The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-02-21 00:00:00

h thus explains I

,u will pem, _ perusal of these letters, that
dhere absolutely to my original intention of withdrawing
from Aflghanistan ; and that I have, in the

lefore given for

" Some risk I deem it justifiable to incur for the recovery
of the guns and of the prisoners, and with the view of ex-
hibiting the triumphant march of a British army over the
ground on which it once suffered defeat ; but I consider the
preservation of the army in Affghanistan essential to the pre-
servation of our empire in India ; and, however the world
might forgive or applaud me, I should never forgive myself,
if I exposed that army to any material or serious danger for
the possible accomplishment of any object now to be obtained
in Afigbanistan.

" My hope and expectations are that, without incurring
such danger, I shall effect, through the instructions I have
given, every object now desired by the people of England."
This passage is important as proving that in the latitude he
thus allowed Generals Nott and Pollock Lord Ellenborough
VitiB not coerced as his libellers have alleged by peremptory
orders from home, but acted throughout on his own unbiased
judgment. It is satisfactory also to notice how constantly
and emphatically Lord Ellenborough reiterated that after a
display of British power and the recovery of the prisoners the
country must be at once evacuated ; and the accuracy of the
noble lord's calculation is also manifested by the wish he ex-
pressed that " the last man of the two armies should repass
the Sutlej by the Ist of January "—a wish now more than
fulfilled.

General Nott accepted the alternative Lord Ellenborough
proffered him.

- The Governor-General also authorised General Pollock to
negotiate a general exchange of prisoners; and in such general
exchange Dost Mahoined Khan, he informed that commander
(No. 435) " would be given up as unreservedly and without
any conditions exactly as any other prisoner ; " "when," he
added in the same despatch—

" Every gun, and colour, and military trophy in the hands
of the Affghans, and every prisoner within the reach and
power of the de faclo government of Cabool, have been
surrendered to you, then, and not till then, you may give
orders suited to a state of returning peace. You may inform
the Affghan chiefs that these are your positive instructions."
On one point only did Lord Ellenborough issue any harsh
or questionable orders ; it was (No. 439) in directing Akbar
Khan if captured to be tried for murder, and if convictectto
be hanged.

There arc two communications from Lord Ellenbor'ough to
General Pollock which show how strong was the noble lord's
desire to see the troops again safely within what in spite of
Lord John Russell's sneer we shall still continue to call the
natural boundary of British India on the north-west. Thus
on the 16th of September, after anticipating that by that date
every attainable object of advance must have been accom-
plished, the Governor-General wrote to General Pollock :
" The state of the Punjab makes me even more anxious
than I have always been to see your army on this side of the
S ntlej.

" 1 hope that no conflict between the parties at Lahore
will take place, s 9 as to interfere, in any way, with the. passage
of the animals sent, and to be sent, to you ; or with your ob-
taining the necessary supplies ; but you must not consider
such events as absolutely impossible.
" Under all circumstances so imperatively demanding your
return, I trust you will not permit any consideration what-
ever to delay your homeward march ; but will put your army
in motion for India at the earliest possible period, under the
impression that no greater calamity could befal us than your
remaining at Cabool during the winter."

Again. on the mere rumour reaching him that General
Pollock had undertaken some new operations it Kohistan.
Lord Ellenborough wrote on the 12th of Octoh4, " I trust
that you will not have engaged in any enterprise of which
the effect can he to delay your return one day."
In withdrawing from Affghanistan without the formation
of any political relations. Lord Ellenborough succeeded in
making the Sikhs the advanced guard of British India by
placing them in possession of Jellalabad, as is shown by the
following extract of a despatch (No. 538) addressed on 18th
October to General Pollock :

"The Faqueer Azeezoodeen having personally assured me,
on the part of the Maharajah Shore Sing, that the Maharajah
will never recognise any government in Cabool which shall
not have been previously recognised by the Government of
India, I have informed the Faqueer that, upon the retire-
ment of the British army, Jellalabad shall be given up to the
Sikh troops in its present state ; that is, without any injury
being done to the fortifications : and you will, accordingly,
so give up that place to the Sikh army, when its occupation
shall_be no longer necessary to you.

" I have assured the Faqueer, that the British Govern-
ment will not interfere in any manner in the future govern-
ment of Jellalabad, or in the managemeint of the territory
dependent upon it; the Faqueer promising, on the part of
the Maharajah, that no person shall be employed in the
government or management thereof, who shall be deemed
and declared by the British Government to be its enemy."
This despatch did not, however, save the fortifications;
but why does not appear.
Before the Ist of January, 18-13, Lord Ellenborough had
realised his wish to see the armies within the Sutlej ; and
with the general orders commemorating their returns closes
the Papers relating to Military Operations in Affglianistan.

NORTH-EAST PASSAGE TO CHINA.—As this scheme has
been lately started as something new, it will interesting to
know that, in the 1721, a small book was printed in London,
entitled " The New Passage to China and Japan, by the way
of the North Pole." The book, however, is said to be very
rare.

IIDLAND COL

TIES RAILWAY

—On Tuesday a special

ting of the proprietors of the Midland Counties
tailway was held at Derby, "for the purpose of taking into
onsideration the report of the Committee of Inquiry." The
allowing motion was submitted by Mr. Birley, seconded by
)r. Heygate :—" That this meeting is of opinion that the
barges brought against the directors have been satisfactorily
nswered, and trust the present and fqture directors will take
:to consideration the retrenchments, suggested by the com-

mittee, and pursue a course of rigid economy ; and that this
meeting thank the committee for the trouble they have
taken." Upon this motion an amendment was moved, pro-
posed by Mr. Charles Paget, seconded by Mr. BarrOw:—
" That the thanks of this meeting be given to the Committee
of Inquiry for their valuable services, and that this meetinv

receive their report, referring the details thereof ai.Wil.;e4

6v board of. directors, to be appointed at the coming half-
irly general meeting, for their consideration." The amend-
nt being put to the vote, the numbers wei

—for, 66 ;

`t up, the following was the result
Against the amendment

Majority in favour of the directors, and
against the amendment

153
i