Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-12-06
THE SEAT OF WAR.
From the 3oSten Herald.1

TIE war in Afghanistan branches
INFO two distinct divisions, the northern
operation against CabuI and Ghuzni,
and the southern operations against
Candahar. The movements are en-
Oiisiy staple, and it is possible, in q
few words, to present passable out
line OF the dual Campaign. rhe H.
malaya Mountains, after skirtiug
Cashmere, enter Afghauisisn under
the na,ce OF The Hiudoo kooSh, run
FROM cast to west, TO point nortn
west Of CabIl, and there fork into two
lower chains wh'ca pro!ong the noun
tain line toward the Persian border
Between these minor chains stand the
city of Herat, The ,1ost imp rtalt
fortress oi Western Aighanistan. and
the key which locks out invasion trl m
Western Turkestan and Nor her.,
Persia, Cabul lies 1872 miles west OF
the British frontier fort of Jumrood
and Her.t is situated 220 miles west
Of Cabul. A direct road runs from
Cahll to Hsrat, but it crosses the
southern slopes OF the Hindoo Koosh
close To the snow bne, and tvaverses
Tic minor s'iah Koh range by Difficult.
yass, so that the route is uAfit FOR all
army at any time, ANA in winter be-
comes practically Impossible. J.
force moving between Cabul ard
herat, would Of necessity, march via
Candahar, 4 circulLous route o! 68j
miles, Or mere than tbree time tie
distance By The direct road. Canada
her. the chief city Of Southwestern
Afshanistan, lies $40 miles Sonth-
east OF EisraL, aua 3l5 mics S,utn-
vest of Cabul. I.ius the three cities
SHAPE out a Triangle. They form, a.
it were, the Afghan Trila'eral, the
truS core of the country. the very heart
anl centre OF Shere Ais power.
Cabnl has = population OF $4,000,
and, though the town itscit is open,
the citadel, wh!cl, perfectly cCmnand'
tae place, is approachabo only ~ =
winding path, and is said to have
been strengthened very ma e:lally in
The present year. Candahar, with a
population variously estimated from
10000 to 100000, is fortified, but il
could offer no substantial resistance
10 seige, for dominant heights lie
witlia range OF the works. IIerat
appears by far the most d,fensible Of
the three cities. Ii is surrounded by
u brick wall, thirty i've feet high, aid
thick ~ proportion, constr. cted upon
5roGnd raised srtifcaily, girt by a
moat, and protected hy a siacis. Its
population ID raised by the Russian
account TO $4,000, but the latest Enn-
lsh authorities rate the number AZ
low as 10000. Between Cabnl and
Candahar stands the Fortress OF
dhuzni, IS miles from the former
and $50 miles from the latter. Ghuzni
which has Il popalation Of 500, Wa.
regarded all oyer ASIA rs an imprea-
nable stronghold, TILL the British toos
IT III 1889. i cost them, however
the stltjest fighting Of the campaign,
and, as the fort possesses great ma
tural capao lilies, which doubtless are
being improved TO 'the rtmest, Ghuzni
may still oe rated az the hardest nut
in ths Ameer's dopiuiens. So mucll
for the points to be assaulted new we
will turn TO the approaches Cf the
assaiiants.
From the Hindoo Koosh, or ather
from the Swat hill which nestle nelow
it, another chain, the SULLIVAN moull-
tains, start at n right angle, and,
rum ng toward the south. forms the
border land between Aigh pIstan and
British India. Some foir hundred
miles south Of Fort Ju arood this