The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-29 00:00:00

TEE RUSSIAN MOVEMENTS IN INDIA.

The following are extracts from a Calcutta letter,
dated Nov. 18 :
"The prominent event of the fortnight is the com-
mencement of a friendly communication with Dust Ma-
homed, the ruler of Affghanistan, who holds Cabe],
which has often been designated the key of India. To
understand the nature and importance of this event, it
is necessary to glance for a moment at the progress, not
so much of the Russian arms, as of Russian influence, to
the west of the Indus. It has often been surmised that
the Russians bad an intention of marching an army to
the banks of the Indus for the invasion and con-
quest of India, but the probability of any such move-
ment is exceedingly remote, and of the failure of it
there can he no doubt whatever. If 100,000 men
were to start from the Russian station nearest to
India it is certain that not more than one-fifth of
that number could reach the Indies. and they would
not be in a condition to encounter the fresh ard well-
equipped army of four or five times that number with
which we should meet them. The Russians cannot
transport their commis.,ariat 1,500 miles where there are
no roads. At the same time it is perfectly palpable that
Russia has been gradually working her way down to our
frontier, never making a startling move, but steadily
advancing her pawns. Her object is to establish her
paramount influence throughout the various tribes of
Central Asia, to inspire them with awe of her power,
and to impress on their minds that the Russians are a far
more powerful nation than the English, though they
have conquered Hindosten. The Russians are anxious
to constitute themselves the arbiters of Central Asia ;
and, when this preponderating influence has once been
thoroughly established, there will be a hundred ways of
using it to our disadvantage, which will at once occur to
the mind. Not the least annoying result of these ad-
vances is the feverish excitement it creates in India,
both in our own territories and among our native allies.
"These intrigues are not of yesterday. They have
been steadily pursued for the last 20 years, but they
have been redoubled since the commencement of hostili-
ties. Russian emissaries are now at work with all the
chiefs to whom they can gain access, and Central Asia
is now agitated beyond all former example by the ex-
pectation which is held out of the portentous advance of
the great Russ, the antagonist of England. It is, how-
ever, a well a'certained fact that the report of the advance
of Russian troops upan Khiva is fabulous. Russia har
not a soldier in the neighbourhood of the Oxus. The
only Russian troops which have advanced up that
river are, I believe, at Ark Musjeed, and they do
not exceed 2,000 men, supported by not more than
six pieces of artillery. The advances which Russia
is thus making towards our own north-west frontier
have liven no alarm to the Government of India, but
they hare pointed out the importance of forming
alliances with the independent chiefs across the Indus,
and thus cresting a harrier to the encroachments of
Russian intrigue.
"The Delhi Gazette comments on the latest accounts
from the north of the Hindu Koosh as follows :
" As to Ruseophobia., there is still a rational one,
and the oseeetion may be thus summed up. The fear of
being laughed at for suspecting Russia of any design on
the British possessions in India is the form which Russo-
phobia takes among us at the present day. This reaction
against the gild, because timid, policy which led us
into the Affgban war, is only natural. But, like every
other violent reaction, it is liable to run into extremes.
"'Napoleon wrote to hie brother Joseph (as appears
from his lately published correspondence) that Russia
was too far off ever to give him any concern ; and yet
we all know how the history of a few subsequent years
forced on him the conviction that there were but two
alternatives for Europe, to become either Republican or
Cossack. So heze in India have we been accustomed
to believe that Russia was 'too far eft' ever to disturb
our peace. And yet there is evidence, hardly now to be
gainsaycd, that Russia is rapidly becoming possessed of
the whole Doab of the Jaxartes and the Oxus, a country
which for 10 centuries of history and 20 more of tradi-
tion has supplied India with invaders. The head-quar-
ters of a Russian force, how large or small that force is
of little moment, are now established within 500 miles
of our North-west Frontier.'

" The object of the Czar is evidently to compel
Persia to join him, and then to effect a junction be-
tween the Russian force is Kokan and the Persian
army at Merw or Merve. This junction would place
the resources of Bokhara, Persia, and Affghanistan at
his disposal, and tkereby render him paramount in all
the countries between the Caspian and the Indus. The
immediate advantages that Russia would obtain wou'd
be the co-operation of a Persian army against the Turks
in Armenia, and the power of harassing our Indian
army by stirring up and uniting against us the tribes
of the Indus frontier, who are said in the Punjaub re-
port to be able to bring at least 100,000 fighting men
into the field. It is true that these are altogether un-
able to cope with our regular troops in the plains, but
by a well-organised system of incessant inroads into
our territories they would compel us to keep up a very
much larger force on the frontier than .is necessary at
present."

"The Nepaulese Cabinet is increasing its military
establishment to such an extent as to enforce the neces-
sity of demanding explanations. The Minister pro-
fesses the most cordial friendship for the British Go-
vernment, and replies that the armies are intended for
an expedition against Lassa ; but there is some reason
to suspect that these armaments have some connection
with atter progress of Russian intrigues.
"You will notice a great outcry in the local journals
regarding the annexation' of Nagpore, and the confisca-
tion of the Crown jewels, which has been represented as
near:y, if not altogether, equal in atrocity to the plunder
of the Beguins of Oude, so celebrated in the annals of
British eloquence. This letter must not be too elabo-
rate, and I must reserve all particulars for my next
communication. Meanwhile, it may be sufficient to
state that there was absolutely no heir whatever, natu-
ral or adopted, to that throne, and that our Govern-
ment, finding a sum of about 700,0001. in the Rajah's
treasury, in money and jewels, has waived all claim to
this property, and declared that it shall not be alien-
ated from the family. The object of the sequestration,
which is so loudly reprobated, was simply to prevent its
falling into the hands of the Raness, to the detriment
of other branches of the Royal family."

"A treaty has also been made with the Khan of Khe-
lat, by which he binds himself to consider our enemies
as his enemies, and to protect the whole of our frontier
province of Scindo from all encroachments, and also to
allow merchandise to pass through his territories un-
molested at a fixed rate of duty. On these conditions
he is to receive a subsidy of 5,0001. a year."