The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-11-24
THE RUSSIAN PRESS ON ENGLAND'S
DIFFICULTY.

How does public opinion in Russia view
the war cloud on the Afghan frontierf To
what extent has the prospect of O contest
which may occupy the Indian army at home
modified the action of Russian command =
ers in Rpumeiia2 How far, in a word
should the quarrel with Shere Ali be TO
garded as key to the extraordinary delays
and complications which attend the execu-
tion of the Berlin treaty Much light is
thrown upon these questions by the ST.
Petersburg press, and especially by such
semi ofhcial newspapers asthe GolOs which
re fleet the temper and wishes of the mill
tary and bureaucratic circles, and of the
educated classes.
Upon the outbreak of the trouble the
Gotos contented itself with affirming that
"Russia would observe in the impending
conflict the same seUere and strict neutrality
which England m ain tai ned in the late war;"
The italics are those of the Russian paper,
and the sinister Implication is emphasized
by another statement from q Russian source.
1t appears that during July and August six
caravans entered Cabul, comprising about
seven hundred camels and attended by
large companies of men, great part of
them in European dress. These caravans
were not commercial, bnt had for their os-
tepsible object the transport of letters to
the Russian mission. II was further re
marked on their return that four -fifths of
the original escort were wanting. In an
Ameer may couDt upon the friendly pen
traiity not only of Russia bat certainly of
Persia, and possibly on the cooperation of
certain among the Indian semi-independent
princes. 1t goes on to- hint at the creation
Of general league among all the Mussul
man States of Asia, and reminds US OF fact
too often overlooked in England and
America, namely, that the Turkish Sultan
holds his Caliphate by very questionable
title which genuine descendants of the
Prophet, like ADD ell Kader, would never
recognize, and witch the whole Arabic
race in Syria and Anatolia have at all times
regarded with dsfavor.
The elation at Eogland's embarrsssme
seems to be shared by all the influential
journals of St. Petersburg and Moscow.
The Russian Telegraph boldly avows that
it is through reliance upon the accession of
Ameer has thrown down the gauntlet to
England. 1t say 8 the Gear will have to pro-
tect him, and that, whatever may happen,
Russia will never permit the Incorporation |
of Afghanistan by the Eoglish. The latter
may punish the Ameer, but if they attempt |
to do away with him, an Auglo-Russian war
10 certain to ensue. Still more significant |
than these expressions is the language of
the st. Petersburg BourSe Gd<ette, becauee
the latter paper was steadily opposed to the
Turkish war. 1t now vehemently ineists
upon measures to establish Russian control,
not only over Merv and B ilkh, but actually
over the pasees Of the Hindoo Koosh itself.
W Q are told that if the def!ea forming the
only roads from Russia to India we're once
under Russian control, then only would
Russian and English power be equally
balanced In tie East. On the other hand,
should these pasers, the strategical pivot
of the Asi'tc question, become English
property, there would be no end, the |
Gazette thinks, to English pretensions. 1t
FTlo ~
where the entire might and influence of
Eugland may be eff~ctually withstood and
paraly zed by Russia. 1t implores the Gear
to make the AmeeT's cause his own, and |
aftirms that small Russian corps would |
sH flee to force England to stake her Asiatic |
empire on the iesue Of the struggle. Aud it |
adds that-feF Rsssia- defend the Ameer |
is to vindicate her own imperial interests, |
an office altogether different from the |
quixotic defence of the so1thern S'av.
Coincident with these frank utterauces
regarding the Afghan trouble, may be re
marked u striking change of tone concern
ing the situation IN Roumella. There ia as
yet no talk of repudiating the Berlin com
pact. but there is a tendency to minimize
it's import as far as possible, and to magnify
the unsuperseded parts of the San Stefano
treaty. 1t is insi-ted that the Russian
troops must Withdraw no further until the
new separate agreement (tbe text of which
We lately received by telegraph shall be
concluded between tho Ottoman and Rus
sian empires.
The Golos does not pretend to deny that
this projected treaty would bring Turkey
into nearer and more binding relations with
Russia than with any of the other powers,
and, what ie more decisive, would confer
npon the Gear a separate right of enforce
ment unshared by the rest of Europe. or
course it may be objected that the inde
pendent position thus recovered by Russia
in her deslings with Turkey would COM
pletely nuliify the results of the Berlin Con-
gress, and the GoloS cynicslly owns that
the objection contains q modicum of truth.
Elsewhere the same newspaper AYERS that
Russia, in consequence of the remodellings
to be insured by the special Russo Turkish
convention, will be finally and permanent
ly freed from the fetters checking her
action since the Paris treaty of 1856.
These are samples of the views pro-
pounded in the most inf luential newspapers
of the Russian capital. They go far to
explain the insolent attitude of the Afghan
prince, and they help US to understand the
Glow and mysterious movements of Rus