ord Dufferin, in reply, pointed out that the Amir had been advised
to strengthen northern Afghanistan, and that the services of Engineer
officers had been offered to him for the purpose of putting Herat into
a satisfactory state of defence. His Excellency declared that England
was resolved that a Russian advance on Herat should be met by a
declaration of war; that preparations were then being made to give
effect to that resolve; and that it was now absolutely necessary for
His Highness to make up his mind which of his two powerful neighbours
he would elect to choose as his ally.

[Illustration: HIS HIGHNESS ABDUR RAHMAN, AMIR OF AFGHANISTAN.]

Abdur Rahman thanked the Viceroy for his offer of help, but showed
plainly that he had no intention of availing himself of the services
of our Engineers. He vowed that his own personal wishes were entirely
in favour of a close and practical alliance with the British, but that
his subjects did not share his feelings towards us. They were 'rude,
uneducated, and suspicious.' He hoped that in time they might become
more disposed to be friendly, but at present he could not pretend
to rely upon them. He then disclosed the real reason for his ready
response to the Viceroy's invitation by saying that he would
gratefully receive the assistance of the British Government in the
shape of money, arms, and munitions of war.

At a later visit the conversation turned upon the difficulty of the
position in which the British members of the Boundary Commission were
placed, and the impossibility of the Afghan posts being able to hold
their own in the face of a Russian advance was explained to the Amir.
A map was produced, on which the country to the north of Herat was
carefully examined, and Russia's claims were made known to him. Abdur
Rahman's ideas of topography were not very accurate, but he displayed
considerable intelligence in his questions and perception of the
meaning of the answers, and eventually expressed his willingness to
leave the question of the delimitation of his northern frontier in the
hands of the British Government.

On the 6th April there was a parade of the troops, 17,000 in number,
and that evening the Amir was present at a state banquet, at which,
after the usual loyal toasts, the Viceroy proposed the Amir's health.
His Highness, in reply, expressed a fervent hope that the prosperity
of the British Empire might long endure, as with it the welfare of
Afghanistan was bound