New-York tribune., 1878-10-26
he played out. In the trade collapse following the
Exhibition an Illegal one may be resOrted to.
THE AFGHAN POLICY.

OFFICIAL INFORMATION LACKING AT THE INDIA
OFFICE REGARDING THE AFGHAN AFFAIR-LoRD
LAURENCE's LETTER AFFECTING PUBLIC OPIN-
ION.
lFRoW LHE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
LoNON Oct. PA curious proof Of the ex-
clusively " Imperial character of the Beacons-
heid-Lytton Afghan policy has come 10 my knowl-
edge. An Engshman, eminent for his knowledge
Of the East. went tins week to the India Office IN
order to get the fullest official accounts of the ne
gotiatious between the Vioeroy and Shere Ali. and
Of the communications that had passed between
the English and Indian Governments. India is sup
posed 10 be governed by an English Secretary OF
state and a council of fifteen members, who con-
duct the general business and pecially
al the correspondence between the cen
t,aI authority at home and the VicerOy,
who is its Indian agent. Judge of this
inouirer's surprise when he was told by member
OF the council that they knew absolutely nosbing
of the Afghan business beyond what could he
learned from the newspapers. Not single dispatch,
not "a letter, not paper of any kind relating To this
Uomeutous question had passed through The India
Office Once more you see Lord Beaconsfeld gath
exing into his own hands the secret sources Of
power, and monOpoIizing in pursuit Of s per-
FOnal policy the functions which belong 10
great departments of State. If anything could
make this personal autocracy more impress
sive. 1t would be the way IL which Lord
Lyttou began his reign in India. He went there
absolutely ignorant so far a. the world knows, of
the couptry he was appointed to rule. He was alb
solutelv without experience in administration of
any kind. He was writer of dispatches and
verses. Bat before he had been three months IN
Calcutta ne had reversed the frontier policy which
his most able and experienced predecessors had fol-
lowed. and embarked upon line of conduct with
reference 20 the countries beyond English jurisdic-
ton which the soundest judgments looked upon az
pregnant with disaster. Hence this AfghanstAn
difficulty kept simmerng till the moment had arrived
when It suited Lord Beaconsfeid that the pot
should boil over.
The "Jiugo7 view of the situation is more
&" Jingoish than ever. asked a most respecta-
bic and intelligent Conservative how he liked the
development of his chiefs policy " II is the same
policy as ever ne answered g. last Spring we
offered to night Russia in Europe and She backed
down. Now we are offering to fight her in Asia
With such q feeling as this abroad in the country,
IL ~ no wonder that the Liberals have been eau
tious about tOpposing openly what their best men
think depiorable policy. They admit, moreover,
that the Prime Minister, taught hy his Bulgarian
experience. carried ms mine completely under
ground till the instant Of explosion. No
countermino was possible. single strong speech
from Hr. Gladstone might have reused once more
the pa sslous of his opponents; just now they are
comparatively quiet; extravagaut a. they are IA
opinion the eagcrDos- for war Is less than 1t was
and the mistake of the Liberals if mistake there
has been is in the opposite direction. Their Lead
ng Journal has joined, perhaps little recklessy ia
the war-ery. The men who have spoken out
against Lord Lyttous mad performances are men
ia no way connected with the fOrEer Glad
stone agitation. said a Radical. the other day:
"If Lord Laurcnae's letter had been signed
~. f. Gladstone tho effect of it would have been
mschevous If | had written if, it would have
been mischieyoGs. But coming from the one man
whose name English people know IN connection
with India, and whose authority they respect, II
has worked wonders And there is absolutely moth
ing to set against ii. Nobody who knows India
the military caste excepted-disagrces with Lord
Lawrences As tor Lord Cranbro0k, he is Secretary
Of state for India, no doubt but he never made "a
speech ON India during bis Parhamc ntary life, and
he was put INTO the India Office solely because In
rearrsuginC the Cabinet, it was convenient to put
him there. OF India he knows nothing G. W. s.