Similarly there has been much activity in the Northern command, the Governor of Afghan Turkestan, Sirdar Ghulam Ali Khan a son of Abdur Rahman, having completed his development of the scheme of defences at Dehdadi which the late Amir created. That stronghold has now been incorporated with Takht-a-Pul, which lies between Mazar-i-Sharif and Balkh and where an important fortified cantonment has been established, possessing a permanent strength of several thousand men. Habib Ullah has full confidence in his brother Ghulam Ali Khan and, in view of the delays which occur in the passage of supplies from the Kabul arsenals to the Herat and Turkestan garrisons, the Amir has sanctioned a proposal to construct in Herat and Takht-a-Pul, small-arms ordnance works, tanning-yards and boot factories, so that these two important commands may be independent of Kabul for these elemental accessories to their efficiency. Powers of control over these projects have been invested in Ghulam Ali Khan, who has appointed an assistant to the Herat branch of the undertaking. [Illustration: A WATER-SELLER.] [11] “England and Russia in the East.” Rawlinson. [12] This study of Anglo-Afghan relations is continued in Chapters xvi. and xvii. [13] “The Indian Borderland.” Colonel Sir T. H. Holdich. [14] “England and Russia.” A. C. Yate, 1886. CHAPTER VIII KANDAHAR The road from Herat to Kandahar lies through districts rich in supplies. From Herat there are two great roads, a northern and southern, the latter passing through Sabzawar, Farah and Girishk to Kandahar, in which district it crosses the Zamindawar country, peopled in the main by the Duranis as far as the fords on the Helmund.