AFGHANS AND ENEMY INTRIGUES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 8

AFGHANS AND ENEMY INTRIGUES

LOYALTY TO. THE BRITISH. Tho Import on the administration of the N6rtli-West Frontier Province for the year 1917-18 constitutes a gratifying record of Sir George Roos-Keppel's stewardship. It states that, ■ viewed as a whole, the history of • the year has been satisfactory, in spite o'f unceasing intrigue from hostile elements in Afghanistan and India among the tribes. . Except for the Mahsud outbreak, it.was the quietest year since the war began. Not a single.tribe was Hinder blockade at the end of tho period, nnd our relations with all wc.ro completely satisfactory, The Province internally was singularly free from any. form of sedition, although the enemy's emissaries endeavoured to-fan the flame of a Jehad in sympathy for the Turks, and .used the secession of Russia as an argument' for a. certain invasion of India, -by a Turkish army. The Swatis once more- petitioned the Government to take, over their conn-, try, and the Afridis, notwithstanding the unceasing efforts of Turkish." ana other intriguers, proved-staunch.' The Afridis did. not confine themselves to passive' neutrality, but.actively assisted the Allies' cause by attacking, a village in Tirah in which two Turkish agents and.their Afghan followers were living, capturing them, and sending them ncross the border into Afghanistan, where they were arrested by the Amir's order. The Province subscribed nearly 24 lakhs of rupees (about .£1GO,000) to the war loan, and over 2i .lakhs (.G1G,750)' to "Our Day," aiid 'also contributed over 3!- per cent, of the total male population of military age to the Army.