HERAT TO CANDAHAR.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 3633, 18 August 1880, Page 2

HERAT TO CANDAHAR.

1 The present .position of affairs in Afghanistan may make it iatemtinf to briefly consider the geographical feaUre'i and political condition of the rait tract of country lying between these'two eitits. No portion of Afghanistan hat suffered more from the ciril war*., and \ foreign inrasions which hare for several desolatad the whole of the realm than the - districts bordering on Seisbn and tlioie which lie aronnd the once fio«riahaf cities of Ferrah, Washir, and Sebeewir. But at present between the, fertile ffcUty of Herat and the city of Caodafctt .■: tliere is not a spot, with the potfityt '■ ■'■ exception of the Bakwatr 'YillM..'which could be designated aa".H|pi^^ ble of supplying an army of 'ihe-|tiii|i * modest proportions. It will therefenrW^ e?ident that Ayoub Shan't foroe witt^tt it extremely diffioult 'to PttrtlftgiM^ necessary sippliM en ri*t*i.vAfa]jßiSmfd~ of them an enterprise with M gnU^' >

proipeots of success, and one which • inrofres inarching for weeks through an unfavourable country, will. doubtless appear to be very unlikely to attain , any beneficial result. Assuming that the Afghani venture to take the shortest road through Daulatabad, the distano* between Herat and Candahar is still 320 miles. Advancing by Asiabad, Daulatabad, and Washir. it would be possible for tribesmen, without guns, to reach the Helmund in fourteen days, and the river at this time of the year should be easily fordable. As it is very doubtful. however, that even an irregular Afghan force would attempt a march of, this character, leaving a position of the im portance of Ferrah, unoccupied on its flank, it may be assumed that Ayoob Shan will adopt the recognised road v from Herat to,Candahar which passes "through/Sense war, Ferrah, Khash, Girishik. . The total distance is by this increased to 355 miles, but on the other hand, the Bukwah Valley, the fertility of which war. first point d, out by M. Ferrier, would be rendered available. The country is still thinly populated, but imall villages ocean at intervals of i ten or fifteen miles. These the Herat garrison—which has .probably been only induced to undertake this new enterprise because the inhabitants of the city no longer offer a sufficiently tempting preywill speedily plunder, and the villagers * will have every cause to join in regretting the. appearance among them of Ayoob's ,