Upon the attendance of these three Estates of the Realm the Amir reads a proclamation or makes a speech on the subjects which are claiming the attention of the meeting and at the same time asks their opinion. This usually results in the expression of the same views as those held by the Amir, as this assembly has neither the capacity nor the courage to detect anything wrong in the law or policy of their sovereign. Another mode of introducing an alteration of the law is that some member or members of this assembly may lay a petition before the Amir, to which sanction may be given. The most important factor in securing any change, consists in the daily reports from the magistrates, the governors, the ecclesiastical and criminal courts, the revenue department and other offices of the Government, who forward their decisions for approval and sanction, or send in their petitions or the petitions of tribes in the country requesting the Amir to sign a new ordinance. If the Amir forms a favourable opinion upon these documents they are enrolled in the Record Office of the Government. The Amir’s Supreme Council or Cabinet differs from the English Cabinet in that there is no Prime Minister and that the Cabinet cannot give any advice to the Crown without being asked to do so. The Amir is seldom absent from his Council, but its assemblage simply depends on the pleasure of the Crown. If the presence of any member is unpopular in the country, the people have the power to protest against it. The following officials constitute the Cabinet:[32] the Aishak Akasee; Lord of the Seal; Chief Secretary and several other secretaries; the military officials of the bodyguard; Lord Treasurer of the private treasury of the Sovereign; Secretary of State for War; Secretaries of State for the North, South, East and West; Postmaster-General; Commander-in-Chief or his deputy; Master of the Horse; Kotwal or Home Secretary; Quartermaster-General; Accountant-General; Groom of the Bed-chamber; Superintendent of the Magazines; Heads of the Board of Trade and of the Board of Education. In addition, there are sometimes those other officials or chiefs who may be sufficiently in the confidence of the Amir to be admitted to the meetings. [Illustration: SPINNING COTTON] The following division of business is usually observed: Monday and Thursday are devoted to postal despatches and to the Exchequer; Tuesday is set aside for consideration of military cases and the affairs of the War Office; Wednesday is devoted to the affairs of the whole kingdom when public as well as private Durbars are held; Friday is observed as a religious holiday; on Saturday the Amir sits as a Court of Appeal and Supreme Court of Justice; Sunday is devoted to the inspection of the army, magazines, war materials, manufactories, industries and various miscellaneous matters. The laws of Afghanistan at the present day may be placed under three headings: