Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-29
AFGHANIsTAN.
Something About the Country Where
the War is Going On.

st. Louis Republican.
Now that the wal between England
and Afghanistan seems to have virtu-
ally begun, some facts in regard to the
latter country cannot fail to interest
our readers.
Afghanistan is located between lati-
tude 28' 3N and 360 north, and longi-
tude CO. and ~ 3V east. Its north
ern boundary is Turkistan; eastern,
the Punjaub and Scinde; southern,
Belochistan and western, the Persian
Highlands Of Khorasan. Its total
area is about 215, 600 square miles, and
population probably about 100000.
From a Typographical point of view it
is what may be termed a badly broken
country, being composed of high
mountains, deep valleys, and all the
intermediate variations of surface.
The climate presents as great variety
as the land. In the mountains the
snow may be seen all the year round,
while in some of the valleys the mer-
curry rarely ever falls below 100. But
taken as a whole Afghanistan is a more
agreeable residence than India, and
generally very healthy. A large por-
ton of the soil is fertile, and even the
careless cultivation Of the natives is
generously rewarded. Sugar cane,
cotton and all the European fruits and
vegetables are producedi in abundance.
The wild animals belonging to the
tropical and temperate zones are found
here, and the list Of domesticated
beasts embraces the horse, sheep,
camel, ass and OK. Iron, lead, plum
4 bago, saltpeter, sulphur, salt, alum
and copper are among the mineral re-
sources, and the quality of the first
and last is said to be especially fine.
The Helmund and the Cabool are
the most important rivers the form
er OVERLOOKING its banks at regular in
| t%eryals, like the Nile, and enriching
the adjacent territory with heavy de-
posits of vegetable matter. The fouI
chief cities are Cabool, the capital.
t Ghuzni, Candahar and Herat. Then
5 trade is comparatively small, owing tC
the peculiar character Of the people
= at large, who have no taste for com.
mercial pursuits Of any kind. The
Afghans are mainly agriculturists auC
9 stock-raisers, and care very little foI
y anything else except fighting, which
is at once their business and amuse
. ment. They are brave and robust
r tough and giant race, full of energ
a and independence, and not at all in
D clined to yield to a foreign yoke
h They are divided into two principa
tribes-the Durannis and the Chill
i lies; the former being the most pow
! erful and warlike, and furnishing th
L most Of the soldiers for the centra
government. That government is
s monarchy, but limited in its jurisdiC
h ton by the temper of its subIecti
who. while always royal to their soyel
eign. demand from him certain con
!. SESSIONS TO the national spirit. Tn
kingdom is divided into province
is each in charge of a royal officer, VIII
is collects the taxes and is supposed I
N execute the laws. The religion
Oh Mohammedan, which may prove a
10 important feature in the approachin
II war, as the most troublesome OF Eal
d lands Indian subjects belong to ii
Il same faith, and will naturally sympi
" thize with their brethren, and ASST
I'd them whenever opportunity offers.
k The only portion Of Afghan histol
Of any particular interest, Is thi
which relates to the previous efforts
r. England 10 obtain a controlling p9s
ton in the country. In 1873 Atghal
Y, istan was rplod by three brothers, d
1d eldest and ablast Of whom, the famol
he D0st Mohammed, had his seat Of 60.
,es eminent at Cabool Having attack
'ul Rupjcet Singh, a Punjaub prince und0