orwarded to
Major-General Pollock to-day; and he will be instructed, by a
forward movement, to facilitate your advance_; but he will probably
not deem it necessary to move any troops actually to Cabul, where
your force will be amply sufficient to beat any thing the Affghans
can oppose to it. The operations, however, of the two armies must be
combined upon their approach, so as to effect, with the least
possible loss, the occupation of Cabul, and keep open the
communications between Cabul and Peshawar.

"One apprehension upon my mind is, that, in the event of your
deciding upon moving on Jellalabad, by Ghuznee and Cabul, the
accumulation of so great a force as that of your army, combined with
Major-General Pollock's, in the narrow valley of the Cabul river,
may produce material difficulties in the matter of provisions and
forage; but every effort will be made from India to diminish that
difficulty, should you adopt that line of retirement.

"This letter remains absolutely secret. I have, &c.

"ELLENBOROUGH."

A paltry attempt was made in Parliament by Lord John Russell to
represent this despatch as intended to defraud General Nott of his
military trophies in the event of success, and to relieve the
Governor-General of responsibility in the event of failure. No such
base construction can be put upon it. Lord Ellenborough was doing his
own duty as a civil minister, and leaving General Nott to do _his_
as a military commander. A military responsibility lay on General
Nott, from which no ruler could relieve him; but the military glory
was his also, if he felt himself justified in choosing the path of
honour that was opened to him. Who grudges the triumphs that General
Nott and his companions-in-arms have achieved? Not certainly Lord
Ellenborough or his friends. Let the distinctions which have been
heaped on the Indian army and its leaders answer that question. But
is their military merit a reason for denying to the man, under whose
administration these victories were won, the high honour of having
done all which a civil governor could do, to direct and assist the
armies of his country? Let each receive the praise of his own merits,
and we doubt not that military men, wherever, at least, they have
experienced the reverse, will be the first to appreciate and commend,
in Lord Ellenborough's administration, that active sympathy and
assistance which are so essential to military efficiency and success.

It is said that the