 He was a strong advocate of the forward policy in Afghanistan, and counselled the retention of Kandahar.He argued that Tsarist Russia would attack and absorb Khokand, Bokhara and Khiva (which they did – they are now parts of Uzbekistan) and warned they would invade Persia (present-day Iran) and Afghanistan as springboards to British India.He was a trustee of the British Museum from 1876 till his death.