The Sun.
London, England, 1838-11-02 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOUnNALS.

In denying the practicability of a Russian invasion of
India, and expressing it as our belief that the Russians
themselves could not seriously entertain the project of such
an invasion, we were far from maintaining that Russia might
not endeavour to foment troubles on our Indian frontiers,
or that good policy might not require that we should
keep a watchful eye on that power, and, if necessary, take
steps to baffle her designs. In fact, our security is de-
rived from this circumstance, that Russia can only act
through other nations ; and that from the enormous
military force possessed by us in India, in the finest
condition, we can always promptly punish attempts at
aggression on the part of these nations, while it is
not in the power of Russia to afford them aid.
Persia once prostrated," says the author of the " Pro-
gress of Russia in the East," quoted yesterday by the
Standard, " and Affghanistan overawed, or protected, who
bill again venture to smile or to sneer at the once sup-
posed impracticability of a Russian invasion of India ?"
It is easy to say Affghanistan overawed or protected by
Russia. But what would the Indian Government be doing
all the while ? We have seen that though Ilerat is nearly
2,000 miles from our Indian frontier, the Indian Govern-
ment has found means to teach the Shah that he has some•
thing to fear from England as well as Russia. The ruler
of the Punjab understands his position better than to pro-
voke the Indian Government, by which he can be crushed,
for the sake of gratifying Russia, which cannot assist him ;
but both that Prince and the chiefs of Affghanistan will of
course be well watched. But, says the Standard—
" Granted, for argument's sake, what absolutely we are by
no means disposed to grant, that a Russian army could by
no possibility cross the Indus, still Russia might (and if
she could would), in pursuit of that very policy which the
Morning Chronicle ascribes to her, very seriously embar-
rass the British possessions in India. Admit the pos-
session of Constantinople to be her principal, as doubt-
less it is her more immediate, object, would she not natu-
rally seek to give distant occupation to the arms and re-
sources of the only power which can present an effectual
obstacle to her ambition? In politics, as in strategics, it
maybe wise sometimes to menace two points at the same time,
in the hope of securing one of them. The last sentence quoted
seems to imply an opinion that it is unjust to suspect Russia of
designs upcn India, because of her adding to her possessions.
Without being very suspicious, however, one may conclude
that Russia has not advanced her territories and military posts
a great part of the way through deserts, almost three thousand
miles, on the road to India, without an object. She is not so
rich, and, until lately, was not so secure on the side of Europe,
as to encounter all this expense, peril, and labour in mere
wantonness."
Granted, we say, that Russia may seek to give us occu-
pation on our Indian frontier, for the sake of securing
another object, this -is a circumstance quite distinct from
the point to which we alluded, the invasion of India. When
Russia is discovered acting in the manner supposed, Eng-
land, in her turn, will act in a manner suited to the exi-
gency. We presume that if Russia can find employment for
England in India, England can find employment for Russia
in Europe. Who ever said that England should re-
main with her arms folded, allowing Russia to plant
her blows where she pleased, without retaiation ?
Btit that is a very different question from that
of waging war on Russia merely because certain exalted '
imaginations conceive the possibility of her awing first
Persia, and next the mountain chiefs of Affghanistan, and
through these. endanger our Indian empire. Let Russia
be watched, and when detected in hostility towards us let
, us retaliate ; but do not let a great nation like this make
itself ridiculous by an insane Russo-phobia. If we have '
to fight we shall not surely be in a worse condition for
having acted with the gravity end circumspection becoming
- a great nation. Why should e e suffer ourselves to be ter-
rified. by Russia or any Other Power into proceedings that
we could not strictly justify before the whole world ? All
we meant to convey in our article of yesterday was, that
effective armies cannot be marched through deserts and
across immense mountain ranges, and that neither through
Persia nor Affghanistan can Russia subvert our Indian
empire. India is not now as it was when an adventurer
. like Nadir Shah could with an army of ill-armed followers
overturn the empire of the Mogul. We never dreamt of
maintaining that England •ught to suffer Russia or any
other Power to insult her with impunity.—Moen. Chronicle.
In re-adverting to the meeting held a few days ago in the
Isle of Thanet, we cannot but express our extreme gratifi-
cation at the unanimity which prevailed at it--not only be-
tween the rival towns of Margate and Ramsgate, but be-
_ tween the rival Steam Cernpanies which ply to either port.
There was but one opinion prevalent at the moment, and
. .

that was that all were interested in maintaining a good un-
derstanding with one another, and that excessive local
taxation should be done away, as well as every nuisance
calculated to prevent visitors from residing at the respective
ports of Margate and Ramsgate. In the promotion of these
objects we trust that they will be eminently successful, and
that the union "of sentiment which prevaile& on Monday
last will be followed by a union of practice ; and let us for
one moment assure all those who were then present, that
the time is now come when union ought to be perfect. The
Report of a Committee upon railroads, public conveyances,
, post-horse charges, and various other matters connected
with travelling, whether by land or water, is now before
us ;'und the result of the inquiry of the Select Committee

of the House of Commons is, that either the taxes bear-
. ing upon stare-coaches, glass-coaches, post-horses, &c ,
must be abolished, or locomotive power, whether
by land or water, taxed to a similar extent. To the
former proposition there can be no objection—indeed, it is
but bare justice that the enormous taxes upon land travelling
should be abolished without the slightest exception ; for all
property embarked in the business alluded to is not only
upon the wane, but has suffered at least two-thirds of de-
preciation during the last two years; and what is more to
• the purpose, if the business of posting be done away with,
which it must be unless the taxes are abolished, there will
not, in the course of a few years, be a travellable road or a
posting-house in the kingdom. Whether this be a de-
sirable object we leave our country readers to judge.
With regard to the other point, the taxation cf steam-
vessels and railroads, we think that there cannot be two
opinions upon the subject. There can be no benefit from
the tax to the Exchequer. Both are already sufficiently
taxed indirectly, and to lay a direct tax upon them, or any-
thing contained in them, would unquestionably result in a
loss, instead of a gain, to the Exchequer of the country.
Still, as some wiseacres may propose such taxes in the en-
-suing Session of Parliament, we beg to call the attention of
the Steam-packet Companies, on the one hand, to the mat-
ter, and, on the other, of the inhabitants of Margate and
Ramsgate. Let but a Bill pass to impose taxes upon
steam-boats, and the fares must be augmented—let them
be augmented, and every town, city, and borough which has
,the benefit of steam navigation, will suffer to -an extent of
which it is impossible to calculate the amount.—Morning
Advertiser.

A Ministerial Journal of yesterday contains a long and
loosely-written article,• signifying nothing, but purporting to
'discuss the question of Russian designs upon India. The
Journal in question indulges in sundry very vague gencrali-

ties about the difficulties of marching an army upon our
radials possessions, about the inadequate supply of neces-
'series and medicines in the Russian army, and sundry other
things, which every one has heard rumoured, but about
_which no one gives authentic details. And all this is wound
up by the comfortable assurance that, supposing the Rus-
sian fortes were to arrive in British India, we should have
no difficulty in- beating them when they were there. All
this, we take leave to say, is very little to the purpose. If
it were ascertained that in this present month of November,
Ruisia was preparing a fleet in the Baltic for an attack
upon Sheerness, at the mouth of the Medway, of what value
Would it be to tell us that fleets were liable to very great
-difficulties and accidents when they attempted to
cross narrow seas in dark and stormy wheather—that Russia
was deficient in pilots for navigating the Thames and Med-
way, and would be subject to wreck upon the Margate
Sands ;. and, at all events; that were the Russians to effect
a landing, the men of Kent would lose no time in drubbing
them very soundly for their pains. All this might be, and
yet it might notwithstanding be a very serious matter that
Russia should dare even to make preparation for any such
exploit. It. might be morally certain that no Russian would
be left alive who dared to plant a hostile foot upon the
British shore ; and yet the danger, and the loss, and the
disgrace attendant upon their landing would be so great,
that a patriotic Englishman could hardly think upon it and
vet live. The Paris Journal des Debats Writes much morn
sensibly upon the question of Russian invasion of India
than does the London Morning Chronicle. The French
Journal rightly says, that the affairs are not yet ripe for
that project—" Les choses ne soot pas aussi avancees, et
les Russes ont autre chose a faire, qu'a envoyer
Runjeet Sing, ou le Shah
25,000 hommes contre
de Caboul, pour refaire 1, empir„ Yes ; the Russians haveede Nadir Shah au profit du
Souverain actuel de la Perse.
something else to do—that is, they have to prepare—to
make ready the ground, which if circumstances hereafter
prove favourable—they will advance upon, to the annoy-
ance, if not the conquest, of our Indian empire. Our
readers will do tis the justice to observe, that we have al-
ways looked at this important question as,,oenietedlfory
stated the fu-
ture, ar.d not for the present. We have sia from her
that we look upon an invasion of India by ilus
present frontier, as a chimerical notion. But we nevertheless
consider it to be a present and important fact, that Russia
is labouring with great skill, force, and perseverance so to
extend her frontier, and so to disturb and weaken the in-
fluence of Great Britain; in the North of India, that .the
invasion may one dad be practicable, and may be, through
a.greiter part of its march, rather welcomed than re-
sisted. It is against the preparations that our policy should
dfreOted". It is not for our safety—not for our interest,
noilor our honour, that Russia should have so much in-
fienee isa. the Eat as she possesses already,' and no pains