CHAPTER III

THE GEOGRAPHY OF THE FRONTIER: AFGHANISTAN

STATISTICS. —The independent kingdom of Afghanistan is about 500 miles in
breadth and 600 in length from Herat to the Khaibar. Its area is about
215,500 square miles, and population about four millions.
It is bounded on the west by Persia; on the north by Central Asian
states under Russian influence ; on the east by the Independent tribes of the
British frontier (touching British India at those points where we hold the
passes into the country passing through tribal territory) ; and on the south by
Baluchistan (touching India at the northern limits of British Baluchistan).
The government of the country is that of an hereditary monarchy, and its
political status practically that of an independent state, subject only to
British influence. The present Amir is Habibulla Khan, son of Abdur
Rahman Khan, who succeeded his father in the year 1900.
There are five provinces in Afghanistan, viz. Kabul, Herat, Kandahar,
Turkestan, and Badakshan, each under a provincial governor who distributes
justice through the sirdars and chiefs on a feudal system which admits of
many irregularities, but which is not unsuited to the temper of the people.
The population is mixed, consisting chiefly of Duranis (or pure Afghans),
Ghilzais, Tajaks, Hazaras, Aimdk tribes and Usbegs.
The exact value of the revenue of the country is unknown, but a subsidy
of Rx.180,000 paid yearly by the Indian Government is expended almost
entirely on the army.
The army includes between 50,000 and 60,000 regular troops, besides
iwice that number of ““kasidars,” or irregulars, who are mostly mountaineers.
The cavalry (numbering about 8000) and artillery are well equipped, and
form an efficient body of troops. There are at present more mountain guns
in Afghanistan than in India, and it is probable that a rifle could be placed
in the hands of every capable fighting man in the country. The Kabul
workshops, under European supervision, turn out ammunition sufficient for
the needs of the country besides guns and rifles. The Hazara corps of
sappers and miners is also a most excellent factor of the regular service.
The infantry is usually badly turned out, and the officers are uneducated and
untrustworthy leaders in the field. The traditional Afghan army has more
frequently bought its victories than won them by hard fighting,
The trade between Northern Afghanistan (Kabul) and India was registered
at Rx.204,600 exports from India, and Rx.217,230 imports in 1899. The
exports consist chiefly of cotton goods, indigo, sugar, and tea. The imports
include horses, fruit, grain, drugs, wool, silk, cattle, hides, and tobacco.
The heavy transit duties prohibit trade altogether between India and the
countries north of the Oxus.