the troubles at Bagdad, about two thousand mules laden with merchandise passed annually between those cities; the latter city and Erzeroom taking thither jewels, silks, and cotton stuffs, coffee, shawls, gall-nuts, indigo, &c., and taking in return to Bagdad and Drawlon alone about four hundred tons of coarse tobacco, pipe sticks, orpiment, Persian goats' wool, sheep's wool, cotton, skins, beaver, and German cloths, cutlery, glazed cottons, and muslins.

A late traveller, Mr. Mason, understood to be an American, and by some thought to be a Russian employé, who descended the Indus in 1830, described that river as being perfectly navigable all the way below Attock; and from a still more recent account collected by Colonel Berache, it appears that large boats ascend as high as Moultan, from whence shallow streams-for example, of two and a-half feet draught of water-according to the same authority, make their way to the borders of Dushawar, and as the abundance of timber to be met with on the banks of this noble stream would amply supply fuel, the transport of merchandise could be effected at the very cheapest rate up to Peshawur, if not a good deal further towards Ca

bool and Kandahar, which countries would thus be supplied infinitely more easily and cheaper ; and the surplus would be transported with ease by the superior camels of Bocharsai. These two centres in the several directions of Furrah, Herat, Khorassan, and Balkh, (from the last a branch of the Oxus,) would transport it into the fertile valleys of Samarcand, Bokhara, and also along the river to Khiva, with a facility and cheapness which must put an end to any thing like competition on the side of Europe, as the distance by land renders the difficulties so very much greater in bringing cutlery, broad cloths, &c., than by the proposed new line of the Indus. The returns would be the valuable manufactures of those countries; also fur skins, precious stones, and a superior breed of horses, well adapted for the cavalry of India, and to be had at a very cheap rate in great numbers.

The three brothers who govern Cabool, Kandahar, and their dependencies, have lately given their adhesion to Persia, with an engagement to pay an annual tribute of fifty thousand tomauns. The assistance proposed by Russia would certainly enable the Prince Royal to subject completely Herat, Khorassan, and Khiva, thus regaining the

original boundary of the Indus, and were this to be effected with Russian means, and under her influence, it is not very probable that we should receive any great assistance in carrying on our commerce into the interior from this side of India. The late intrigues, in conjunction with Khiva, as developed at Mushid, as well as those with the army at Sinde, point out too clearly that it is now become a simple question whether we are to give Persia such assistance as will free her from Russian policy.

Scarcely was the ink dry after Hussein Meerza's return from St. Petersburg, when the object of the article of the treaty became apparent, by the demand of Russia to be allowed to punish the Usbecks, separately or conjointly with Persia. Finding herself thus committed, Persia, instead of endeavouring to extricate herself, got deeper into the trammels, by discussions on the subject, during which it was broadly hinted by her late enemy, that she might indemnify herself to the eastward for the loss of Georgia, and that Russia was ready to assist her with officers and arms, and would furnish and pay from two thousand to four thousand body guards for the Prince; and, if the same report be

true, by the remission of the last crore for the These offers are said to have

Russian army.

proved too tempting for the Prince Royal, who consented to the combined movement, and he had already received twelve field-pieces, two thousand stand of arms, and an officer of the Etat Major, Baron d'Aube, to march on Khiva and Bockhara, when the well-timed interference of the British mission, with the hopes they ventured to hold out of supplies being eventually granted in officers and arms, arrested their progress, at the very same moment when the Polish Revolution caused the four thousand troops already marching for Orenburg to find other occupation for a time. More recently, according to report, the Emperor of Russia has written to the Shah and Prince Royal, offering to contribute towards the expences of the Khorassan campaign; and it is also believed that, under the secret auspices of Russia, the Ameers of Sinde have sought a marriage with one of the King's daughters, and another alliance with the Shah, ostensibly to oppose Runjeet Sing; and it is but too apparent that there is an understanding with Russia in the movements eastward; whether it be sincere on the part of Abbas Meerza, or merely

á temporary expedition to get out of the debt, without foreseeing the evils of calling in foreign assistance against the Khan of Khiva and others.

The design against Khiva became known by pure accident. Yalantoosh Khan was about to proceed thither on a special mission from the Prince, to demand the restitution of all the Russian and Persian slaves, with a future annual tribute of one hundred thousand tomauns. The Envoy was provided with letters from the Russian officer, Baron d'Aube, which, in case of a refusal, he was to give to a Russian agent, pointed out at Khiva, who was to forward them to a sea-port on the Aral, so as to reach Count Suchtelen, the Governor of Orenburg, who would in consequence have put troops in march to meet them, and effect the demand by force of arms.

taken place in April, as was

This was to have admitted by the

Minister of Abbas Meerza, who had ineffectually opposed Abbas Meerza's present understanding with Russia, being quite aware that a march on Bokhara would end by placing that country at the feet of Russia: because, after once obtaining a footing on any pretext, such as repressing the Uzbeck's slavery, Russia would always have the

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