The appointment of Mr. Steuart] Edmund Pears, of the Indian Civil Service, to the important charge the Northwest Frontier Province of India to fill the vacancy suddenly: created by the breakdown of the health of Sir Norman Bolton will be regarded with special satisfaction by those who appreciate the nificance of the recent unhappy' outbreak at Peshawar. Whatever may occur in other parts of India the authorities cannot afford to permit inflammatory influences to operate unchecked on the Frontier. In Mr, Pears the Province will have a Chief Commissioner whose experience is second'to none. He was. the foremost civilian exponent. of the new "half-forward" policy. which, in the last eight years, has revolutionized the relations between the Government and the independ-out tribes, especially those in Watiristan. He is well-known to Afghanistan for he took a pro ent part in the negotiations which ultimately led to the signature of the Anglo-Afghan Peace Treaty at Kabul in 1921. He has been Pol tical Agent in the Khyber, the Kurram and Malakand and he was) the first Resident in Waziristan, foundations of the ation of that once turbulent country. In the present: state of affairs at Peshawar it will be of the greatest importance to at the head of affairs a man knowledge of and sympathy with the Pathan outlook. There will be regret at the cause of Sir Norman Bolton's departure. During the Inst two years events in Afghanistan have thrown on im an exceptionally heavy responsibility. With the Afghan in the turmoil of revolt counter-revolution the possibilities of trouble in British independent tribal territory have been constant ly present to the mind. In that rugged, stark, area there are 500,- 000 fighting men, 120,000 of whom ire armed with modern rifles. They fare allied by blood ties to the Afghan tribes on the other side of the Durand Line and they are divided up into numerous clans, owning no common allegiance but ready at all times to take full vantage of the call of fanaticism or opportunities for freebooting. That they have in the main been steadfast in their observance of neutrality is in itself a tribute to the soundness of the policy now being pursued on the Frontier and to the manner in which it has been carried out by political officers and soldiers alike.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.