IOR/L/PS/7/1 ff.399-401

Description

Scope and content : Despatch from the Government of India Foreign Department (Secret) to the Secretary of State for India, dated 22 January 1875 and enclosing correspondence and telegrams, communicating 'the views of the Government of India regarding abstention from interference between the Ameer of Afghanistan and Sirdar Mahomed Yakoob Khan, especially from Teheran.'The opening remarks note that 'in our opinion it would be objectionable and embarrassing if Her Majesty's Minister at Teheran were permitted to enter into any communication with Sirdar Mahomed Yakoob Khan or his adherents for the purpose of endeavouring to effect a cessation of civil discord in Afghanistan.' The despatch also discusses the possibility of installing Yaqob Khan as Governor of Herat: 'the only plan appearing to afford a reasonable prospect of settling the present differences in Afghanistan would be, - that Sirdar Mahomed Yakoob Khan should be restored to the Governorship of Herat, and that on the death of the Ameer Shere Ali Kha, Sirdar Yokoob Khan shuld retain Herat and its dependecies, while Sirdar Abdoola Jan, the heir-apparent, would succeed to the rest of the kingdom. But the separation of Herat from Afghanistan would undoubtedly render interference on the part of Russia or Persia with Herat far more easy than is now the case, if indeed it would not actually invite such interference. It would be contrary to the interests of India that we should take any course which would be likely to produce such a result.'