two murders of british subjects are perpetrated by tribesmen on the north-west indian frontier at kohat and landi kotal, and the murderers flee to afghanistan. on june 4 the afghan government informs the british minister at kabul that orders have been issued for their immediate arrest, but several weeks pass before the arrest is effected. the british suspect that the "amir" is acting under bolshevik influence and purposely flouting england. when the murderers actually are arrested, they manage to escape from prison before trial, and though there is no proof of connivance on the part of the authorities, the incident makes a bad impression. in order to remove this the afghan government for a time adopts more energetic measures against the outlaws on the border, and in october a joint afghan and british commission meets at karachi on the frontier to investigate a number of incidents that have occurred. from this point, however, matters instead of improving seem to grow rapidly worse. the afghans become suspicious that england is once more harbouring imperialistic designs and seeking to regain her exclusive domination over their country. these feelings are strongly expressed by the afghan minister in paris, sardar tarzi khan, in an interview which he gives to the "nation" on december 16. he charges the british in particular with having three months earlier held up at bombay a quantity of arms for the afghan police, in breach of the treaty between afghanistan and britain made in 1921, and of the trade convention of june 5 of the current year which among other things confirmed the obligation then accepted by the british government to allow the transit of arms to afghanistan through india. the british defense is that according to the treaty the importation is to be permitted only so long as the intentions of the afghan government are friendly, and no immediate danger to india is involved. by the end of the year the situation as between the two countries is generally regarded as serious. the afghan suspicions of britain's intentions are believed to be fostered by other countries, notably russia and france, as shown by a striking article in "l'ere nouvelle" of december 26, which suggests that it is the independent policy of afghanistan rather than the activity of brigands which disquiets britain. britain's last act during the year is to demand the removal of the bolshevik representative from kabul, a step which is characterized in russian quarters as an "ultimatum."