1 NEWS OF SHAH SHUJA. 355
2 25th May.—We heard that Shah Shuja had
3 sent his tents in advance of Candahar to the
4 fort of Azim Khan, and that- it was intended
5 to establish a post at Kelat-i-Ghilzae, a com-
6 manding position on the Ghilzae and Durrani
7 frontiers, between Ghazni and Candahar. It
8 was supposed that the intended advance of the
9 Persians‘ against Herat had prevented the
10 British army from advancing immediately on
11 Kabul. Owing to these reports it was deter-
12 mined to await the receipt of further advices
13 from the camp of the Shah, thinking it pro-
14 bable’ that the whole British force might not
15 be able to move at once on Kabul; but a due
16 regard for, the support of our influence re-
17 quired that we should without delay improve,
18 as far as our imperfect means would admit, the
19 efficiency of the Shah Zada’s own force, in
20 order that he might be better prepared to act
21 either offensively or defensively, as circum-
22 they were permitted to remain in a state of open mutiny,
23 without any attempt being made to overawe them, whilst
24 a report of their conduct was sent to the Maharaja at
25 Lahore.”—Barr’s Journal, pp. 294, 295.