NEWS OF THE WEEK • T HE latest telegrams from Afghanistan
all point to the con- tinuance of negotiations between the Government of India and Abdurrahman Khan. It is affirmed that he has been offered the Ameership without restrictions, though, of course, upon certain conditions as to the observance of treaties and guaran- tees of amnesty. Abdurrahman has replied favourably, and. has even dismissed part of his troops, as he will not now be compelled to fight for Cabul. We can only hope the intelligence is true. We should have greatly preferred the restoration of Yakoob Khan, who has been unjustly treated; 'but Abdurrahman has Further Afghanistan already in his bands, and has no motive for punishing the Sirdars who ad- hered to the English. He is, too, the abler and more widely experienced man. The grand difficulty will be to induce Can- dahar to submit to him, as the Wall was a follower of Yakooh Khan. Lord Hartington has announced (Monday, May 24th) that the British troops cannot evacuate Candahar as soon as the reat of Afghanistan, owing to engagements believed to have been already made, and to the necessity of guaranteeing chiefs who have relied upon our promises. He could only promise to retire from that province as soon as might be possible.
