Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-31
KEY TO Russ1A,s POLICY.
The Scheme of Persian AOgrnndis, naent
Gradually Becoa.inO Clear Utter Disin-
te0rntton Of 1tyhauistnn Certain.

Gradually BecOn.i,aD Clear Utter Disis.-
te0ratton Of Atghamistnn Certain.
iLondon World.
The most significant piece of intelligence
which has lately reached England, taken in
connection with the Afghan difficulty, has
passed almost unnoticed by the daily papers
which assume to instruct the public on East
ern affairs generally. Considering the con-
fused atterances of those oracles on the sub
interest, it is, perhaps, not to be wondered
at that 1umor of disturbance in Seistan
conveyed Eo very definite meaning to the
average journalistic mind. At the same
time, coiuciding as the event does with the
refusal of Shere Ali to receive our mission,
it is one of the highest Importance, and may
sia relies practically to defeat the treaty
of Berlin. It should never be for
gotten that the European and Asia
tic questions became indissolubly con
necteu when we brought Indian troops into
the Mediterranean; and that the treaty OF
Berlin contains 80 many provisions which it
is huma.ly impossible can ever be fulfilled,
taat Russia has only to keep England alb
sorbed in Asia to do what she likes in
Europe. Is there any European power but
England which would go to var with Rus
STA to compel her to comply with the engage
ments she has entered into in regard to Tur-
key? Russia's object in Central Asia is not
to go to war with England, but to disintegrate
Afghanistan, and, by furnishing munitions
of war and volunteer officers and men to the
enemies of Shere Ali. to destroy the Afghan
powers and substitute for it her own pup
pets while advancing her frontier from the
Oxus and Tashkend. The instruments
whom she intends to use for this purpose
are the Shah of Persia and Abdurahman
Khan. a near relation and bitter enemy of
the Amer. In urging Sheer Ali to refuse
t. e British mission she is urging him to his
own destruction.
Whatever else may happen in Afghanistan,
one thing is certain, the present Ameer's
fate is sealed. The disturbances in Seistan
mean revival of the old frontier dispute
between Persia and Afghanistan, which an
English nilsson went to settle few years
ago, but, as is usual in arbitration matters,
neither party was satisfied. In other words,
Persia is urged by Russia to take advantage
of the Ameer's difficulty with England to
attack him covertly on his western frontier.
The acquisition by Persia Of Seisten means
the annexation of Afghan tan. Simutane
ously with this move on the part of Persia,
Russia will advance on Merv, which brings
her frontier almost to the gates Of Herat.
At the same time she will probably install
Abdurrahman Khan, now an exile in Sa,nara-
cand, as ruler of Balkh, the northeastern
province of Afghanistan, where he is very
popular, thus virtually approaching her from
tier Peshawar. In the meantime it is to
be supposed that British troops will have
occupied Candahar and Girishk, as those
positions flank any advance from Persia, aud
may possibly lind it necessary to declare
war against Persia, in which case an expe-
dition to the Persian Gulf will be necessary.
Russia calculates, and with reason, that,
by melting Abdurrahman to advance from
the north to Cabul, where he has many
partisans, he will produce revolution in
Afgbanistan, which the Ameer, attacked on
all sides. will be in no position. to put down.
1t will then be too late for him to accede to
the British demands, for he will be power
less tc execute them, and England will find
herself engaged with Persia on the west and
the forces of the new pretender to the
Afghan throne on the north, both strongly
backed by Russia. The present who,
Russia made to Persia, after the late war, OF
the fortress of Khotour, with an adjacent
slip of territory; the marked manner III
which the Shah avoided visiting
England on the occasion oil
his last trip to Europe and journey to St
Petersburg-taken in connection with the
opportune disturbance in Seistan-indicate
clearly the relations which subsist between
the Gear and the Shah. Meantime Russia
has pushed forward to Kizl-Awat, q point
beyond her legitimate frontier, in order the
better to support the movements above indi
Gated; and the British government has a
rig It to demand an explanation of this ad
vance, and to require her to withdraw from
so menaclny position. Whether ultimate
ly we shall be compelled to force Russia into
taking an openly hostile attitude, or may
prefer meeting her with her own weapons
and rouse the Central Asian Khanates
against her, furnishing thsm with trained
Mahometan volunteer soldiers from our In
dian armies, and with the military assistance
and munitions of war necessary to enable
chem to revolt successfully against the Rus
sian occupying force. is a question which
the course of events can alone decide.