Note and Tabular Statement N. WV. F. Trade. 359 
meet the deficit caused by the excess of exports from these 
provinces, over the imports from Affghanistan. Some time last 
year, one merchant sent us a single remittance, Hoondies on 
Delhi from Cabool for no less a sum than forty thousand ru- 
pees, to be invested in the purchase of British goods. 
Formerly the whole of the Export trade with Cabool, was 
carried on by the fruit merchants, who merely took back a 
small portion of their returns in British manufactures. There 
are now several highly respectable merchants wholly uncon- 
nected with these traders, who confine their operations to ex- 
porting from our provinces goods for which, at present, they 
are unable to find a return in kind. 
As it shews how anxious they are to establish a return trade, 
I will mention, that more than one instance has been re- 
ported to me of Russian goods (principally hardware and spu- 
rious gold tissue) having been brought across my frontier 
line, the packages having Moscow marked on them; these 
goods were, however, of so inferior a description, as to be re- 
jected by the natives whenever offered for sale. Indeed the 
cutlery was inferior to that made at Monghyr and in the Delhi 
Bazaar. 
In reply to your second question, as to whether I can do 
nothing to help the Cabool merchants, I can only state, that 
I have done, and am doing, all in my power to encourage this 
enterprising and deserving class of men, in every way pos- 
sible. 
In the mean time, } would suggest that the first object of 
Government should be to open the route for trade, through 
the Khyber Pass, by obtaining from the intermediate states 
some modification of their present system of duties, which 
press so hard on the merchant as to drive him round by 
the circuitous route now taken, where they are subjected to 
exactions it is true, though less oppressive and vexatious in 
their nature than those in force in the Seik states. 
P.S.—To shew the enterprising disposition of the Cabool 
merchants, I will mention that a short time ago I gave one of 
them a note to Mr Clarke to aid him in his endeavours to 
take an investment of Indigo, Jewellery, Gold Lace, &c. to 
Yarkund. 
