[Illustration: TYPICAL AFGHAN FORTRESS] In addition to the territories of Kandahar and Herat there was the state of Balkh, allied with but independent of Kabul and invested in Mahommed Afzul Khan. The army of Balkh was commanded by General Shir Mahommed Khan, an officer of the Anglo-Indian army of the name of Campbell, who had been captured by Dost Mahommed when he had defeated Shah Shujah at the battle of Kandahar. The influence of this man who, professing the Mahommedan faith, rose to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Balkh forces, was to become a determining factor in the evolution of the army of Afghanistan from its tribal state. Love of war was always more pronounced in the Afghan tribes than among other Eastern races; and, as the profession of arms to them was in the nature of a trade, expectations of a quick response of course prompted the suggestions which Lieutenant Campbell made to the Amir of Balkh. While every credit must be given to the wisdom and foresight of Mahommed Afzul Khan, there is no doubt that the beginnings of the present military system of Afghanistan were laid by this adventurous Englishman. Moreover, it was due to the influence which Campbell exercised over Abdur Rahman, the son of Mahommed Afzul Khan, which caused the former to become an ardent apostle of reform in military matters when he succeeded to the throne. At the time of the elevation of Campbell to the supreme command of the army of Balkh, the forces in the territory were divided between a combined permanently enlisted body and a militia derived from Uzbeg, Durani and Kabuli tribes. It numbered 29,500 men comprising: _Mounted._ _Dismounted._ _Militia._ 7,000 7,500 15,000 This force of fighting men, ill-organised and untutored, was deficient in central control, its condition not unnaturally reflecting the disorder actually inherent in the system. Under Campbell’s administration, the masses of tribal levies were reduced to an organised basis which contained the elements of the present establishment. The mounted and dismounted sections were formed into cavalry and infantry regiments; while the eighty guns, which were included in the Balkh army, were established by batteries and an elementary knowledge of the principles of drill and tactics imparted to the troops.