Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-13
RUSSIA PUSHING TOWARD INDIA.
Ter Ans,cer to the Occupation of cypr

Correspondence New York Herald.
The news which has Just reached US from
Russia and Central Asia may, perhaps, help to
some extent in putting the right construction
on those important facts. It is said-and, in
deed, there is no reason to doubt-that the ar
swer of the Russian government to the occupa
ton OF Cyprus has been an immediate order to
Cen. Kaufman, in central Asia, to proceed for
ward in execution of the plan of campaign pre-
pared for him in April last. The said plan is
described as follows: l. The main body con-
centrated at Samarkand to march on Dion,
Russian fortified post on the frontier of Box
hara, and then advance according to further in
structions. 2. The left wing, starting from
Marguellan, in the recently annexed district of
Terhana, to cross the Alsi-Dagh chain, traverse
the KILL Sou valley to the Amu-Darya basin.
and to follow that stream. 3. The right wing,
starting from observation-disclosures, to ascend the
river to Tonardjoni, whence direct road leads
to Bokhara. The movement, it is impossible
not to perceive, aims clearly at Bokhara which
will be perhaps at the moment when
this letter reaches you, in the hands of the
Russian army, and, Bokhara once
taken. it would be exceedingly sur
prising that Gen. Kaufman should not push
his advance up to Nerve and Balkh. Both
towns, it should be noticed, are in Afghan ter
ritory at the foot of the Hindoo Koosh, and,
rect to Cabul within ten to fifteen marches.
Those passes are practicable by artillery in the
winter and autumn months, and consequently
Russian army in possession of these cities
might be said literally to be at the gate of Brit
ish India.
ment entertains at the present moment any
idea of attacking the British empire in Asia.
STILL in connection with the great central
Aslatic railway scheme Balkh is SO important.
or rather SO vital a position, that its occupa-
ton, to the mind of more than competent
critic. ought absolutely to he considered by
England casls bell. Nerve, on the other
hand, is situated in district conspicuous for
its fertility, and which has been rightly called
the garden of Afghanistan. Its value for the
maintenance of corps of soldiers at little cost,
and for the resources it might supply to a
whole army, is almost inestimable in that part
of the globe. Finally, on the day it falls into
Russian hands, whatever prestige may still be
retained by England in Afghanistan would be-
come thing of the past and Russian influence
be substituted for it. Another power-namely
! Persia-would have at least much interest as
England in not allowing Nerve to fall to the
| lot of Russia; but th,2e is always the bride of
Herat which the czar may offer to the
shah, and the latter's recent journey
to ST. Petersburg, the fact that he has visited
Paris without crossing the channel and coming
over to London, the circumstance of the terri
! tory of kotour having been reserved for him IN
the partition of Turkey and the representative
of Persia having been admitted on that occa-
sion to the Berlin congress on the request OF
| Prince Gortschakoff, all those circumstances
and several Others put together point to the
conclusion of perfect understanding between
Russia and Persia. There is consequently
every reason to believe that the shah would not
oppose the occupation OF Nerve by Cen kauf'
man, and the consequences OF his stealing such
a march on the British power in Asia would bt
incalculable. This is precisely why many peo
pie are inclined to think that he will do so.
1t is pretty clear that if such was the case
and if Russia succeeded fully in her presen
undertaking, her situation in respect of British
India would be widely different within few
years of what it is just now At present thu
sending up of small expeditionary force t.
the Amu-Darya, such as that under commant
of Gen. Kaufman. and which numbers at tn
utmost a score of battalions, with a few Cos
sacks and batteries of guns, is alone possible
Any immediate raid against British India
consequently out of the question, and bot
, powers are still divided by immense distances
by the scarcity of food. by the hostility an
perfidy of savage tribes, not to spea
of the most magnificent natural barrier
the world. But given sufficient grasp take
: by Russia on the borders of Afghanistan; give
the possession by her of such splendid etapes {
Bokhara, Nerve and Balkh in front of Koka,
Samarkand, Khiva and Tashkent; given raj
way line toward these advanced posts, if III
Z actually completed in its most difficult part
. at least carried on in some measure toward tt
south, and thus lessened the distance-it mu
be admitted that the nightmare of Gre;
Britain might well become. one day or anothe
:. painful reality. The dissatisfaction of Il
}. natives Of India, as exemplified by the tone
the vernacular press during the last crisis, is
factor of which it would be sheer madness n
to take notice; and the native troops. it shou
l L. rs
N the composition of the army of 100000 whi'
sr is encamped in India. That any reliance mig
be put on the Indian soldiers in case OF
: direct attack on their soil is hardly credib
. that the British empire could resist a forei
aggression, combined with an internal reb
/ Enr, isr Of auar inalo