must rely on fortresses rather than on treaties, "affairs being more likely to take a peaceful turn if we are in a thorough position of defence." With regard to Egypt, he thought that Lord Salisbury had exaggerated the danger from the Mahdi, and held that the only way of meeting the difficulties which presented themselves was by building up a strong native Government in Egypt. The circumstances which made success there so nearly impossible were financial, and if Lord Salisbury could deal with them, he for one wished him every success. Lord Kimberley did not allude to Lord Salisbury's remarks about stretching out bulwarks ; but if the Standard is right in its interpretation of them, Parliament will not rise without serious debate. That journal hints that the Government intend to ask the Ameer to allow them to construct a cantonment for defence outside Candahar, on the terms which the Khan of Khelat has accepted in regard to Quetta. That would mean war with Afghanistan. If Abdurrahman consented to admit the Infidel into the very heart of his country, he would be overthrown, and Ayoub Khan, who fought us on the Hel- mond, would be accepted as Ameer in order to fight us again. We cannot acquire Candahar without fighting, or keep it without an army which, would be additional to the garrison of India.
