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158 The Second Afghan War: A large force was mobilized for the invasion of Afghanistan. On November 21, 1878, the three great passes leading into Afghanistan were entered by the British armies. Sir Samuel Browne threatened the Khyber, and Major-General Roberts marched up the Kurram Valley. The southernmost invading force under General Stewart marched from Quetta through the Bolan Pass upon Kandahar. The forces met stiff resistance on all fronts, but by the end of December, Browne had reached Jalalabad, Roberts fought his way through the Shuttargardan Pass, and in January Stewart entered Kandahar. Sher Ali, leaving his son Yakoub Khan, as regent in Kabul, went to Mazar-i-Sharif, hoping to get help from the Russians. But the Russians advised him to make his peace with the British. The Amir, worn out by physical diseases and mental worries, died at Mazar on February 21, 1879. The Treaty of Gandomak: By the Treaty of Gandomak (May 26) Yakoub Khan agreed to receive a permanent British Embassy with a suitable escort at Kabul; to conduct his foreign relations with other States in accordance with the advice and wishes of the British government; and to allow such rectification of the frontier as was demanded by the advocates of the Forward Policy. In return, the Amir was promised help against external aggression. The news of the conclusion of peace was received with much satisfaction in England, and the Government congratulated itself and the country on the attainment of a "Scientific Frontier". Prime Minister Beaconsfield wrote to the Viceroy: "Greatly owing to your energy and foresight we have secured a scientific frontier for our Indian Empire". Sir John Lawrence's warnings were ignored. The advocates of the Forward Policy triumphed;