1 mtsTfy
2 HISTORY OP THE SIKHS,
3 i' mw &itli v/'l
4 §§§f
5 CHAPTER XVIII.
6 THE MAHARAJAH’S VIEWS REGARDING THE BRITISH
7 INVASION OP AI'PGHANISTAN, ANI> OTHER MATTERS.
8 It was not long after the foregoing sketch was
9 written, that the Governor-general of India deemed
10 it necessary to send an army to Afghanistan for
11 the re-establishment of Shah Soojah on the throne
12 of Cahill. The designs of Russia, formed the os~ The object of
13 tensible reason for this measure. Dost Mohum- Afghanistan,
14 mud, the ameer of Cabul, was supposed to be
15 friendly to the interests of Russia; and it was
16 deemed good policy to substitute in his room, the
17 imbecile ex-king of Cabul. By such means it was
18 anticipated, that we should secure a friendly powei
19 in Afghanistan, as well as a peaceful neighbour
20 for our ally, Runjeet Singh. The determination
21 on the part of Dost Mohummud to recover thepro¬
22 vince of Peshawuv, was, however, the chief obstacle
23 to arranging an amicable treaty with the ameer.
24 It was evident that he had no particular wish to
25 secure the alliance of Russia at the expense of losing