New-York tribune., 1878-12-20
THE AFGHAN CAMPAIGN.
The NATURAL DEFENCEs OF THE KHYBER PASS
ITS IMPORTANCE AS A HIGHWAY TO INDIA.

The NATURAL DEFENCEs OF THE KHYBER PASS
ITS IMPORTANCE AS A HIGHWAY TO INDIA.
The Khyber Pass may be said to begin at
JamrgoOd, ten miles west of Peshawur (see map
and to extend us far Dhaka, distance OF about
thrty-hree miles The actual entrance to the dehle
however, is at Kadam place three miles west OF JAM
rood which is a small village surrounded by mud wall
There still exist the of Sikh fort, built In 1887
after defeat OF the Afghan army the adjacent plains
Within 900 yards OF Kadam the gorge narrows to $50
yards with steep preciptOus cliffs on either hand Be-
tween this and the Afghan frontier fort OF
Alimusd, distant about ten miles, the mountains on
either hand about 1900 feet in height
slay, bare, and to all appearance inaccessible; the
width OF the pass varies from 200 to 40 feet For dis
tanee OF two miles and half beyond Alimusd, the
pass retains its difficult character II then enters the
Lala Beg valley, about six miles in length, with an
average breadth OF mile and half At the western
end Of this valley the road enters narrow dee there
being scarcely for two camels 10 pass each other
The undi Khana Pass is distant from this point about
mile and half the ascent over 1t Is narrow rugged and
steep that guns cannot be drawn there except by
men, and then only after tho track has been I'm
proved. The descent, however. Is along a we'll
made road, and Is not so difficult On the west
side of the pass the mountains gradually open ont and
lose much OF their inaccessible nature Dhaks Is GstaD
about eight miles, and here the defile ends The know
ledge Of all this region has been greatly increased OF ate
years, and several roads are well known when com
petely turn AlmuSjid. Among these Is the Tatara
road which tue hills about nine miles north Of
Jamrood and oips s man rodts M Rsra ys1sr
both avoid Atmnsjld and are practicable able @ ror
.snt. hnt ght dicIIty to %elhanded force ia ey
the fact that In 1880 Colonel Wade forced II at
ss head Of al Sh Sss Of so In
1912 General Pollock forced IL by sheng the heights
% as sao either sea
ridge ridge His casualties were l2S On his return
The tribes residing IN the pass and It's Immediate VI
einity though nOminally owing allegiance to the Amser
slides from him in return for the privilege they grant
IN perotns the hssTsy to be made q-e h %s das DSss
these allowances were stopped, nor has Shere All 70:
newed them. Consequently his hold on the Afrdl and
shinwarr tribes who virtually hold the pass from JAM
rood to Dhaka has been much weakened These tribes
% ad sIs T TGy .s%e S n9 6G
another. Once through the pass, the British are oon-
veyance OF supplies Fortified posts at certain places
coupled with liberal sifts to the neghborng chefains'
The boundary line OF British territory RUS between
JaproOd aud Pesbawur JamrOod Was erected by the
box TO watch the mouth OF the Pass The British
deemed the place too small for ntar! OCCUPATION ana
serves the purpose which Jamrood formerly d.d in
guarding Pass and Is the principal military station
s 2oaa as s knSSef o h Ss S
guardhous on ts inner side. Is necessarily place OF
khyber would have 10 force the Pass and then to re-
duee Peshawur. before advancing on the lnaus which
is about twenty miles away, aud 10 commanded by Fort
Attock.
LORD LAWRENCE ON THE CONFLICT.
In view OF the outbreak Of hosttes, the opinion OF
the soldier statesman Lord Lawrence is invested with
special interest have doubt" he wrote in Noyem
Der, that we can clear the defcs and valleys OF
Afghanistan from end 10 end OF their defenders and
that no force of Aghaus could stand against
when properly brought TO bear against them. The
country however consists OF mountain ranges for the
most part up into rugged and difficult pateaux.
whore brave standing the defensive have con-
siderable advantages; and when force such posi-
lions cannot continue to hold them. The cost OF in-
yadiug suoh country will prove very great, aud the
means for ~ dOiug must be drawn from elsewhere.
The country held by the Ameer can AFFORD neither the
money nor the transport nor even the subsistence In
quantity for The support OF the invading army.