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95 had preached the duty of holding Afghánistán for several years, at whatever cost, as an outpost of our Indian Empire. In his Minute of the 20th of August, Lord Auckland contended that the withdrawal of our troops would be followed by the expulsion of Sháh Shujá, and that such a failure of all our plans would reflect disgrace on the Government and be a source of danger to the British power. In spite of his professed belief in the Sháh's popularity he shared, or affected to share, that monarch's dread of the defeated rival who might yet live to work him serious harm. Macnaghten was ambitious and a Russophobe; and the Envoy-Minister to a king of his own making might hope to play a prominent part in the politics of Central Asia. 'The independence and integrity of Afghánistán' could not be deemed secure while Dost Muhammad was still at large, and a Russian force at Orenburg was preparing for a march on Khíva. He must have known that the Sháh's only chance of winning the loyal support of his turbulent chiefs and people lay in the speedy disappearance of every British soldier from Afghán ground. He knew also that the death of Ranjít Singh had removed the only solid guarantee for the good behaviour of our Sikh allies. The drain upon the Indian treasuries was already serious, while the lack of troops in many of our Indian garrisons gave cause for just anxiety. But the distant spectre of Russian aggrandizement blinded the Envoy to every difficulty nearer home.

Lord Auckland, who was still in the Upper Pro-