Vermont Watchman And State Journal

AN AMERICAN IN AFFGHANISTAN

The following marvellous story of Col Harlan, a Philadelphian, is told by the Paris correspondent of the London Times.

"Paris, August 2, 1841.

'The intelligence from India brought by the last mail, meager and incomplete as it is, suggests very painful anticipations for the tranquility and safety of a portion of the British Empire for which I am peculiarly interested—I mean our Indian possessions. It suggests to me the necessity of making known a circumstance of a very significant character, that has occurred here. Towards the close of the last year, there arrived in Paris from India, a Gen. Harlan, who has been aid-de-camp and chief of the staff to Dost Mohammed during a considerable time, and had under his command a corps of 10,000 men. He is deemed a man of talent, and of unbounded knowledge in Indian affairs.

'Gen. Harlan is an American, who arrived some five and twenty years ago in India in the capacity of first Surgeon, and was subsequently employed by the East India Company. It is not necessary that I trace him up to his attaining the rank above mentioned, but I shall observe that his arrival here last winter or autumn, created some sensation, as the object of his visit was suspected, and indeed said to be a political one. Like all American citizens of respectability, he was introduced to King Louis Philippe by Gen. Cass, the American minister, and received with much distinction. He was also said to have had much communication with E. Theirs, (then Prime Minister of France) and Count Pahlen, (the Russian Ambassador)—on, it is hardly necessary that I say, the subject of British dominion in India.

'The correctness or incorrectness of this latter on dit, though convinced of its exactitude, I am not in a condition to prove; but this I can aver on unquestionable authority, that Gen. Harlan has at the special invitation of the Russian Government proceeded to St. Petersburgh.'"