The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1878-11-07
England's Impending War.


the Amer of Cabul to the British, when
he found that his refusal to receive a
British embassy was likely to lead to
hostlitles. And Just here comes in the
influence OF Russia, and with it all the
complications Of European diplomacy. Ii
is not that England cares so much about
a minister residentin that interior country
of Asia, for of itself it is too insignificant
to be of much account But Afghanistan
occupies a peculiar position in respect to
the great powers of Europe, and with
that position, and the peculiarly delicate
condition of English affairs in the east
may suddenly loom into first rate impor-
lance
Take down the atlas, open at the map
of Asia, and you will find, lying north
west of British India, the country known
to geographerS as Cabool or Afghanistau.
Persia borders it upon the east, IIndoStan
upon the west, and it is bounded north by
Toorkistan. The Atghans have no sea
coasts, the Beloochistan country intorycn-
ing between their country and the Ara
ban sea 1t is a country NJ many pc
culiarities, mountainous throughout, the
peaks in many instances rising above the
line of perpetual snow Between the
mountain ranges are valleys remarkable
for their fertile beauty and productiyeness.
The climate affords the extremes of heat
and cold, the temperature ranging from
10 in the shade in the valleys, to many
degrees below in the winter ot tho noun
tains. The population is made up Of the
tribes of the hill countries Of India, part
" pastoral and partly agricultural h their
habits, but mostly warlike and brave.
The whole population is estimated at siN
millions. The tribes have not been fused
into a compact nationality, but neeefthe-
less have a strong love Of country, and
are liable to unite in vigorously opposing
an invader They are good soldiers, al
though imperiectly armed As compared
with the English and are very stubborn
fighters.
England has always had a belief, re-
corded and acted upon, that tor the safety
of her Indian possessions, she must nave
rhe fret consideration in an the countries
bordering her northwestern frontiers .
that she must be represented in all those
countries by ministers resident, and that
England's influence must predominant
with them over the influence Of any other
nation This She intends to act upon In
the future. Her great rival and opponent
in this policy is Russia whose Asjatic
border has in the last half century crept
1000 miles nearer 10 India and whose
shrewd diplomacy With the intervening
countries has given the English much
trouble and anxiety The hand Of Rus
STA. that has been - little seen but 50
often felt in that region, viii now he
buster than ever.
What will be the issue of the impend-
ing war 1t Will be, as the Alneer SAYS.
lin Gods hands, but we can't help re
calling Napoleon's remark about Proyi-
dence being on the side of the strong ba-
talions. highlands resources are i'm
mense, and her pluck exhaustess. She
takes no insult from any people, and is
ready to give blow for blow, on provoca-
ton. The dead of her battle fields lie in
almost every country Of the globe say
age or civilized, makes no difference to
her, Whoever atfronts the flag of the
red cross, must have weapon ready barred.
The Abyssinian King Theodore believed
that in his almost inaccessible African
fortress he might with impunity imprison
British subjects, and defy the queen to
release them. But he learned his mis-
take when force of l., 600 British troops.
after weary march through the desert,
appeared before his capital, took It by as
sault, and suicide became his only escape
from captivity. The cruel energy with
which England crushed out the Sepoy
rebellion in India, in 1857, is a conspicu-
GUS example of the yigOr which she deals
out to those who interfere with the abSO-
lutte right which she claims to rule in a
her possessions.
But the fortunes of war have not al
ways been with England in her conflicts
with even insignificant powers. Indeed.
she has found the hill tribes of Afghanis-
tan and Caboel, not only very trouble
some neighbors, but, in the strength of
their mountain Businesses, often more
than match for the British regulars
Some forty years ago, the British obtain
ed foothold in the country, by espousing
the quarrel of Shah Sujah, contestant
for the throne. They established him in
nominal possession, but left a feeling of
intense hatred against the invaders. A
few years later, a portion of the tribes
refused the English the right to use an i'm
portant road through the mountains. The
English attempted to force the pass with
a few thousands of men. The mountain
GERS began skirmishing fight, which be-
came very disastrous to the troops. They
were fired upon from the heights, and
slaughtered like sheep. The exled claim
ant to the throne headed revolt at Ca
bul, the capital, butchered the English
commandant, and finally compelled the
most humiliating terms for evacuating
the fortress. Over sixteen thousand Eng
fish troops, with camp followers, women
and children, marched out in the winter
season, to reach the nearest English gar
rison. They were treacherously attack
ed on the way, and slaughtered without
mercy. The roads became heavy with
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