Peshawar

Peshawar, or PESHAWUR, a town of India, 10½ miles from the entrance of the Khyber Pass, 190 E. by S. of Kabul, and 276 by rail NW. of Lahore. Although a frontier town and occupying a strategic position of the utmost importance, its only defences are a mud wall and a small fort; but 2 miles west of the city are the cantonments, with a garrison of six regiments and a battery of Royal Artillery. The population in 1891 was 84,191, including the cantonments. Peshawar is the seat of extensive commerce between Afghanistan and India; gold, silver, lace, hides (all four from Bokhara), horses, mules, fruits, woollen and skin coats (all five from Kabul) being exchanged for tea, English piece-goods, wheat, salt, rice, butter, oil-seeds, oil, and sugar.—The district has an area of 2504 sq. m. and a pop. of 592,674; the division, an area of 8381 and a total pop. of 1,189,462.