The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-11-07
IEikiGsSla bNDIA.

An able English writer, who is regarded
as an authority on Anglo Russian ques-
lions, has recently given TO the world his
avowed conviction that British influence
must he permanent in Afghanistan in order
to insure the safety Of the British Empire
in Asia. TIE New York Timos quotes the
opinion here referred TO, and commenting
upon it, says:
At firs; sight, such a theory sounds very
much like saying that the welfare of England
depends upon the maintenance oi p-.iect oi.
der IA The Isle ui y Ight But th- negotiations
v an the -ori.I trbe., the mas ing oi troops
81 QueilsiiI, MuoIIan, and Prsiiawur, The pro-
i,-cL,d advance upon Jabul III the spfiIis,
, -.ssin Ia indicI,e that the opinion OF SIR
James : Ieptei.s ls thai oi tLe ia iiIsh Govern,
Inctt likewise, "a. Il that England Is stIii
al her for years pIsI, VIZ an IN .a,iol oi IN
dIa from without, aided by Simultaneous
rebellion from within.
| ,himerjcal As some would pronounce this
idea 1t has undoubtedly many believers
Those who were on the Upper Ganges IN ieco
will remember the excitement prOuuctu
| among the native population OF one oi the
largest towns oy the announcement that the
sound of distant firing, really Occasloneu py
The manwuyres OF IA review, was uue 10
1.-THE Coroo>s tRussians) falling upon the
! Iuyjeez," /" English) Indeed, had Russia been
| near enough IN May, 1857, To give active sup
/ port To Mana SahlD and anita TOPPER, instead
| of being moIe than twice as distant as she Is
now India would certainly have be' n lost
| for the time being. But IL may well DE doubt.
ed whether "A recurrence OF The catastrophe Is
| sufficiently Imminent 10 necessitaie an atso-
lutte conquest OF Afghsnistan and, Ia such
case, the facts may safely DE permitted 10
speak for themselves.
Those whicn bear upon the question OF IN
yasiou sre easily stated hussia by the ex.
ertlon Of her utmost strength, can call 10
arms, at the present moment, an aggregate
force of l,l5i,UO0 men. But from this total,
large deductions must be made Asia alone
reduces IL by more tnan 10000, viz i61ysU
for the Caucasus, 22,5Oi for Western, and ioI.
AIS Tor Eastern Siberia, and 70 80 for Russian
Turkislan. Add 10 this the fnnumerable gar
risons OF European Russia, the large stand
ing armies maintained IN Poland, Finland
and the Baltic Provinces. the l51,tU
| troops still occupying Bulgaria and Roume-
liza, and The reserves which must De heid IN
readiness for a possible renewal OF the late
war-and II viii be seen at a glance that Rus
| sia has few men to spare against BRUSH IN
dia, and absolutely no facilities Tor transdort
ing them thither. 1t may be urged, OF
course, that She will have tne powerful sup
port OF the Afghan allies thrust upon her by
ihe folly of the BeacoLsii.ld C.'5inet But,
granting that she could ptrsuade The "0ilJ-
yes to leave their homes.n masse Tor cru.
sade against India, IL by no mems follows
that such a crusade would DE successful. For
midable they are amid the painless wlIds
of their native mountains, the haidy mil
men" would melt like snow on the suItry
plains of the south, where nine men are Was
u q by sickness Ior one who dies msn!uily IN
/ fair fight. Moreover, II may well be doubted
whether even Russian diplomacy could long
hold o.ether tins incongruous mass oil
thousand jarring atoms, which the linihlh'
eut peril OF sal barely sufficed TO unite uu-
ite during the lew weeks that tne actuai
| struggle lasted.