Indian Frontier Policy; an historical sketch

This eBook was produced by Gail J Loveman, David Starner,
Avinash Kothare and the Online Distributed Proofreading Project
The subject of our policy on the North-West frontier of India is one of great importance, as affecting the general welfare of our Eastern Empire, and is specially interesting at the present time, when military operations on a considerable scale are being conducted against a combination of the independent tribes along the frontier.
It must be understood that the present condition of affairs is no mere sudden outbreak on the part of our turbulent neighbours. Its causes lie far deeper, and are the consequences of events in bygone years.
In the following pages I have attempted to give a short historical summary of its varying phases, in the hope that I may thus assist the public in some degree to understand its general bearings, and to form a correct opinion of the policy which should be pursued in the future.
General .
Proposed Invasion of India by Napoleon I.—Mission of Burnes to Cabul —Its Failure—Hostility of Russia and Persia—First Afghan War, 1839-41 —Its Vicissitudes and Collapse.
Conquest of Khiva, Bokhara, and Kokand by Russia—British Conquest of Scinde and the Punjaub—Our Policy with the Frontier Tribes—Treaty of 1857 with Dost Mahomed—Shere Ali succeeds as Ameer, 1868—War of 1878— Abdul Rahman becomes Ameer—Withdrawal of British Army from Afghanistan, 1881.
Further Advance of Russia—Merv Occupied—Sir West Ridgeway's Frontier Commission of 1885—The Durand Agreement with Abdul Rahman—The Chitral Expedition of 1895—Its Results—Sudden Outbreak of Frontier Tribes, 1897.
Proposed Invasion of India by Napoleon I.—Mission of Burnes to Cabul —Its Failure—Hostility of Russia and Persia—First Afghan War, 1839-41 —Its Vicissitudes and Collapse.
In considering the important and somewhat intricate subject of policy on the North-Western frontier of our Indian Empire it will be desirable, in the first place, to give a concise history of the events which have guided our action, and which for many years past have exercised a predominating influence in that part of our Eastern dominion.