The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-02-26
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY &c.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY &c.
THE aspect of political affairs, in Europe, as ap-
pears by the late adyices, is far from peaceful. The
decided tone of the English press in their illusions to
Russia, the open charges brought against that gov
ernment of faithlessness in not abiding with the terms
of the treaty compact, and an open evasion Of its re-
quirements, and lastly the advices of a formal de-
claration of war against Persia by the East India Gov
eminent on the 1st of November and of the actual
departure of the expedition from Bombay, destined to
occupy important positions in the territories of the
Shah, with whom the Russian Government aspires to
be considered as an ally,-all point to a renewal of
open h~ostilities, between England and Russia. The
advices also state that sc Russia, unostentatiously and
noiselessly, is getting ready to come to the succor'' of
the Persian sovereign that great activity reigns
upon the Caspian Sea and in the army of the Cauca-
sus that transport vessels having troops and war
material on board, pass necessarily between Astrakhan
and the frontier of Persia - and that active steps are
being taken in other provinces of the Russian Empire,
bordering on Persia, to be in readiness to come to the
relief of that country at any moment, in case of need.
The ostensible and avowed cause Of the present
hostile invasion of Persia by Great Britain is, that
the latter power, bound by a treaty concluded in 1853
with Dost Mahoned, of Affghanistan, to afford him
armed assistance in case of any aggression against the
integrity OF his territory, is now called upon to fulfill
that engagement, in consequence Of the capture, by
Persian troops, of the afghan town and fortress of
Herat, situated on the borders of Affghanistan and
Chorassan, and forming the gate of the only road
leading from the Caspian to the Indus. The general
impression, however, both in England and in India,
as to the nature and design of this expedition, which
seems to be far from popular in either country, is
that the Indian Government intend to take advantage
of this violation of treaties by the Shah, which bound
him not to make any encroachment upon Afghan
istan, to take possession Of Bushire or some other adj
vantageousp position on the Persian Gulf, with a view
to found a permanent establishment there for the bet
ter protection and development of the recently COM
menced Euphrates Valley Railroad, in connection
with the steam navigation of the Euphrates. Whether
this be the motive of the war, or whether it be simply
to repulse the Persian invasion of Affghanistan. no
precise information has been given by the authorities,
either in London or Calcutta. The force that has
been despatched by the East India Government is a
formidable one as viii be seen by the following ex-
tract:
BRITISH EXPEDITION TO THE PERSIAN GULF.-A
letter from Bombay dated Nov. 3, gives the following
information relative to the preparation of the naval
part of the expedition intended for Persia.-ssW We are
very busy, in fitting out an expedition to the Persian
Cult. 1t is q formidable armament and will include
II 900 men and 1900 horses, exclusive Of seamen
and marines transports: 10 steamers of war, four of
them carrying 10 6S-pounders, and four from two TO
four ditto, two sloops of Is 32-pounders each, two
schooners of two guns each, 25 cwt. 32-pounders 10
heavy gun-boats, carrying two y inch howitzers
each. Rear-Admiral Sir Fl. Leeke is to command this
powerful .News.
Another reason limited atin the papers, as the cause
that has aided to bring about this declaration of war
between England and Persia, is a desire on the part
of the British Government to break the growing
power of Russia at the Court of Teheran, and thus to
I---.-z - &C Il II -
auence in Asia, and obtain guarantees against the
possibility of Russian aggression against the British
possessions in India. The present movement of Rus
sian troops to the frontiers of Persia, positively an
nounced by Russian journals, and corroborated by
accounts from the Caucasian Provinces. give some
consistency to this view of the Anglo-Persian difficulty,
and attach a political Importance to it which it would
not otherwise possess.
Whatever may be the result of this war with Persia
SO far as regards that country, it is only a new and
interesting phase of the eastern question, more COM
plicated and perhaps more important to British in
terests than the unsettled controversy in regard to the
Isle of Seppents, which still detains in the Black Sea
a powerful British squadron. 1t will prove but the
meeting again of the impetuous ambition of Russia
and the firm but cautious resistance of England.
Turning from Europe to China, it viii be seen that
WarGke demonstrations have begun with that Empire.
The intelligence which we publish in another column
will be read with the deepest interest. Since the
opium war, no event has t~ranspired in that quarter,
likely to be OF greater Importance in its results. It
via be seen that, without preconcert or design, the
British and United States forces at Canton, and con-
sequently the governments which they represent, are
jointly involved in the controversy and its result.
which we and all must hope will be to open still more
to the commerce of the world, and to a respect of ma
tional rights, that still secluded Empire.