Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-30
LONDON AND ST. PETERSBURG

Thursday was the warlike day for Europe,
as will have been observed from the dis
patches OF yesterday morning. The day be-
fore all was peace and quietness. England
and Russia were apparently on the most
cordial terms, the latter seeming to regard
the Anglo Indian invasion of Afghanistan as
OF no special account certainly as of no
interest to her. But on Thursday change
came DER the spirit of her dream. The
authorities at st. Petersburg were in re-
ceipt Of diplomatic note from London
asking them to rise and explain what Gen.
Kaufman meant by his few remarks to the
envoy of the Ameer when presenting him
with sword some time ago. AT once it
was given out that Russia has announced her
intention of supporting the Ameer in the
event of England occupying any point in
Afghanistan from which Russian dominion
in Asia might be efectually threatened.
The announcement is based upon the asser-
ton that England has violated the alleged
Afghan agreement of Lord Clarendon by the
occupation of Quettah. The dispatch adds
that the intention of Russia to interfere in
Afghanistan is apparently confirmed by the
Moscow Gazette declaring Intervention inlis-
pensable now that the occupation of
Quettah has been succeeded by expeditions
in the direction of Candahar and Herat
Then Gen. Kaufman, who is an authority
III Russia on all matters in Turkestan and
Afghanistan. apparently with view to get
ting even with Lord Salisbury for complain
ing at his speech, has handed to his govern
ment memorandum pointing out how dan
gerous to the security of the southern from
tiers of Turkestan it would be if Khyber
Passes were permanently occupied by British
troops. Gen. Kaufman regards as ground
less British approximations of Russians
threatening the northern frontier of India
from central Asia. This frontier is quite
imprcgnable, while the British occupation of
southern Afghanistan would be standing
menace to Russian Turkestan. Thus the
matter bstween the two governments stood
up to an early hour yesterday morning. 1t
is very evident always providing that the
cable dispatches are reiiable-that a diplo-
matte campaign is about to be inaugurated
between London and st. Petersburg which
may result in the rupture of the present
friendly (O relations between the two gov
ernments.
But alas these doubtful things are mighty
uncertain. Experience has taught us that a
war, which, to the agent of the Associated
Press across the pond seems to-day newt
able, may tomorrow have passed away like
a summer cloud, and the threatening
nations may be on terms of the
most cordial amity-may be billing and COO
ing like pair of sucking doves. The cor
respondents of the press fight and decide
more bloody battles in the course of a week
than the nations contest in century. It
may be thus in this instance. The difficulty
between the two nations may be all on paper,
and result as bloodlessly as many of such
difficulties have done before. We have no
doubt whatever but England and Russia
would like to indulge in an oldfashioned
hair-pulling, but, if we may use a newsboy's
vulgarism, ''one's afraid and the other
dassent." Each is afraid of the others
prowess, and they will, in all probability,
fight score Of diplomatic battles before they
summon up courage enough to engage in one
with all the concomitants of cannon and
shell, musketry and sword. Before glowing
anxious on the subject we will await the
orders for the marching of troops, the cable
to the contrary Notwithstanding.