A New Frontier.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1922, Page 1

A New Frontier.

ANGLO-AFGIfAN TREATY incident.

The following interesting account of the scene on the British Afghan frontier, when, under the recently concluded Anglo-Afghan Treaty, the boundary line was adjusted, is given in “The pioneer jVlail” (Allahabad): •Sir Henry Dobbs (head of the British Mission to'Kabul, which negotiated the treaty) and the staff of the Kabul Mission crossed the frontier and returned to Peshawar on Sunday (December 4). Tbe scene at the frontier was extremely interesting and impressive. Tbe Mission cars were due to arrive from Jelalabad, where the nighi of December 3 had been spent, at noon. Immediately on the Afghan side ot the frontier fence were drawn up r. guard of honour of ’e Afghan Regular Infantry with a band which had been sent from Jelalabad, while facing them was a similar guard furnished by the Third Shinwari Guides. Major General Sir G. ]. E. S.

Harrow, commanding the Peshawar d ; - triet, his staff, Lieutenant Colonel W

I. political agent of the Khyher, and a considerable body of military and civil officers were present. The assembly on the Afghan side was less numerous, as was natural in view of tlfe comparative distances of Peshawar and Jelalahad, but it included Knndak Mishali Nur Mohammed Khan, the Sarhaddar or frontier officer of Dakka, and several military and civil officers. Punctually to time the Mission cars drove up and knitted opposite the Afghan guards of honour. After ail inspection of these, Sir Henry Dobbs advanced to the frontier, where he was met by Sir George Barrow and Lieuten-

ant Colonel Keen. At the same moment the first gun of the salute boomed out. A move was then made to Lite refreshment tent, where the British and Afghan officers mingled in tbe most friendly and informal fashion, and greetings were exchanged over tea and cakes which were welcome indeed to both travellers and spectators, all of whom had had several hours of dirty travelling and standing about. If had been arranged tint the minor adjustments of the British '' 1 ’ frontier, which, is one of the terms o! the treaty, should be formally carried out by Sir Hterirv Dobbs oil this occasion. To represent the Afghan Government, the Mushtashnr of the Afghan Foreign Offict Mohamed Ishaq Khan, had accompanied tin Mission to the frontier. Maps were now produced, and the line of the ne wfrotitier was niimitel yinspected thereon by the chief military and civil officials of both nations. A move was then made to the point, some 700 yards back along the road towards Landi Kbnna, where, beneath the towering cliffs of Turk ham. tHe new frontier will run. The Afghan infantry, which bad formed the guard of honour, moved up with the hand playing to this point Simultaneously the Brit ish infantry and / artillery moved hack, the strains of tin British drums and fifes mingling with •5 e brass and pipe hands of

Afghans, which played their National Anthem and ot liter patriotic tunes.

After a brief speech by the Afghan -Alushtasliar and a suitable reply by Sir Henry Dobbs, the representatives of the two nations jointly marked out a few yards of the new frontier and saw the wire gates erected in their new position. The ceremony closed on a dramatic and appropriate note, an Afghan Mullah stepping forward from the crowd and reciting a prayer in which the assembled Mohammedan spectators heartily joined. On the conclusion of this prayer the Afghan infantry fired a feu de joie on tlie three-timos-thiee principle, to the echoes of which Sir Henry Dobbs and his party, after hearty farewells to the Afghan officials, drove away to Landikotnl, where a guard of honour of the Indian infantry saluted the tenvoy.