First Afghan War

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. When he arrived in India the country was in a condition of profound tranquillity. The stormy Administration of Lord Amherst had come to an end; and Lord William Bentinck, secure from foreign aggression, and harbouring no dreams of conquest, had entered upon a policy of unsparing retrenchment. The army was being rapidly reduced, and everything seemed to presage a long peace. But then, as ever, the most promising field for a man of soldierly aspirations was the line of our N orth-western Frontier for though our statesmen troubled themselves but little about the countries west of the Indus, the old Lion of Lahore lay within four marches of the Sutlej, with a large and eager army and other elements of danger were not wanting.