statistics]
AFGHANISTAN 121 Of the interior lines of communication, those which connect the it was registered at nearly 611,000 Rx. In 1894-5 it had sunk .great cities of Afghanistan, Herat, Kabul, and Kandahar are to 274,000 Rx, and in 1899 it figured at 294,600 Rx. The chief obviously the most important. Between Kabul and Herat there items are cotton goods, sugar, and tea. In 1898-99 the imports is no “royal road, the existing route passing over the fre- from Kandahar to India were valued at 330,000 Rx, and the exquently snowbound wastes that lie below the southern flank ports from India to Kandahar at about 264,000 Rx. Threeof the great Koh-i-Baba into the upper valleys of the Hari Rud fourths of the exports consist of cotton goods, and three-eighths tributaries. It is a waste, elevated, desolate region that the of the imports were raw wool. The balance of the imports was route traverses, and the road itself is only open at certain seasons chiefly made up of dried fruits. Comparison with trade statistics of the year. Between Kabul and Kandahar exists the well-known ot previous years on this side Afghanistan is difficult, owing and oft-traversed route by Ghazni and Kalat-i-Ghilzai. There is to the inclusion of a large section of Baluchistan and Persia but one insignificant water-parting—or kotal—a little to the north within the official “Kandahar” returns ; but it does not appear of Ghazni; and the road, although unmade, may be considered that the value of the Western Afghanistan trade is much on the equal to any road of its length in Europe for military purposes. increase. The opening up of the route between Quetta and Between Kandahar and Herat there is the recognized trade route Sistan has doubtless affected a trade which was already seriously which crosses the Helmand at Girishk and passes through Farah hampered by the Amir’s short-sighted restrictions. and feabzawar. It includes about 360 miles of easy road, with The Government of Afghanistan is monarchical, and successpaces where water is scarce. There is not a pass of any great sion to the throne is hereditary. There are five chief political importance, nor a river of any great difficulty, to be encountered divisions in the country — namely, Kabul, Turkestan, Herat, from end to end, but the route is flanked on the north between Kandahar, and Badakshan, each of which is ruled by a “naib” Kandahar and Girishk by the Zamindawar hills, containing the most or governor, who is directly responsible to the Amir. Under the truculent and fanatical clans of all the Southern Afghan tribes. governors of provinces the nobles and kazis (or district judges) Little need be said of the 65 miles of route between Kandahar dispense justice much in the feudal fashion. Apart from "the and the Baluchistan frontier at Hew Chaman. It is on the whole universal system of bribery and spoliation to which they give rise, a route across open plains and hard, stony “dasht”—a route feudal methods are more popular (and possibly more effective which would offer no great difficulties to that railway extension with a people like the Afghans) than high courts and the slow from Chaman which has so long been contemplated. A very machinery of civil law would be. Swift even-handed justice is by considerable trade now passes along this route to India, in spite no means rare in Afghanistan. of the almost prohibitive imposts of the Amir; but the trade The Afghan army probably numbers nearly 50,000, distributed does not follow the railway from New Chaman to the eastern foot between the military centres of Herat, Kandahar, Kabul, of the Khojak. This part of the line is officially “boycotted” Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad, and Asmar, with detachments at by the court at Kabul, and long strings of camels may still be frontier outposts on the side of India. The Amir’s factories at seen from the train windows patiently treading their slow way Kabul for arms and ammunition are said to turn out about over the Khojak pass to Kila Abdullah, whilst the train alongside 20,000 cartridges and 15 rifles daily, with 2 guns per week ; but it them rapidly twists through the mountain tunnel into the Peshin is probable that means are available for the acquisition of other valley. military equipment than that manufactured in the country. Financially, Afghanistan has never, since it. first became a Statistics.—No trustworthy statistics exist showing kingdom, been able to pay for its own government, public works, either present numbers or fluctuations in the population and army. There appears to be no inherent reason why this of Afghanistan. Within the Amir’s dominions there are should be so. Whilst it can never (in the absence of any great probably from four to five millions of people, and of these mineral wealth) develop into a wealthy country, it can at least support its own population ; and it would, but for the shortthe vast majority are agriculturists. sighted trade policy of the Amir, certainly have risen, during The cultivators, including landowners, tenants, hired labourers, the last twenty years of peace, to a position of respectable and slaves, represent the working population of the country, and solvency. Its revenues (about which no trustworthy informaas industrious and successful agriculturists they are unsurpassed tion is available) are subject to great fluctuations, and probably in Asia. They have carried the art of irrigation to great per- never exceed the value of one million sterling per annum. They fection, and they utilize every acre of profitable soil. Certain fell in Sher Ali’s time to £700,000. The original subsidy to the Ghilzai clans are specially famous for their skill in the construc- Amir from the Indian Government was fixed at 120,000 Rx per tion of the karez or underground water-channel. There are two annum, but in 1893 in connexion with the boundary settlement harvests in most parts of Afghanistan ; the first (consisting of it was increased to 180,000 Rx. cereals and some peas and beans) is reaped in summer, and the The religion of the country throughout is Mahommedan. Next second in autumn, when rice, millet, arzun (panicum. halicum), to Turkey, Afghanistan is the most powerful Mahommedan and Indian corn ripen. Yast quantities of fruit are grown and kingdom in existence. The vast majority of Afghans are of the exported to India from both Kabul and Kandahar. Assafcetida Sunni sect; but there are, in their midst, such powerful comis indigenous to the western districts and also forms a consider- munities of Shiahs as the Hazaras of the central districts, the able item of export. Kizzilbashes of Kabul, and the Toris, or Turis, of the Kuram The manufactures of the country have not developed much border, nor is there between them that bitterness of sectarian during recent years. Postins (sheepskin clothing) and the many animosity which is so marked a feature in India. The Kafirs of varieties of camel and goat’s hair-cloth which, under the name the mountainous region of Kafiristan alone are non-Mahommedan. of “ barak,” “karak,” &c., are manufactured in the northern They are sunk in a paganism which seems to embrace some faint districts, are still the chief local products of that part of Afghan- reflexion of Greek mythology, Zoroastrian principles, and the istan. Herat and Kandahar are famous for their silks, although tenets of Buddhism, originally gathered, no doubt, from the varied a large proportion of the manufactured silk found on the Herat elements of their mixed extraction. Those contiguous Afghan market, as well as many of the felts, carpets, and embroideries, tribes once included in Kafiristan, who have not so long ago been are brought from the Central Asian khanates. The district of converted to the faith of Islam, are naturally the most fanatical Herat produces many of the smaller sorts of carpets (“ galichas” and the most virulent upholders of the faith around them. In or prayer-carpets), of excellent design and colour, the little town and about the centre of civilization at Kabul, instances of ot Adraskand being especially famous for this industry ; but they Ghazidom are comparatively rare. In the western provinces are not to be compared with the best products of Eastern Persia about Kandahar (amongst the Durani or true Afghans—the or of the Turkman districts about Panjdeh. people who specially claim to be Ben-i-Israel), and especially in The nomadic Afghan tribes of the west are chiefly pastoral, and Zaminda.war, the spirit of fanaticism runs high, and every other the wool of the southern Herat and Kandahar provinces is famous Afghan is a possible Ghazi—a man who has devoted his life to the lor its quality. In this direction, the late boundary settlements extinction of other creeds. have undoubtedly led to a considerable development of local Education is confined to most elementary principles in Afghanresources. A large quantity of wool, together with silk, dried istan. Of schools or colleges for the purposes of a higher fruit, madder, and assafoetida, finds its way to India by the education befitted to the sons of noblemen and the more wealthy Kandahar route. merchants, there is absolutely none ; but the village school is It is impossible to give accurate trade statistics, there being an ever-present and very open spectacle to the passer-by. Here no trustworthy system of registration. The value of the imports the younger boys are collected and instructed in the rudiments from Kabul to India in 1892-93 was estimated at 221,000 Rx (or of reading, writing, and religious creed by the village mulla, or tens of rupees). In 1899 it was little over 217,000 Rx, the period priest, who thereby acquires an early influence over the Afghan of lowest intermediate depression being in 1897. These imports mind. The method of teaching is confined to that wearisome include horses, cattle, fruits, grain, wool, silk, hides, tobacco, system of loud-voiced repetition which is so annoying a feature drugs, and provisions (ghi, &c.). All this trade emanates from in Indian schools ; and the Koran is, of course, the text-book in Kabul, there being no transit trade with Bokhara owing to the all forms of education. Every Afghan gentleman can read and heavy dues levied by the Amir. The value of the exports from speak Persian, which is the language of the court, and which is, India to Kabul also shows great fluctuation. In the year 1892-3 | indeed, more often heard in Kabul than Pushtu ; but beyond this S. L —16
