The pacification of Afghanistan by General Roberts was not of long duration. After those concerned in the massacre of Cavagnari's party had been punished with exemplary, if not excessive, severity, attempts were made to conciliate the people, and the Conservative Government offered to recognise any Amir at Cabul who might be elected, except Yakub Khan. Candahar was to be separated from Cabul, becoming an independent State under British protection, with Shir Ali as Amir. Then came the change of Government in England, bringing about an important modification in British policy towards Afghanistan. It was resolved to evacuate both Cabul and Candahar, resigning the country to the claimant Abdurrahman. The advance, however, of a rival claimant from Herat, in the person of Ayub Khan, caused the Government of India to direct General Burrows to defend the passage of the River Helmund. Beyond that river lay the territory of the Wali of Zamindawir, an ally of the British in resisting Ayub Khan's invasion. But the Wali's army mutinied and deserted to Ayub, and General Burrows decided to retire to Kushk-i-Nakhud, thirty miles in rear of the Helmund. Ayub then crossed the river, and directed his march to Maiwand, a Pass over the hills twelve miles north of Burrows's camp. General Burrows, in total ignorance of the real strength of the enemy, resolved to march there and clear the Pass. On July 27 he started with a force of 2,500 men, six nine-pounders, and some smooth-bores. Unfortunately, instead of keeping to his purpose of occupying Maiwand, which lay on his right, General Burrows made the fatal mistake of attacking a column of the enemy which appeared on his left. He found himself engaged with Ayub's whole army, variously estimated at from 12,000 to 20,000 of all arms. The British troops fought gallantly, but some blunders, of a nature never clearly explained, made their position untenable. The order was given to retreat, not before some of the Indian troops had broken and fled. Next day the broken remnants of General Burrows's Brigade struggled into Candahar, having fought their way through hordes of armed villagers along the route, who rose in excitement at the news of the defeat of the British. All that mortal man could do to atone for his want of generalship was done by General Burrows, who fought with desperate gallantry at Maiwand; but half his Brigade perished, and probably it would have been annihilated but for the steadiness of the Horse Artillery in action and in covering the retreat. [Illustration: LORD ROBERTS OF CANDAHAR. Frederick Sleigh Roberts is the son of the late General Sir A. Roberts. Born in 1832, and educated at Eton, Sandhurst, and Woolwich. Gained the V.C. for rescuing a standard at Khodagunj, in the Indian Mutiny.] [Illustration: _Chevalier Louis W. Desanges._} {_In the Victoria Cross Gallery, Crystal Palace._ MARCH OF GENERAL SIR F. ROBERTS, G.C.B., V.C., FROM CABUL TO CANDAHAR: CROSSING THE ZAMBURAK KOTAL.]