The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-14
The Russian Press ON England's DiiIi-
Guilty.

The Russian Press on England's DiiIi-
Guilty.
How does public opinion in Russia view
the war cloud ON the Afghan frontier? To
what extent has the prospect OF contest
which may occupy the Indian army at home
modified the action OF Russian command
ers In Roumclia? How far. in q word,
should the quarrel with SHERE ALI be re-
gardcd az key to the extraordinary delays
and complications which attend the execu-
ton OF the Berlin treaty? Much light is
thrown upon these questions by tho st.
Petersburg press, and especially by such
scmi-ofllcal newspapers as the GOIos. which
reflect the temper and wishes OF the mill
tary and bureaucratic circles, and OF the
educated classes.
Upon the outbreak Of the trouble the Gotos
contcnted itself with affirming that " Rus
STA would observe in the impending conflict
The same screrc and strict neutrality which
England maintained in the late war" The
italics are those OF the Russian paper, and
the sinister implication Is emphasized by
another statement from Russian source
1t appears that during July and August six
caravans entered Cabul. comprising about
seven hundred camels and attended by large
companies OF men, n great part Of them in
European dress. These caravans were not
commercial but had for their ostensible
object the transport Of letters TO the
Russian mission. II was further re-
marked on their return that four-nfths
OF the original escort were wanting.
In another issue the Golos declares that the
Amcer may count upon the friendly neutral
ity not only OF Russia but certainly OF Per-
STA, and possibly on the cooperation OF GER
tain among the Indian neutrality-suspicious.
princes. IL goes on TO hint Mt the creation Of
q general league among all the Mussulman
States OF Asia, and reminds us OF fact too
often overlooked in England and America,
namely, that the Turkish Sultan holds his
Caliphate by n very questionable title which
genuine descendants uf the Prophet, like
ABD-EL-KADER, would never recognize and
which the whole Arabic race in Syria and
Anatolia have at all times regarded with
disfavor.
The citation nj England's embarrassment
seems to Ice shared by all the influential
journals of ST. Petersburg and Moscow.
The Russian Telegraph boldly avows that
! il is through reliance upon the accession Of
| NllflEll khll'N ny J'llihk iNhNHH hihN WV
Amecr has thrown down the gauntlet TO
England. 1t says the Car will have to pro-
tect him, and that, whatever may happen,
Russia will never permit the incorporation
OF Afghanistan by the English. The latter
may punish the Ameer, but II they attempt
TO do away with him, an Anglo Russian war
Is certain to ensuc. still more significant
than these expressions Is the language Of
| the ST. Petersburg BOTse Gd<ette, because
the latter paper was steadily opposed to the
| Turkish war. II now vchemently insists
upon measures to establish Russian control,
not only over Merry and Balkh, but
actually over the passes Of the lllndoo
Koosh itself We are told that II the
deiles forming the only roads from Russia
10 India were once under Russian control,
then only would Russian and English power
be equally balanced in the East On the other
hand, should these passes, the strategcal
| pivot OF the Asiatic question, become Eng
lish property, there would be no end, the
Gasefe thinks, to English prctensons II
pronounccs Afghanlstan the one point where
the entire might and influence Of England
may be cffectually withstood and paralyzcd
by Russia. IL mplores the Car to make
the Amccr's cause his own, and afllrms that
n small Russian corps would suffice TO force
England 10 stake her Asiatie empire on the
issue Of the struggle. And it adds that for
Russia to defend the Amcer is to vindicate
her own imperial interests, an Office alto
gcther different from the quiNotic defence
of the southern Slay.
Coincdent with these frank uttcrances
regarding the Afghan trouble, may be re-
marked striking change Of tone concern
ing tho situation in Roumelia. There Is as
yet no talk Of repudiating the Berlin com
pact, but there is "A tendency to minimize its
import as far as possible, and to magnify
the unsuperseded parts OF the San Stcfano
treaty. 1t is insisted that the Russian
troops must withdraw no further until the
new separate agreement dhe text Of which
we lately received by telegraph shall be
concluded between the Ottoman and Rus
sian empires.
The GOlos does not pretend 10 deny that
this projected treaty would bring Turkey
into nearer and more binding relations with
Russia than with any OF the other powers
and. what is more decisive, would confer
upon the Car separate right Of enforce
ment unshared by tho rest Of Europe. OF
course IL may be objected that the indie
pendent position thus recovered by Russia
in her dealings with Turkey would com
pletey nullify the results Of tho Berlin Con
gress, and the GOlos cynically owns that The
objection contains a modicum OF truth
1 Elsewhere the same newspaper AYERS tina
Russia, in consequence Of the remodelingi
to be Insured by the special Russo-Turkisi
j. convention. will be finally and permanently