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He said," ...Lord Minto realised that, to use his own words, the political atmosphere was "heavy and electric". That influences were at work which the Government of India could not disregard; and that ambitions had come into existence the justice of which England could not deny.

So far from resenting and seeking to check the political awakening, he saw, as he told us, that it was but the ripening of the educational seed which British rule had systematically sown. It was, therefore, in no gurdging and unwilling spirit that he recognised the signs of the times and attempted to deal with the new conditions."

With regards to relations with Afghanistan, he said, "Nor has the late Viceroy confined the application of this spirit to the Chiefs to be found witin the limits of British India. It was a happy inspiration which led him to invite the Ameer of Afghanistan (Habibullah) to make an extended tour in India combinign with it an assurance that there would be no effort totake advantage of his position as a guest of the government to press for the settlement of givenquestions on lines convenient to his host. The Ameer crossed the Border for pleasure and insturction, and the consideration shown him, together with the absence of a bargaining spirit, made an excellent impression on him which has since borne fruit in various ways..."(Aziz; 350)