The sun., 1879-01-08

tier which is practically the British limit. TO the
Hindoo Khooeh. Immediately on tho other side
| OF the range lies Balkh. 80 wo may expect
before ne1t year ls out to find the
| Russian and English frontiers actually touch
ing each other at this points but as there
lie only one pass across the range where
tho provinces thus come into contact
and that is over $4,000 feet high. there lie not
much chance OF an invasion from either eide.
This question OF frontiers ia one which is be-
ing very much discussed Just now. and Gen.
Hamley has delivered q military lecture which
attracted large and very influential audience.
| Tho general opinion among military men
| seems 10 bo that the new frontier should extend
from Jelalabad in southwesterly direction
a long n range which lends iteelf some
what conveniently for the purpose. and
that all tho entrances to the passes lead
ing through this range from the west
should be held. but that mono OF tho terri
tory beyond should be annexed. Oabul itself
should be allowed to remain independent but
with an English residents Herat should have
an English resident. and Candahar be left in
| dependent, but with n cantonment OF English
troops In its Immediate nelRhborhood. They
would In fact. form tho advanced post OF tho
British army in India. and be in a position to
seizo Hcrat. which ia universally admitted to be
the key OF India. u any attempt was made by
Russia to advance from the frontier posts upon
that coveted fortress. In fact. the English and
Russian frontier posts would then DO about
equidstant from Herat, and in the event OF a
war It would be race for two hundred miles
who would reach II first.
Turkish matters have beon quietnR down
wonderfully during the last month. The failure
Of the Afghan scheme. combined with troubles
at home. have obliged the Russians completely
-.
new crisis in Macedonia. and on the Greek
frontier. md Prince Labanoff and Dondonkoff-
Khorasoff have suddenly been converted from
overbearnG lro-eatsrs into sucking doves.
Austria. Italy. and Germany are said to have
come forward with proposal for Joint occu-
patton In May. when Russia is bound by treaty
to evacuate Bulgaria and eastern Roumelia.
The proposal is q good one. and that Russia
should DO prepared to listen to il Is a sign Of
weakness which Is encouraging for peace.
Still have no confidence that the treaty Of Ber-
lin will be fulfilled without conflict; or II II is
supericially and temporarily complied with It
will be mere patch up that will never last.
Eastern Roumela will never be satisfied until
II is united with Bulgaria. and this is contrary
to the treaty. The Albanans are determined to
fight rather than give Montenegro the terri
tory which was awarded her by the treaty; and
there is still danger Of Greece and Turkey
quarrelling over their boundary. Moreover. It Ia
Just possible that Russia may seek TO distract
the public mind at home from It's revolutionary
tendency by plunging the country once more
into war. which should enlist the fanaticIsm
OF the nation.
There Is another war going on OF which we
hear hut little. in consequence Of interests
which are more engrossing esewhere but IL
seems likely 10 attain dimensions which may
give 1t n disagreeabe importance. When Eng
land annexed the Transvaal Republic in South
Africa. she assumed with the territory the quar-
rel which had arisen between the Beers and the
Zulu Kafflrs. The former had been seriously
worsted. and one reason why they acquiesced
so quietly in the annexation lay in the hope that
the British troops would soon restore peace
upon their borders So far from this being the
case however. tho war extended from the from
tiers Of tho Transvaal into a region adjoining
tho British colony Of Natal and the small force
at the disposal OF the Government has been
fully occupied in restoring peace in its own i'm
mediate neighborhood. Now that this work is
accomplished. II Is once more turning its atten-
tion 10 tho Zulus. but their King. Cetawayo
finding that he has been left so much alone OF
late has plucked up courage. and shows every
indication Of deiying the British authority. Sir
Bartle Frere has in consequence sent him an
ultimatum. and II the answer is unfavorable,
Lord Chelmsford. who commands the South
African troops. will commence operations.
Cetawayo and his allies can bring about 100 900
woll armed Kalllrs into the field. and they hold
an exceptionally defensible country. Lord
Chelmsford. on the other hand has not over
10000 men Of all arms at his disposal. He Is
far from his base OF operations and the cost OF
getting up munitions and supplies is very
great. He has very long and difficult frontier
TO defend. and the Dutch population. who do
not find that annexation so far has brought
them the security they expected. are by no
means SO favorably disposed as they were. Al
together this is n very disagreeabe little war.
which Is likely to be very expensive. to reflect
but little honor on those engaged in it, and 10
be very barren OF results. even under the most
favorable circumstances.