The Van Buren press., 1878-12-17
Russia's Opportunity.

] II Russia has any serious intention o
setting aside the more important provls
ions OF the treaty Of Berlin, now is th'
time to move in that direction. Eng
land is involved in war, which, though
quite insignificant, if free from outside
Interference, may, by such interference
be made difficult aad dangerous bust
ness. Left entirely to his own resourc
es, Shere Ali must speedily be whipped
into unconditional submission, or driver
out of his kingdom. With RUSSIA as hi
ally he can, we thi k, not only resis
successfully British invasion, but stir "
sufficient trouble in India to iurnlsl
British troops abundant employment al
home. Gen. Kaufman, the Russian com
mander in Turkistan, has between thir'y
and forty thousand veterans, who are
literally. hungering for fight, and whc
are Capable Of meeting the Anglo-lndlao
army on equal terms. Let these be
thrown into Afghanistan, and England
will at once have her hands full ; and
while thus occupied in Asia, her interests
in Europe must be more or less exposed
to the assaults OF an active and vigllant
enemy In other words, while an oilen-
sive and defensive alliance with Shere
Ali would not require any great efforts
or sacrifices on the part OF Russia, that
alliance would neces5itate the greatest
efforts and sacrifices on the part OF Eng
land. Russia's power in Asia may be
said to rest on Il tleap OF sand Englands
power in Asia rests on powder maya
zine. The oneis liable only to tempo
rary change. The other is liable to be
blown to atoms.
Ii, then, Russia contemplates settling
the Turkish question on the basis pre-
pared at San Steano, and not on the ba
SIS prepared at Berlin, abe can have no
more favorable opportunity than the
present. If she does not improve it, Ell
thcr her hereditary policy in regard to
Turkey must have been abandoned in
obedience to English dictation, or the
st. Petersburg cabinet has lost all its
craftsmanship. 1t hardly seems posi-
bic that this opportunity will not be i'm
proved, when we remember that it has
been brought about mainly through
Russian diplomacy and intrigue. For
the last five or six years at least, Rus
sian agents have been busy at Cabul and
it is well-llnown fact that they succeed
ed in breaking off the trieudl y relations
previous y existing between the Afghan
monarch and the British government.
There is no reasonable doubt that the
failure OF the mission OF Col. Sir Lewis
Dnllyy and l4a i,nlu,r Of Ion sir n "A
vile Chamberai., is du to Russian in
hueoees. And there is just as little
doubt that Shere Ali assumed the def
ant position which has brought on the
war, in the full expectation Of Russian
assistance, il not with "a distinct pledge
to that effect. The son OF Dost Mo-
manned is no fool. He knows England
strength aHd bis own weakness. He
knows that though he may proong the
struggle it is sure to end eventually IN
his overwhelming defeat, and the loss Of
the whole, or the most valuable part Of
his dominions--if he is compelled to
fight alone. lie would not have provo
ked war if he had not received assuran-
ces OF Russian support in some shape.
Now, 1t only remains to be seen whether
these assurances were genuine or false ;
whether RUSSIA, after getti g her friend
III Ee'SEe he 8aataay he a" can" to let hP Sf
will join battle, to day, for supremacy in
Asia, or postpone the inevitable contest
to a more convenient season--which may
never conc. Two things are Ger
tain: Without Russian aid, Afghanistan
will be conquered and absorbed into the
British empire; and with Alghanistan
conquered and absorbed. England is the
mistress Of Asia, forever, ana II perpetu
al check upon Russia in Europe.
Louis Republican.