THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION. 
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diplomacy, and although time and patience are required to prove the 
sincerity and disinterested nature of our friendship, still it does appear to 
me that the course we are now pursuing is a far-seeing and a statesmanlike 
one, and if we can succeed in establishing a strong Government in Afghan¬ 
istan, and in proving to the Afghans that alliance and not conquest is our 
motto, we shall have done a great deal to solve the difficulties of the Central 
Asian question. 
As regards our present military position on the frontier, in my opinion 
we should hold the Trans-Indus districts with light troops, ready to move 
at the shortest notice, but should avoid permanent works or large magazines 
on such an exposed frontier. We should strengthen our position Cis-Indus, 
improve our lateral communications, and complete the railway from Lahore 
to Peshawur. We should of course rectify the defective military arrange¬ 
ments to which I have already alluded. 
I have left myself but little time to advert to the southern part of our 
line of defence—namely, the Scinde frontier, where our troops hold a very 
important position, guarding the entrance to the Bolam, the easiest road to 
India from Central Asia. That celebrated artilleryman and diplomatist, 
the late General Jacob, who long held the command in Scinde, strongly 
advocated years ago that we should advance through the Bolam, and in 
alliance with the Khan of Khelat, hold Quetta, and then subsidize the 
Afghans ; that we should thus not only hold the Bolam, but be on the flank, 
as it were, of the Kyber. General Jacob’s distinguished successor. Sir 
Henry Green, who has honoured us with his company on this occasion, 
holds I believe precisely similar views, and has not long since again pressed 
them upon the Government of India. 
As this is an Artillery Institution, and as the majority of my audience are 
of my own corps, and further as there are several distinguished officers 
present whose service has been chiefly passed in India, I wish before I close 
my remarks to call to your remembrance the names of a few of the artillery 
officers who have made themselves famous in the wars, and in the diplomacy 
of the period of which I have been speaking. 
There was Eldred Pottinger, a young officer of the Bombay Artillery, who 
so gallantly assisted in the defence of Herat in ]838. 
H’Arcy Todd, of the Bengal Artillery, who succeeded him in his political 
capacity at that important place. 
General James Abbott, whose sufferings in his chivalrous mission to 
Khiva are so well known. 
The late Sir Richmond Shakspear, who served with distinction in the first 
Afghan war, and who had the good fortune afterwards to liberate our 
captives. 
General Sir Yincent Eyre, who also took part in the Afghan war, and 
who suffered a painful captivity, and who has both written and spoken so 
ably on Central Asian politics. 
Then again the late General Jacob, of the Bombay Artillery, to whom I 
have already alluded—a distinguished soldier, diplomatist, and writer. 
I may perhaps also be allowed to name Mr Kaye, the historian of the 
Afghan war, who was formerly inihe artillery. 
