The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-06

This city stands on the Herr River, on
the slope of the Hindoo Koosh, and conse-
quently in the northwest corner of Afghani-
stan. Due north, at o distance Of ebont $50
miles, is Merry; due cast, at distance of
nearly 400 miles, Is Cabul; considerably
10 the southeast, and almost equ-d distant
from Cabul and Herat, is Candahar If
our readers want a war map which will
convey a fair idea of the situation from a
strategical and political point of view, let
them suppose capitalL Il mounted on top
of a capital V; Merry will be at the top of
the l., Herat at the angle, and Cabul at the
horizontal extremity of the letter, while
Candahar will be down at the angle of the
V. Cabuf may be eliminated from tue
situation, for though there arc direct roads
between it and Hcrat, the route by Maimana
Ito the north of the Hazarch mountains is
circuitous and difficult, and that through
the HaZarch country is cqnally roundabout
and more arduous The MAN route, and,
so far as is known, the only road by which
large force could be moved from Cabul
to Herat runs through Candahar. From
Candahar to Ierat is about three hundred
miles i'll direct line; the road, however,
Is not very direct and for military purposes
the distance may be called 800 miles. The
be less than 250 miles long; it is a good
crosses the Hazrat-i- i-Baba Pass about thirty
miles north of Herat, practicable for all arms
Of the service 1t traverscs fertile coun-
try, and runs for great part of its length
along the valley of the river Kushk 80 that
supplies and water are very abundant.
Whenever the race for Herat begins, if
there is a fair start, tho Russians should
get down the perpendicular of the l. from
Mcrv before the English can get up the
thick side of the V from Candaliar. The
position occupied by Hcrat on the high road
between India and Persia, the centre SPOT
of All extensive and fertile valley, well
watered by channels made from a perennial
stream. marks her out as the natural garden
and granary of Central Asia. 1t is situated
in u plain about $500 feet above the sea.
and Is fortified with mud walls, presenting
the form of square, each side of which
Is something under mile IN length The
streets are ill-built, narrow and dirty; in
deed, the common saying of the place Is,
''lf dirt were TO kill, where would we bc?'
"Only man is vilc' at Hcrat, however, for
nature has done everything for the city and
its cnvir0ns. The climate is the finest i'm
Asia; only TWO months of the twelve are
hot, and even then the mercury rarely rises
above So dcgs. in the shade. The nights
are always cool, often cold. The Herats
have n proverb. 'lf the soil Of Ispahan,
the cool brecZes of Hcrat and the waters
Of KhwariZin were in the same place there
would be no such thing as DEATH" The
waters of the Hcri, Connolly described in
1881 as the best lie ever tasted, and the
fruits as the most delicious in flavor. Pco-
pie enter the gardens and eat at will, being
weighed rs they pass in and out and
charged for the avoirdupois gained; sim.
pie system, which that sane wag Nasir Ed
din once deflcd by filling his pockets with
pebbles and casting out ballast as he took in
lading, 30 rs to bring the astonshed pro.
prietor into his debt. The soil is extraor-
dinarily fertile, and the orchards, gardens.
corn fields and vineyards stretch to the
mountains, four miles away On the north and
twelve on tho south, and, along the valley as
far as the eye can reach. There are exten.
sive mines of iron and lead, only worked
at the snrface and the scimitars of Hcrat
arc rs famous in Central Asia as it's horses.
Silk is spun there largely, and carpets Of
wool and silk arc manufactured. The
other articles of export are mama, assafCe.
tida, gum, saffron and pistachio nuts.
Half century ago II paid an annual reye-
nue. Of $450,000, and Malleson declares
that Under British rule the income to tho
Government from the district would suffice
to pay the expenses of garrisoping The prin-
cipal cities Of Afghanietan. Foster, who
visited Hcrat in 1888, .described the city as
far surpassng Candahar In the extent Of
It's markets and the volume 5of its trade.
Christie, who spent a month there In, dis
gutse In 1910, Is as loud as Connolly in his
praise Of Its delightful situation brisk bust
ness and phenomenal fertility. Hc placed
the population at 100, 000;i Conolly's esti-
mate was do, 600, and the present number