The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-21

excellent course while We have Eastern Tdrk-
estan between the empires but very eKpen-
sive course should Russia post herself, as she
wishes to do, within ten days mafccht OF Cash
mere, the key on that side of our domain. AN
other was to aid Yakoob, of Yarkund, the
able Mohammedan enemy Of the Russians,
who is trying to fouud oyn.s., .y in East
"a Ha'An ana might it i ssappled With sdds
and money, build up a formidable desert
power-also an excellent course, If we desire
to hurry on the long-expected conflict, but in
expedient If we still think it may be postponed
or averted. The third course was 70 recon-
mend direct negotiation hcS.sween the hom,
government ana St; petersburg, With. the
airecs ~ rec. oDJec' =" =. nnding out whether it is or
10 NV ,,Ossible TO come to some understanding
With that power as to the boundaries OF our
respective Asiatio possessions. 1t is quite
within the compass of probability that the
Court of ST. Petersburg, which does not
share the common continental error about
the weakness of Great Britain, and has now
and again good many things to ask, may
agree to an arrangement which will leave
Eastern Turkestan and the whole region be-
tween the Oxus and the Suleiman neutral
for many years. Russia, it is quite certain,
does not want to fight now, or to run any
risk of compelling Great Britain to put forth
her full strength and make war for the in.
means beyond her power if pushed to des-
perstion, as the government of India Is
well aware. The Cars have an in
fnity of work yet before their do
minion in Asia is consolidated, and may
be willing to do it before they en-
gage in more desperate expeditions; and if
Russia agrees, both empires will be- relieved
of what threatens TO prove very considerable
strain. Ii she refuses, if her Government is
unwilling to give mp her vantage-ground or
forego the power of menacing Lahore when
ever she feels inclined to menace CONSTANT
nople, the British Government will at least
know its position, will be assured that among
the few external dangers to which India is
exposed, an advance of Russians through
Ladakh and Cashmere is not the least. Once
assured of this, we shall know how to pro-
tect ourselves without wasting our resources
upon the defense of points never seriously
menaced. Sir John Lawrence has adopted
this third course, aud his counsel appears
to us at once moderate and deter
Mined and it win, we hope meet
with that attention at the Foreign Office
which his known reluctance either to
inspire or to feel alarm ought to insure. II
is, we admit, most annoying work for that
office to undertake on imperfect data @ most
delicate and difficult negotiation about dis
triCts with which foreign ministers are, for
the most part, uuaoquainted, and positions so
complicated that they may give up all while
they think they are receiving CONCESSIONS
but the alternative is much more unpleasing
even than this. IL is nothing less than the
necessity of constant readiness to receive in
the extreme north Of India an attack which
will be made in order to facilitate some enter
prise in the extreme south OF Europe. The
attack We can defeat, but it would be far bet
ter, if possible, to avoid by negotiation the
expense and worry aud hazard of inceasan.
preparation.