The New York herald., 1869-09-18
ENGLAND.

The RussO.Indian Observation-Disclosures Source
of Weakness for Ensland-The Coast De.
fcnccs Of Englund-Porfsmouth-W
LONDON, August 3O 1862
very remarkable book has just been published
In London. 1t is written by Captain Trench. an on
Ger who has served many years in India, and 1t is
entitled ''Ths Russo. Indian Question. historically
strategically and politically considered" On this
subject much heretofore been written, but 1t has
never attracted that amount Of public attention
which 1t ought to do. But now a. the weakness Of
Engand's position, both ct home and abroad Is get.
ting more and more talked about we orc forced in
spite OF ourselves TO take notice even OF those
matters which, Englishmen like we would wish to
put OF until some moro convenient day. Captain
Trench has done good service IN writing
this book--that is good service, the public
and the government Of this country will only
listen to his warnings. Ne Is no aarmist. He has
not taken up his pen for the purpose OF creating
sensation among those who read his WORK. But he
gives US maps ah statistics, and facts-facts whoh
he has studied on the spot As We all kn0w-as none
know better, or ought TO know better, than you
Americans, who have the sharpest of sharp eyes
for all political movements throughout the world
Russia has for half century been creeping gradu-
ally nearer and nearer to British India. She has
not done this In hurry nor In way TO excite much
notice. She has often had to pause-has sometimes
met with foes that she had difficulty in overcom-
lng-Dut she mas never turned DaCk. FROM Wnere
her Asatc frontier to the east was one year she has
pushed forward small body OF traders, who built,
perhaps, little fort hundred miles or In the vii.
derness. That fort would be attacked by the sur
rounding tribes, and the Russian authorities would
thus have good pretext for sending body OF troops
to the support OF her commercial poaears. In time
tnat port became centre OF Russian influence and
good roads where made from back TO where It's gar
rison came from. few months later II would send
those regions got to like the Russians, who made
great use OF them as soldiers guides and even as
Vaffr trnf ~ mari rnln
were subsidized or else deposed altogether. Russia
had managed to get in the thin end OF the wedge,
and the rest soon followed. And how stands the
| question now Captain Trench declares that the
| present state OF thIpgs cannot last much longer
Russia he says has SO managed matters that within
the next I've or six years o very material change
must take place in the relative positions OF England
and Russia in Central Asia, and Russia Is evidently
preparing for some strateglcal movement which must
| seriously embarrass the Angloindian government
1t may seem out OF the way to introduce the Rus
don for an American newspaper, but o moments
| consideration will convince thinking men that the
W4Ss @ Sssn fR& Msle az
another source OF weakness, pointed out by one Of
Englands own officers. an experienced man, who
| rica and Russia allies. perhaps the most
sincere allies OF any two great nations In the world.
tion that have had for the last six or seven years
namely that sooner or later England and the United
states must go to war. OF what use Is 1t crying
''peace, peace when there IL no pescer And
what is more, English statesmen In their hearts DO.
lieve this. as does the British public although ike
| the debtor who can't pay what he owes, Engshmen
| try to put on to "some more convenient time, "
thinking OF the future. There Is but one way OF
preventing this war and that Ia showing up the
material weakness OF England In men and In de-
fences Once the British public IL awakened to this
fact war may be prevented by timely acknOwledg.
ment OF the great wrong she inflicted upon America
1 during her late civil war. IT, rather when that
war becomes fact Will 1t not be most Important
feature In that Russia, as the ally OF America and
as wishing to establish herself In Central Asia, Will
he able TO divert our attention In the Easts Re-
member that the day has gone by when England
was Omnipotont In Europe and when 1t required but
the consent or Parliament to subsidizs 40, 900 or
10000 Germans and use them az our own troops.
We could n2t get man from tho continent now.
And TO condonse IN as few words a. possible the
plth Of TINS Russo-lndan question, the upshot ol
the whole affair would be thls:-ln the event OF q
war with America we should either have to give up
Ireland or India, for We have not the material means
to defend both.
THE COAST DEFENCEs OF ENGLAND.
| have just returned from a trip TO Portsmouth
which as you know Is our chief naval depot and
arsenal for guns powder, ships. sailors and every
thing required Tor the English navy Hitherto had
been under the Impression that Portsmouth at leas
| was strong place, and that no enemy would nave
| chance Of inJuring 1t from the seabOard. A nava
friend, who accompanied me IN my wandering
over tue place, pointed out the mistake was under
| IL could not only be easy for q bold enemy TO de