The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-04-18 00:00:00

PEACE OR WAR.

FOR some days past the public mind lras
been occupied almost entirely with anxious
consideration. of Russia's action on the Af,
ghan borderlemd. The interest in the oper-
ations of the Soudan expedition has dwarfed
into insignificance, and a desire to withdraw
the bulk of the British forces therein en-
gaged has been pretty generally manifested
in order that ,the troops might be held in
readiness to accentuate any decisive move-
ment to compel Russia to respect the right-
ful limit of her territory, which may be
deemed necessary by her Majesty's Govern-
ment. Na:mrally the battle near Pend-jeh
created a great sensation, though, had hos-
tilities really been altogether avoided, there
would have been far greater reason for sur-
prise. Diplomatically, of course, we had a
right to expect a peaceful attitude on
Russia's part, and a calm consideration of
all the points of difference as to the fixture
lof the frontier. Here, however, theory and
practice stood wide apart, for the actual
situation was dangerous in the extreme.
Afghanistan, a mountainous belt between
the vast territory of the Czar and. our own
Indian Empire, is a tract of land which
I British interest imperatively demands shall
I be held neutral, if not friendly, to this coun-
try and to India. Any encroachment upon
its bounds is an offence against Great
Britain second only in magnitude to an
actual invasion of the Queen's dominion,
Russia, rightly or wrongly, disputes some
of theroughlyrecognised and yet indistinctly
defined points at which her own sovereignty
ceases and the rule of the Ameer of Afghanis-
tan begins. Pending the conclusion of
measures to settle the questions at issue, the
Russian Government marched a military
expedition to the "Debatable Land."
Naturally enough, Afghanistan put out its
own force to guard the outer edge of its
wild possessions. Small wonder if two war-
like forces standing thus face to face in
antagonism should proceed to blows. The
menacing position of Ruzsia, indeed, was
such as might reasonably be accepted as ex-
cuse for the Ameer's army, without further
provocation, rushing out to repel what at
least has the appearance of a threatened in-
vasion. But if either force, with or without
lull authority, engaged. in any actual breach
of the peace, it does not seem possible to
human nature that a fierce battle could have
been avoided. Such was the danger of the
position that it was well said that any one
out of a hundred accidents might at any
moment provoke war. Clearly, for taking
up the position of menace, Russia was re-
sponsible for any hostility which ensued
therefrom. This England saw and repre-
sented to the Court of St. Petersburg, and
an arrangement was entered into whereby
Russia undertook to abstain from military
advance, and await the result of the endea-
vours to fix the disputed limits. But the
arrangement has proved futile, and a battle
has resulted. Of course, it is claimed by
Russian Government that the engage-
ment occurred without official assent ; but
Russia is to blame, whether its General
blundered or acted under instructions, for
the wrongful acts of her forces. To speak
plainly, Komaroff's army had no right to be
within irritating distance of the Ameer's
territory at the same time that the Czar was
professing to seek a peaceful settlement of
his claims; and whether or not Afghanistan
struck the first blow, Russia by her action
is justly regarded as the aggressor in the
rapture that has resulted. For this Russia
must answer to England, as pledged sup-
porter of the A.meer, as possessor of India,
and as a party to the arrangement which
held the forces of the Czar to abstinence
from hostility. Whether England was un-
wise in not at first requiring the withdrawal
of the Russian troops is now of no conse-
quence. They must forthwith be withdrawn,
and proper reparation must be made for the
mischief accomplished, before the delimita-
tion proceedings can make further progres-
sion. Her Majesty's Government owes it to
the Ameer, to India, and to the English
nation to insist upon this much. The issue
is one of immense importance, for upon it
depends peace or war. And if war were
engaged in on a scale of sufficient magnitude
to decide the question—supposing Russia
refuse to submit to taking the proper course
—it would be a campaign of terrible extent.
The conflict would cost this country untold
gold and thousands of precious lives ; while
to Russia it would bring bankruptcy and
ruin. This even if the catastrophe ended
with hostility between the two great Powers
immediately interested, which, we fear
could scarcely be expected. After all, the
inevitable result could not well be other wise
than the enforcement of Russia to respect
the rights of her neighbours, and to pay for
her aggressiveness on terms imposed by the
aggrieved parties. A vigorous campaign, in
which all England's resources were brought
to bear, would secure this end ; but we may
well pause to view the importance of enter-
ing upon such a war, and earnestly hope
that firmness on the part of our own states-
men, and a proper appreciation by Russia of
what the consequences would be to her, will
bring about a settlement of the crisis with-
out resource to arms. Russia cannot grace-
fully herself from the position into
which she has entered, but she can avert the
disaster that otherwise awaits her by a tardy
confession of wrong and honest atonement.
A very short time will show us which it
shall be, peace or war, and Russia must de-
cide. The past history of Russian diplomacy
is not of a nature to make England wait
with complacency many days for Russia's
reply to the policy which this country mast
adopt. Plain speaking and "decisive action
are what England calls for from Govern-
ment in the momentous emergency ; and
having regard to the magnitude of the issue,
party is lost sight of, and all are for the
&ate. The who's riation, while lookin to