New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-28
FNGLAND'S AFGHAN POLICY

The editorial puDllsneu yestIu"S Wy INC H""
dom Times, and in part telegraphed to this coun-
try, in regard to the Afghan question, was
remarkable article. To appreciate
its character it must he remembered
that the difficulties in Aighanistan vert
originally caused. and to this day have been
rendered of vital importance in British
opinion, by the extremely delicate relations
between Great Britain and Russia The
feeling that the possession of Afghanistan had
become absolutely necessary, in order to secure
Great Britain against the steady advance OF
Russia toward India, was the cause OF those
measures which have brought the Government
into its difficulties IN Aighanistan. aud OF the
public opinion which at first sustained 1t III
those measures But The Times now says:
The Afghan question Is beginning 10 press for set
Element II the Government suffers itself To be
guided by the socalled fatality OF circumstances or
It weakly permits its authority TO lie taken out or its
hapk, and TO be used for schemes OF winch
does not approve of condemnation may be
regarded rs then certain. The rest
which the country is calling for is urgently
needed faulty policy, which would be frutiui
in future disturbance and would eDta responsibilities
the country would be most unwilling to assume,
would be grave public misfortune. The punishment
would be certain, and IL could not be now long delayed
hut ischief done would not thus easily be cured
We can noc retire from Afgh1nistGn ch honor and nth
sqJ,ty. BY and by the choice may not be open TO us
A few weeks ago it would hardly have been
believed that public opinion in England would
have demanded or sustained an abandonment
Of the country which Great Britain has already
sacrificed so much in order to control. Per-
haps SO great change III public opinion has
not yet been effected but The Times has long
been distinguished for seeking to represent
often with great SUGGESTIVE changing phases
of British sentiment, and there is much reason to
suppose that its exceedingly blunt announcement
mt this time is an evidence Of real rirening
of opinion adverse 10 the policy OF the Mn
istry. The remarkable speeches OF Mr.. Glad
stone of which the correspondent OF HE
TRIBUNE has gwen such graphic accounts.
with the extraordinary welcome which he ie
cevcd, must have gone tar to arouse English
thinkers and voters rs to the danger of the
course which the Government has pursued.
1t is not too much to say, as The Times does
say in the article previously quoted: "The
Government Is already weighted heavily with
"the unfortunate Zulu war and the budget
Encouragement that has followed 1t. A new
"mlstake in Afghanistan would not improb-
ABLY be more than they could bear up
against"
The mistake, it seems to people at n dis
lance, has been made already. IL was made
when Great Britain, without adequate reason.
forced its authority upon Afghauistan, and
interfered with the Government of that
country, having no other purpose than
to establish its own armies and gar
risons there as sort of outpost against
Russian advance. As consequence the Brit
isl Government finds itself confronted with
war already serious in character and doubtful
in results n war which the experience of
England IN the East must have shown To
thoughtful Englshmcn is likely TO be one of
intense bitterness, because prompted by re-
ligious feeling on the part of Mahomctans
Apparently it would he prudent for England
to retire and yet there are lew Englislnnen
who can now contemplate without great
hesitation and reluctance the thought of
abandoning the country after such severe de
feats "a have been sustained.
1t must be observed, too. that the official
reports which reach English readers constantly
| hold out-and perhaps with much truth--thc
idea that resistance in Afghanistan has been
prompted by Russian influence and Russian
gold. There is nothing intrinsically improb-
able in the statement. Russian diplo-
macy has often IesOrted to similar Methods
and it would be exceedingly natural, if
Russia desired at any time to press
forward toward India, that Russian ennis
saries should prepare the way 10y stirring up
hostility toward Great Britain among the tribes
of Afghanstan. If this is the fact however,
it must be expected that the conflict will be-
come more serious at every step. and that Rus
sian influence, once exerted will be continued,
and Russian support ultimately given in still
moro effective ways