Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-02-10
ENGLAND AND RUSSIA.

ASIA, ana Wnat is called Interior Gen.
trail Asia. She has been drawing near
er and nearer toward British India
Over and over again the alarm of Rus
sian aggression has been sounded in
England and India In the latter coun-
try, people generally have laughed at it.
In England itself it has sometimes CIV
en- rise to mild outbreak of Russo
phobia. ?" Some of the Viceroys of India
have been too busy to pay any attention
to the subject. Lord Dalhouisie had his
hands full in annexing territory, and
Lord Canning in quelling the mutiny to
which these annexations gave rise. Lord
Elgin did not live long enough in India
to come into actual contact with the
''Russian question: Lord Lawrence al
ways believed that Russia might safely
be left to pursue her designs unmolested,
until she clearly manifests her desire to
encroach upon British India, when 1t
would be time enough to interfere. Lord
Mayo died at an early period of his rule,
and Lord Northbrook has only just en-
tered upon his duties. Of all these
Viceroys, Lord Lawrence mas been the
only one who Thoroughly understood the
question, and his view has always ap-
peared to us the view which is most
strongly supported by facts and common
| sense.
Russia may have come to the conclu-
sion that this is as good time as any
for pressing her conquests in Central
Asia to something like completion. The
character of the Gladstone Government
would fully justify her in any opinion
which she formed relative to the decay
of British spirit. But the temper and
feeling of nation cannot always be ac-
curately inferred from the character of
its Government. The Emperor Nichol-
as thought that the Aberdeen Ministry
truly represented English opinion, and
that England would never fight again.
To his cost, he found himself mistaken
If his son judges of the English people
from the nerveless ascetic who is now at
the head of their Government, it is quite
possible he may be led into similar dis
asters. Mr.. Gladstone would naturally
lead foreign Power to suppose that
Great Britain would submit to any in
dignity. But the Gar must have some
shrewd adviser around about him, and
they will probably inform him that Eng
land will not allow him to tamper with
her Indian Empire. Telegram mongers
may try to get up a sensation over this
''crisis," but in reality there is no cri-
sis at all. If Russia wants to be utter
ly destroyed in Central Asia, she has
only to provoke England to destroy her.
All talk of Russian invasion of India
is moonshine. She would be fighting
thousands of miles from her base, and
her troops would have to be transported
over chains of mountains. vast steppes.
through all but impossible valleys, and
in the teeth of hostile tribes. Even the
Khanates which she has conquered could
easily be strengthened so that they might
at once gain their independence and hui
initiate their foe. TO attempt the APP
proach to India through the passes o.
Afghanistan would be mailman dream
A British army once went that road, il
the other direction, and there was NJ
temptation to repeat the experiment.
If, indeed, Russia could acquire Per
STA, and thus gain possession of Herat
her task might be easier. But this i
T., exactly what the English would neve
let her do, and the English are master
: of the situation. People might as vel
talk of the Russians taking London
,, and it is just as possible, and not on
4 whit more so, that they can conquer Per
" STA. If England is to be destroyed, sh
y may as we'll be destroyed on her owl
soil as murdered eight hundred mile
g away. 1t may be all true, as the FEM
u ans say, that cher hour has GOMEZ tina
= ''she is broken Power" &c.,-but W
- may be pretty sure that she will hav
- one last fight for it before she goes un
= der finally, and that it will be a hard
" tough, and long fight. She has ofte
10 been destroyed according to her enc
s mics but somehow she has still got he
lead above water, and is pretty muc
about the same as ever, except that sh
y seems to be afflicted just now with
. crotchetty frantic for Prime Minister
- But the people have not been change
- by magic into towards. As we tough
- for the Union, so would they fight fc
the integrity of their Empire-fght,
: need be. until there were not men enoug
:, left in England to form a single reg
= ment. If Palmerston were living,
u would probably take this opportunity
drawing red line upon the map of Cel
trail Asia, and telling the Gar plainl
:, that beyond that he must not move.-
= The Gar would obey, because he coul
y not help himself. What Mr. Gladstor
may do is an affair of a very diferel
kind. If there is weak thing to
:, done, he may be safely counted ON to {
W # R,t In 600 tLa .aoo,,lo 4