The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-27


From the Calcutta Engiishman, Oct 30
The friend n india has very properly called attention
rscssd We ses II s % AaSs foreign policy The
French the Dutch and the Russians 70 be well ac-
quained with the fact for they are certainly pssamg
isIands By ne French most important, and, in case OK
war; would be most serious to the interests Of British in
da These islands lying about nine degrees north or the
equator In the direct route between India and China
and may be said TO command the passage Their prox-
unity Cambodia renders them particularly valuable
the French insuring the safety Of Saigon In Of
war, forming At once defensive outwork and point
from which 70 attack When we recosct that, only nine
years those islands ours that had held them
for and that then deliberately abandoned them,
when fully informed Of the intentions OF the French
farseeng vision and the directing hand in the conduct
of our foreign policy in the Indo-Chinese seas
Nor at all reassured when watch the progiesg
or the Dutch In Sumatra Unless we awake from our
supineness the town and port OF Acheen will in very
short space become theirs In fact it is quite possible
that relying upon the known nertness Of the present
regime they may take possession OF 1t at once Now 10
is difficult to exaggerate the great consequence to
British India that Acheen should not fall into the posses-
OF foreign power la the naval contests OF The last
century, Acheen regarded as the safest anchorng
ground In the Indian seas. Lying in about the same
latitude Point de Gale commanding the route from
that place TO China well that from Calcutta TO the
China seas Asleen r occupied BY an enemy night 6s
without direct violation Of our treaty with Hoi.
land but We have permttcd such violation before
ment, we shall probably i permit il again : Yet we
say it deliberately, that the Governor General who
would permit Acheen TO be occupied BY an European
Power deserves 70 BE- mpeached. In tho olden days,
when Governors General selected from the ranks
Of the arisocracy, sure, at least that one mem
Der OF the Supreme Council would possess some know
ledge Of geography were confident that the foreign
policy OF the country would embrace wider range than
aperusal OF the diaries OF political agents could afford.
But we have no such security now. Sumatra ID being
gradually swallowed up and At cannot be doubted,
less the Council take timely warning, that this most
northern and important position Acheen, will follow.
Alarmiss have talked OF the bugbcar OF Russian in
vason but were the progress OF Russia In Central Asia
to imply the very utmost that the Russophobists most
dread oould MOI yet be quarter formidable the
conversion of Achee By European P0Uer into srogy
fortified pos, commanding the Engiish and Indian
nunicdf wiM China Sumatrn once entirely in
Dutch hands, the Ncobars would assuredly follow
II IL found that they could be made habable for
Europeans The Bay Of Bengal would then TO be,
what 1t has been since ITS, purely English bay. We
should forget what have learned often-ou
the last occasion in 1857-that empire in India ID
founded on the Once shake possession Of tho
sea, and the whole fabric Is loosened The invention Of
opinion of many the result OF the action at sea far
moro dous., than II would have been under the old
psboa Sun, preventing -. .ss OCCUPATION 9, any fo
titled neghbori.g t6ast we Could 81 all
events parayye an enemy But to permit two foreign
Powers both Of whom have been allied against Is a9lQS
and may be 90 again, to fortfg positions aRa"N - e.
pears almost like inviting attack .rno,iv some
portion Of the evil may yet h recaed II NAV be too
a,s 70 possession Of the Condore islands, but
- :" >4arp w9ras uttered by Lord Dalhouse: would
I've even now, to put stop to Dutch aggression IN
Sumatra.