The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-23 00:00:00

OUR POLICY IN ASIA.

The news from Persia cuts a new light spar the
relations of the war in Central Asia ; and if that
power, es is moat probable, should finally pronounce
for Russia, the menaced condition of the western
frontier of Indian empire will require the imme-
diate advance of an Anglo-Indian army. But Persia
herself is on the eve of a matition, the result alike of
her moral degradation, her political weakness, and
her vacillating conduct. Having for some years dis-
banded her army, she possesses no regular force;
utterly defeated in her last war with Russia, she re-
coils at the sight of the Muscovite Eagles; ignomini-
ously repelled from Herat, she has a foretaste of a
new Affghan -Quest; while her coast, accessible to

...gain COIN\ A
Anglo-Indian invasion, compromises her existence.
It is to be regretted that, as her co-operation with.
England was essential to the policy of the war,
Colonel Rawlinson, familiar with the manners
and institutions of Persia, bad not been at
area sent as ambassador to Teheran, where his
matesels and personal influence might have
fixed the oscillating views of the Persian court.
For if religious zeal should incite Persia to make an
irruption into Turkish Arabia, to seize the holy
sepulchre of the founder of the Softie, common pru-
dence might have warned her that the protec-
torate of Russia is another name for slavery,
and the hostility of England for annihila-
tion. If this outbreak should finally compromise
the integrity of Persia, the future fate of the Indian
Empire will have to be decided in that country,
for it is the lase, neutral ground which divides the
Cossack from the Sepoy, and severs the Indus
from the Caspian. A really strong and effect-
ive Anglo-Indian army in Persia would at once
receive immense support from the simultaneous ad-
vance of the Affghens, a race far superior to the
Persians in warlike qualities, and who have more
than once been masters of that empire. Nor in the
present disturbed state of Khiva, and the failure of
the predatory advance of its Khan, could any serious
diversion be raised against the cooperation of their
march. Experience has proved that most physical
obstacles give way to a persevering and enterprising
invader; and to defend the Indian Empire it is not
wise to wait behind its rivers, but to advance and
meet the invader on his march. Nor would there
be any lack of zeal in the Moslem races of Central
Asia to fall upon Persia, a heretic scion of the faith
of Mahomet, whose riches, indolence, and cowardice
provoke their aggression, and her own servi-
tude. The half million of Cossacks who are to
descend from the Ukraine to aid the enterprises
of the Persian are probably a mythic number,
for although Russia may indeed possibly send a
corps d'arnde from the Caspian to defend or
support her new ally, yet the amount of the assist-
ance Russia can afford depends upon the activity dis-
played by her opponents on the frontiers of Georgia
and the coast of Bessarabia. The security of Odessa
never having been seriously injured has left that
great magazine of grain and stores as the basis of the
Russian hoe of operations in the Crimes, and has pre-
vented the revolt of the Ukraine rising to any serious
result. To the wonder, and it may be added to the
indignation, of every thinking mind, the mere
blockade of Odessa has never been enforced in so
stringent a manner es it should have been, and the
Committee of Inquiry, by some strange oversight,
never stoked for the occult orders from the Admiralty
on this point, the most mysterious and suspicious in
the history of the war. From Odessa, se from a
great place cr armee, have sallied the flotillas that
ascended the Danube, and deposited the malstriel for
the Crimea ; and it is precisely at Odessa that a suc-
cessful blow would have demoralised the Russian
role in Bessarabia, and paralysed her arms in
the Crimea. Nor, according to all mounts, in
the formation of the A ngleTerkish contingent
so essential to the defence of Asiatic Turkey and
to a successful feint or diversion—proceeding with.
earnestness in Turkey. Moses without troops.
without commands or instructions, are idling at Con-.
stsatinople ; the levies are not yet raised, mush less
drilled, although the spring hes fled sod the seminar
is making its appearance. Amidst the alternate per-.
@tonalities and iellusios of asset ;deg &lotion at
home the nation's cause is shamelessly be
the s and.
the genius of acetones still accompanies our move-
ments in the East. which some attempt to govern and,
others affect to despise. Tho Asiatic campaign should
lave comasetund at the beginning of the month..
Georgia should have been, menaced, the tribes of the.
Caucasus supplied with arms sad aneenunities, and.
aroused to simultaneous exertions. It might have.
been a lesson to our rulers. that Russia, who re-
jected their proposals at Vienna, was obliged, not-
withstanding_ her dignity, to agree to the terms of a.
chief in the Caucasus whose hatred to her principles
is gnome, and who possesses at his& not a thou,.
sandth part of thamaterial meansof England,bct the
undaunted resolution of a mountaineer. llf the parlia-
ment is not disposed to Garry es the war with vigour,
if it allows the prassat state of management to
continue much longer, the coaviction will at last some
that England is betrayed from within. It can only
be from the disownment by Russia of the &say of
the aristocracy, the division of the factious, end the
sympathy of the raling class, that she has ventured to
undertake this mated. Aocitient may have caused the
catastrophe of the winter, but that its e.hapten should
at every turn serve the Russians aud. &erg_ the
prestige and honour of
the nation is tniponans.—.
Communicated to the Dey News.