1 The Viceregal darbar.
2 The Amir’s speech.
3 The presentation of
4 sword to the z
5 The banquet given
6 to the Amir,
7 Delhi manceuvres,
8 885.
9 The object of the
10 manceuvres,
11 Total strength of the
12 armies collected.
13 604 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB,
14 upwards of 3,000 troops, paraded. His Highness the Amfr rode beside
15 Lord Dufferin to the parade ground, and remained on horseback throughout
16 the proceedings, He wore a white coat, begirt with a bossed belt, licht
17 trousers, with a broad gold stripe, and long riding boots. On his head he
18 wore his usual flat cap of grey brown fur, Gholdm Haidar Khan, the Com-
19 mander-in-Chief of the Afghan army, wore a black helmet. The sight
20 of the British troops in arms created in the mind of the Amira feeling of
21 respect for the British power, and he saw, for the first time, that he must
22 depend on the friendship of the British, than whom a better ally, or one
23 more able and willing to render him effectual help, it would be in vain
24 to seek, A grand darbdr was held on the morning of 8th April, at which
25 were present the notables before mentioned. It was a magnificent spectacle.
26 The ceremony comprised the presentation of valuable gifts to the Amir,
27 and a short conversation between the Viceroy and the Amir. When the
28 gifts had been formally laid out in the Darbdr the Amir rose and spoke as
29 - follows in Persian :-—
30 I am greatly obliged for the kindness shown me by the Viceroy and the favour
31 shown by the Queen. In return for their kindness, every possible service shall be
32 rendered by me. As regards my army and people, as England has declared hey intention
33 of beating off any enemies of Afghanist4n, therefore the Afghan nation will join in
34 the firmest manner, and will stand side by side with the British Government.
35 In presenting the sword of honour to the Amir, Lord Dufferin said, it
36 was given to the Amir as a token of the Viceroy’s personal regard. It was
37 a gift which he hoped would be acceptable to so distinguished a soldier, who
38 was at the same time a powerful ruler, and who had just declared himself
39 the friend and ally of England. The Amir said in reply: “ He hoped with
40 this sword to cut down any enemy of the British Government.” At the
41 conclusion of his speech in the darbdr, the Amir was understood to say
42 that his words had been uttered after due consideration and before all; so
43 that all present might bear witness to what he had said. The Viceroy gave
44 a banquet in honour of the Amir in the Viceregal camp. In responding to
45 the toast of his health, Abdul Rahman rose and delivered a short speech in
46 Persian, in which he expressed a hope that Afghanistdn might continue
47 to prosper like England in future, and that the English arms, would be
48 victorious wherever they went. The assemblage was a great success. It
49 was graftiying to observe the sincerity and depth of good feeling towards
50 the British, which one and all evinced on the occasion. Many chiefs made
51 voluntary offers of service which were gratefully acknowledged by the
52 Government.
53 In the winter of 1885, the Government of India determined to hold the
54 most extensive peace manceuvres which had ever been undertaken by a
55 British army, and it will not be out of place if we consider what benefits
56 were likely to be gained in return for the expense to be incurred. In
57 cantonments all arms of the service carry out the instructions proper to
58 each separate branch. In larger cantonments all the arms are combined
59 for instruction, so as to obtain the mutual support and assistance in the field
60 which each may expect from the other. But this was not all that was
61 required, and to give a real idea of the requirements of active service, it was
62 necessary to call together ag large a number of troops as could conveniently
63 be assembled.
64 This being the object, a large force, consisting of about sixty thousand
65 men of all ranks, and divided into two armies, called respectively the north-
66 ern and southern force, was assembled in the’ vicinity of Ambdld in the
67 early part of December 1885, the troops’ composing the southern force
68 Sri Satgurayeenestegthpielsweanyd around GurydendiadEDetaty@ gmail.com