New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-10-07
HOW ENGLAND is DRIFTING INTO WAR.

A QUARREL WITH THE ANKER-sTROSG SIGNS
THAT HE AFTRoNT TO THE MIsIoS WAS DE-
SIRED.
fFRos THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rrIBuNEI
LONDON, Sept. 25.-The eminent statesman who
not many years ago was content with educating bis
party has undertaken u larger task. He IS now
educating the whole English people. They have
been accused of a want Of accurate knowledge oil
geography even of the geography OF their own
possessions Lord Beaconshed is 5eandalized that
such a reproaeh should be brought against nation
which he governs. and has chosen simple ana
eompendious method of teaching his subjects the
coniguration and political distribution OF the
earth's surface. The true Asian mystery is topo-
graphical mystery; and Lord Beaoonsheld IS de-
termined that IL shall be mystery no longer his
first Lesson comprises Iudia and Afghanstan. 1t is
not more than three days since 1t was SET but tnere
are already men who can tell you what Is the capl-
tai of the Ameer's domnons. lt is probable that
before many weeks past the average Briton Will
be able 10 discourse auenty Of Kelat and kanda-
har and will know as much of the Khyber Pass IA
he lately did OF the Shipka. i reject as the ma
hgnant fiction of INSCRIPTIONS opponents the ru-
NOR that Lord Beaconsfed is Sleeping partner In
the map-making establishments of Messrs. Stanford
or Wylde.
This is, admit theory; but theory OF some
sort is necessary account for the recent acts OF
the Indian Government with respect to Afghanistan,
and no common theory will do. Nor will any com
mon theory ever explain the motives or acts OF the
present Prime Minister of Great Britain, to whom.
and not to the clever poet whom he chose TO make
Viceroy of India, whatever has been done i'll India
must be attributed. What has been done may be
briefly il not elegantly summed up in familiar
phrase The Yiceroy of India has been picking
quarrel with the ruler of AfghanistaD Afghanistan
is an independent State-just as independent as
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. with the northwestern
provinces of the vast Asian peninsula which OWNS
the sway of England. To the capital of this State,
the most jealous in the world OF foreigners, the
Russians have sent some sort OF an embassy, ana
this embassy has met with civil reception. Ihe
English, in their turn jealous. aud not only
jealous but msdly suspicious of Russia, thereupon
conceived a desire that English embassy shonld
also visit Cabul. have nothing TO say against the
reasonableness of such desire More than that, If
shared the views pow uppermost respecting the
safety of English rule in India, should agree that
IL was not only desirable but absolutely necessary
to countermne Russia at CaDul-that il q Musco-
yite mission had one ear of Shere Ali, an English
mission ought to make itself heard at once through
the other. The theory which describe as upper
most for the moment assumes that Russia 10 steadily
pushing her way in Central Asia. ir order to reach
position whence she may conveniently menace, and
In due time attack, Euglanu III IL dSSuuico
that Russia has suddenly established some kind of
an understanding with the Ameer Of Aghanlstan,
and that the. security Of India Is imperiled
by this understanding. 1t assumes further. that
the Ameer, who has hitherto shown ferocous dis
like of all other powers, has all in a moment been
induced to become the ally and the instrument OF
Russian craft and Russian aggression. No doubt
that with the help of all these assumptions, incapa-
be as they are of proof it may be argued plausiby
1trof
do something to retrieve her position. So, at any
rate. the question might hsFe arisen what she
should do.
That she should send Sir Neville Chamberlain to
Cabul. II the Ameer chose to receive him, would be
natural enough But how did she set about i'll
Lord Lytton's euIogists affrmethat ne wrote two
letters to Shere ALI soliciting permission to dis
hatch an envoy to hig court: aud that neither OF
these letters was answered. But the mission was or
ganized without waiting for IN answer. A
small army was got together to escort IT,
and sundry Indian princes were attached To H. APP
parently to the end that there might be native as
we'll an English testimony 10 the feats IT was 10 per
FORM and that English prestige in native courts and
baEaars, impaired by the appearance OF Russia on
the scene. might be restored and strengthened.
Ambassador array, princes and all were sent Tor
ward 10 the very edge of India while Lord Lytton
VIVA still waiting for his two letters tn be answered
The force has been described-in words borrowed,
but apt-as too large for q mission, and 700 small
for an army. Tho Ameer may be excused II he
Thought its numbers looked moro like those OF
military enterprise than OF diplomatic experiments
H. at any rate Its purpose were sincerely pachc, u
a difficult TO see why it should have been
nut in motion before ii was known whether
il wonld be allowed to enter Afshanistan
or not. I do not mean to suggest that
Plain
had the remotest notion of attempting the conquest
of Afshanistan with his 1000 men or of forcing
his WAY through any military obstruction. That
would DO utterly absurd. But do mean that tho
advance from Peshawur while the Khyb Der Pass was
known to DO occupied, and the hull tribes known or
snsnected 10 be acting in Shere Ais interest, aud
"a his allies il not under his orders, was ehher
niece of nc0nceivable recklessness or direct an
vitation to just such rebuff as SIR Neville ex-
perienced. Recklessness 1t was not for slr Neville
AN old campaigner-could have satisfied himself
by private means just what reception awaited him
at the Pass. Opposition expected, or at least
dreaded. The silence Of the Ameer gave full warn
ine Why did Sir Neville send no scout to discover
the state of thingsi How could he be Ignorant Mt a
days march that the heights beneath which no had
In pass were crowned with hostile troops. and that
agents IL Shere Ali were with themf Was he
iguoranti And If not why did be aneyerthcless
novel
There may be another and more creditable ex-
panation but till 1t is made public the facts point
to one plain purpose the part of Lord Lytton and
his master. They invited the rebuff they have re-
ceived. They wanted-if may borrow phrase
which our Southern friends in the days OF the Re
bellion were fond of-they wanted 10 fire the Eng
lish heart Lord BeacOnsfeld knows we'll how TO
appeal TO the little imagination which he thinks the
English possess, and how TO set English passions
aaame. The fact that Shere Ali was not good cor