THE causes of all our disasters in Afghanistan are manifold; there has been throughout nothing but bungling from the Government.

The expedition once determined upon should have been carried out vigorously, and with a sufficiency of means, instead of which the Government thought proper to go upon the cheap system.

So wrote a correspondent to the Yorkshire Gazette in 1842. Thank heavens lessons have been learned.

William Dixon Smith, Welland Rise, Acomb, York.