_s._ _d._ On a load of salt 3 shahis[34] = 0 3 On a load of cotton 5 ” = 0 5 On a load of ghee 5 ” = 0 5 On a load of cloth 6 ” = 0 6 Upon trade coming into Herat and the north-western districts of Afghanistan from regions beyond the Oxus, in addition to a 5 per cent. _ad valorem_, duties were paid at: Tungeh,[35] Tungeh, Tungeh, Tungeh, Tungeh, per bale. per camel. per horse. per ass. per slave. Karki 20 5 3 1 22 Andkhui 26 5 3 2 20 Maimana 28 5 3 1 25 Almar -- 3 2 — -- Kalch Wali -- 5 3 1 5 Murghab 30 5 3 2 15 Kala Nau -- 5 3 2 -- Kuruk -- 15 10 5 -- From India, _viâ_ the Gomul and the Bolan, for Kandahar and Herat, in addition to 2½ per cent. _ad valorem_, tolls were levied at: R. A. Ghazni 2 0 per load of camel or horse Kandahar 2 8 ” ” ” Girishk 1 0 ” ” ” Farah 2 0 ” ” ” Herat 2 8 ” ” ” Examination of these imposts goes to prove that, under the rule of the khans and in the reign of Shir Ali, trade received no encouragement; while, if Abdur Rahman were the father of his people, there is no doubt that judged by his domestic policy he revealed a lack of foresight in fulfilling his parental obligations. If overweening vanity and ignorance contributed to the failure of Abdur Rahman’s attempt to make Afghanistan a self-supporting State, it can be pleaded for him, nevertheless, that it was his intention to help trade and industries which were indigenous to the country. To effect this, he abolished inter-provincial tolls, maintained the scale of rates which was levied upon caravans in transit to trans-Oxus markets, increased the frontier duties in proportion to the loss which he sustained by withdrawing charges hitherto imposed within his dominions, and began various industrial works in the capital.