The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-06-06 00:00:00

ENGLAND, RUSSIA, AND
AFGHANISTAN.

A SETTLEMENT EFFECTED.
The news at the close of last week conveyed the
welcome intimation that practically the differences
upon the Afghanistan question were settled between
Russia and England, and that subsequently the
terms of the settlement would be made public. The
following are Sunday's telegrams from the correspon-
dents of the Standard :—St. Petersburg.—l am in-
formed that the last frontier proposals of the English
Government have, in substance, been accepted, and
that, except as to details—some of which, however,
are important, whilst others can only be decided on
the spot—the boundary between Russia and Afghan-
istan may be considered settled. In spite of contra-
dictions of my previous statements, I repeat that in
the last phase of the negotiations the chief difficulty
arose from the Russian claim to Meruchak as part
and parcel of the Penjdeh basis. Another point in
dispute was whether the Pass of Zulficar should be
partially or wholly in Afghan hands. The above-
mentioned English proposals maintained the rights
of the Ameer in both cases, and the new frontier,
therefore, if definitely accepted, will proceed from a
point on the freH Rucl, just north of the Pass, to the
Murghab, north of Meruchak. It will be, in fact,
very nearly the line claimed in the Russian Note of
the 28th of January, except in respect to a small, but
not unimportant, difference as to the starting point
on the Hen i Rud.
Berlin.—The probability of a friendly settlement
of the Afghan delimitation question between England
and Russia is cordially welcomed by most of the
German papers, although some of them cannot refrain
from the usual depreciation of England. The semi-
official Norddeutsche says that the information will be
highly welcomed in every quarter where the con-
tinued tension of Anglo-Russian relations was re-
garded with anxiety. "The work of statesmen and
diplomatists," it says in conclusion," has on this occa-
sion resulted in a real blessing, firstly, to the two
Powers most interested, and then to the whole of
Europe, which has been longing for peace. The
normal character of the International situation is now
re-established." The BOrsen Courter says: "Europe
will welcome the settlement of the Anglo-Russian
conflict with all the greater satisfaction in pro-
portion as she has suffered from the pressure of
war anxieties. Europe can now apply herself
to the solution of urgent economical and other
questions." Journals like the Frankfurter Zeitung,
which always sided with England against Russia, re-
luctantly admit that their satisfaction is damped by
the gloomy conclusion that the proposed solution is
only possible because the Gladstone Cabinet has
yielded to Russia all she claimed, and that Russia
will be encouraged to further increase her demands.
The Frankfurter Zeitung, therefore, doubts whether
Russia will recognise by formal Treaty the inviola-
bility of the new frontier, and holds that she will
make a further advance on Herat at the first oppor-
tunity. In order to give a full picture of the German
press views I must add that several papers like the
National Zeitung consider that Russia's concession
anent Zulficar is merely intended to secure for Mr.
Gladstone a Parliamentary success and help him to
tide over the general elections, the preservation of
the present Cabinet being essential to the success of
Russian plans. The Vossiche Zeitung publishes a
London telegram stating that some *Liberals think
that the Czar himself ordered M. de Giers to give way
on the point in order not to discredit the present
English Government, and so facilitate to return to
power of the Conservative party.

The following appeared as a leading article in the
Times: There is now a pretty general belief that the
questions in dispute between England and Russia are
practically settled, although the length ot the negotia-
tions and the frequent disappointments inflicted upon
sanguine people ought to teach caution in drawing
favourable conclusions. We have had arrangements
which settled nothing, agreements in which no one
agreed, and replies involving all kinds of comfortable
inferences which subsequent events showed to be
unfounded. It is now assumed, however, that at last
there is really nothing to be done but settle seine
trifling details, and the buoyancy of the money
market shows that the Stock Exchange, at all events,
regards all danger as past. The sanguine disposition
of the British speculator has been promptly utilized
by foreigners, who are "unloading" a quantity of
international stocks upon the London market. They
must be greatly delighted to find us in so happy a
frame of mind the t their sales do not prevent prices from
steadily rising. Ingenious efforts are naturally made to
represent this confidently expected settlen• ,_•nt as a
remarkable triumph for British diplomazy, but, un-
happily, the natives of India, whose opinion is of
infinitely more consequence to this country than the
conventional jubilation of partisans at home, do not
regard the matter in that rosy light. That British
counter proposals have been accepted by Russia does
not seem to hide from them the fact that these
counter-proposals practically assign to Russia the
frontier laid down by M. Lesser. Zulficar and
Maruchak are said to be left to the Ameer, but we
shall probably have to wait some time to leain pre-
cisely what these names indicate. Its was Penjdeh, if
we recollect aright, which Lord Granville claimed
with such persistent valour, and it was the seizure of
Ponjdeh which Mr. Gladstone' described as "un-
provoked aggression." Reparation for that egres-
sion has been a prominent demand of British
diplomacy, and the last batch of Central Asia
papers closed with a complaint from Lord Gran-
ville that Russia interpreted inquiry to mean
unconditional acceptances of her conclusions.
None, however, of the current rumours about
a happy settlement appear to make any men-
tion of reparation, or of arbitration upon the
"solemn covenant." There are, no doubt, sound
reasons for being glad that we are not going to war
about Penjdeh, but there is none that we know of for
adding to the malicious amusement with which
Europe regards our present plight by pretending that
to keep Zulficar and Maruchak after claiming Pul-i-
Ithatun and Sara-yazi is a diplomatic triumph. If
any compensation can be found for the loss of repu-
tation which we have had to endure, it can be
obtained only by refusing to hoodwink ourselves, by
recognizing the nature of the blunder we have made,
and by taking care not to repeat it. The Government
took up a position which they were not prepared to
maintain, and put forth claims which they were not
prepared to make good. All that can be said for
them is that they found out their mistake before irre-
vocably plunging the country into war in disadvan-
tageous conditions, that is to say without adequate
preparation, without assured alliances, and without a
clear and well-defined policy. If the country wishes
to make the best of the situation, it must very
clearly understand that it has been worsted, and.
must take measures to make such mismanagement
of its affairs impossible in the future. It has been.
too much our habit to neglect all precautions, both
diplomatic and military. We have had no plan
either fcr dealing with nations beyond our Indian
frontiers or for making these frontiers safe against
attack. We have gone on with a policy consisting
only of a few vague, undefined notions about a
neutral zone, without settling either where that zone
is to end or how it is to be maintained in case Russia
thinks fits to overrun it. We have made ourselves
ridiculous by asking for engagements which she cannot
keep, and offensive by taking high moral ground when
she set them at defiance. We have now got to learn
that this course of policy has failed, that we have no
business to intrust any of our interests to a self-
denying ordinance entered into by cur rival, and that
we only prepare mortifications for ourselves if we
put forth claims which we are not ready and
determined to maintain by force of arms.
While a new spirit must thus be breathed into
our diplomacy, it is not less necessary that the
military defence of the Indian frontier should be
carried out with a thoroughness hitherto unknown.
Russia is now in contact with Afghanistan, and is
consequently in a very real sense in contact with
India. The Ameer is a useful ally so long as he
stands loyally by us, but however loyal and however
determined he may be, he cannot dispense us from
the necessity of preparing in earnest for the defence
of India on Indian soil. It may even be said that
the only way to retain Afghanistan as our ally is to
put ourselves in a position to do altogether without
her aid. When the Indian frontier is strong enough
to bid defiance to any foe, the Afghans and their
rulers alike will have a guarantee for the continuity
of our policy and the seriousness of our purpose
which nothing else can give. Believing us strong
and determined, they will be on our side; sus-
pecting us to be weak or vacillating, they will
certainly be detached some day. From Lord
Kimberley's speech in the House of Lords on the 12th
of hat month, and from Mr. Cross's speech nine days
later in introducing the East India Loan Bill, we may
conclude that the necessity for creating a strong
strategical frontier is at present fully admitted by our
rulers. But it will cost money and effort, which ex-
perience shows to be easily obtained for any passing
bccasion when a profound impression has to be re-
sponded to, but which are less readily forthcoming for
great purposes demanding continuous exertion and
sustained thought. As soon as the present difficulty
is fairly settled the first thought of every Englishman
will be that a troublesome business is done with, and
s few weeks hence it will be difficult to get anybody to
pay the least attention to the Indian frontier. But
the abiding thought of every Russian concerned in
any way in administration will be that an advan-
tage has been gained, that a step has been taken
in advance, and that no opportunity must be missed
of securing greater advantages still. It is not thought
in India that war can be postponed for very long by
the arrangements now being made. But be the time
long or short before the next overt act on the part of
Russia, her steady sap will not be intermitted for a
single day. A new chapter has been opened in the
history of India, which is now in effective contact
with an aggressive Power. We have at most a short
breathing time in which to make preparations far too
long neglected. They must be carried on steadily,
continuously, and systematically, and must be
seconded by foresight and practical sagacity in our
foreign policy. Otherwise we shall fluid ourselves at
no distant day confronted by dangers Which the most
lavish concession will fail to avert.'
INTERVIEW WITH SIR P. 1.417M5M.
A correspondent writing from Constantinople on
Monday night says*--Sir Peter LunfsdeArrived off
the Kayak entrance of the Bosphorus in a French

claimed

steamer from .Batourn at ten o'clocic this morning:
He was met there by Major Trotter, Military
Attach 6 to the English Ambassador, who took him
on board his steam launch and conducted him to
Therapia, where he is now staying at the Embassy as
the guest of Sir William White. I have just re-
turned from .Therapia, where I had the pleasure of
an interview with this distinguished officer. I found
him looking remarkably well and strong after his
trying work on the Afghan frontier, and his long
and fatiguing journey to Europe. Sir Peter Lums-
den started on the 9th of last month, and pro-
ceeded for ten days on horseback, sometimes riding
in one day as much as seventy miles, until he
reached Asharada, on the Caspian, whence he pro-
ceeded by steamer to Baku and by railway to Batoum.
Although naturally very guarded in his remarks, it is
easy to see that the General is in no way satisfied
with the present arrangements for the settlement of
the Frontier Question, which he fears will be of any-
thing but a lasting character. It may be weeks or it
may be months, says Sir Peter, but matters are sure
to become embroiled again before very long. The
only frontier presenting the necessary elements of
security, he holds, was the old one, which embraced
eighty miles of desert. Once this ground is over-
stepped, complications must arise. Sir Peter Lumsden
leaves to-morrow morning by the Varna mail packet,
travelling straight through to London, which he hopes
to reach on Saturday morning.