New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.


s,nnortaut contribution to a complete understand
ing of the present quarrel between England and
Russia that has yet appeared. It's author, MI
Charles Marvin IS probably the best authority living
OIL the whole subject His youth was passed III RUSSIA
with the people. language and literature of which
county he thoroughly familiar. For years ne mas
made special study of the Central Asian question:
and has written several works upon 1t marked oy
fulness of information and an importantly seldom
found in such discussions. He was warm iriehd
of General skobelef, and is personally acquainted
with all the Russian officers, dplomatists ana
engineers who have been engaged in Central Asian
enterprises, while he is equally welintormed as TO
tie views Of the most distinguished Anglo-lndian
officials and commanders. His Russian proposes
sions aud friendships have preserved him from
Russophobia He has always endeavored TO DO
Justice TO the Muscovite policy AT the time OF the
Akhal annexation, for example, when all England
was denouncing Russia, Mr.. Marvin publicly
defended and justified her course in opposition
to the press and pubic opinion. His services TO the
cause of nternht amty have been freely
acknow lodged In high Russian quarters, and there
fore what he says is the moro entitled 10
consideration Mr. Marvin, moreover, has had
access to the Russian official records as well as to the
English, and he knows more of both sides than
probably any other writer of the time.
h In the present work he gives q clear account
of the operations by which the Russians advanced
from Geok-Tepe to Merv, from Merv to sarakhs,
and thence to Pul-i-Khatum, and he appears to
demonstrate that in advancing to the last named
place Afghan territory was practically Invased IN
his chapter on the boundary question he shows that
the Russians in their staff map of 1851 accepted the
boundary via Sarakhs and Khoa Saleh. He shows
also that as late as 1882 NJ. de Giers in treating
with the English Government accepted this
,Ior,y md ba aEec1 II that
that Penjdeh not in Afghan territory is altogether
q new pretence having no foundation In fact
Mr. Marvin, with all his pro-Russlan prep osses-
sions, is obliged to admit that the Russian policy
since the Akhal annexation has been one OF
duplicity and treaehery. The annexation OF Mery
and of Sarakhs was accomplished by fraud and
trickery and every subsequent advance has been
in violation of express engagements. The Russian
pretexts for advances, usually statements to the
effect that the border tribes were unruly he shows
to DO untrue all the Lorder tribes concerned having
been feeble povcrty-stricken and peaceful, alike
incapable of and indisposed to aggressive opera
tions.
The Russian staff map-aready shown in THE
TRIBUNE-puts Pul-iKhatum, Sariyaz, and of
course Penjdeh, Zulfkar and Acrobat, well within
Afghan territory, and there can be no question
that this was the view of the boundary held by
both Governments officially until quite recently.
When the Russian Government found that the
English Boundary Commission was ready to 90 to
work, the idea seems to have been formed tc send
Lessar to London, aud then only were the new
claims preached. But the most interesting topic
is the effect upon the possession of Herat, and
consequently upon India, of these new Russ ian
claims Mt. Marvin holds and many Anglolndian
officers among whom is Sir Frederic Roberts, hold
with him, that to ceae Penjdeh Is to yield the
Gates of Herat and that to surrender Herat is to
open the way for the invasion of India. PenJdeh,
is it asserted. is the key to Herat, and this the
Russians know Between Penjdeh and Herat there
is practically no barrier. The ParaDommisus. so
long supposed to be an impenetrable cham oil
mountains securing Herat, shown by Lessar
himself to be merely range of low hills not
exceeding 900 feet in height, and so easy OF access
in almost all parts that the passes are OF no mpor-
lance from defensive point OF view. More than
this: there exists no mountain barrier between
Herat and Quetta the side nearest Persia.
1t Is said that four-in-hand could be driven all the
way from Askabad to Quota; and therefore the
importance of Herat to the power Possessing 1t Is
the greater In explanation of the weight attached
by all military men to the possession of that historic
CITY, Colonel Malleson says: Herat is called the
Gate of Iuda because through it, and it alone, the
valleys can be entered which lead to the only
vulnerable part of India. Those valleys, running
nearly north and south, are protected to the east
by inaccessible ranges no longer so considered
however, to the west by impenetrable deserts. NO
inyadngIarmy could dare to attempt to traverse
tile IT eat salt desert, and the desert Immediately
south of it, the Dasht-i-Naubad, while a British
army held Herat. AS long that army hela
Herat SO long would an invasion of India be I'M
possible And Mr.. Marvin says:
Our generals and the generals of Russia value
Uerat not solely on account of the city, but Oh
account of the W the district III which 1T is
in ND hpnt
swept into any point of the Herat district. not
necessarily to Herat itself, would feed an army OF
mt least 100 600 men, and sustain them during the
final advance upon India. 1t is this great campaign
ground and not exclusively the town of Herat
that is the Key Of India. If line be drawn south
OF Herat 100 miles to Furrah, second west 10
miles to Kusan the Persian frontier, and third
120 miles north, behind the points occupied by the
Russians rough idea may be formed of district
as fertile as England throughout and possessing |
marvellous mineral resources ms IS the camping
ground this is the place OF arms which Russia |
threaten India. There is no such camping ground |
anywhere between the Caspian and lierat and |
without reason have the ablest generals of England
and Russia designated the district the Key OF India.
General MacGregor put this PLAINLY enough IA
to the village had a fine view OF the valley OF
Berat which stretched in every direction but the |
south one sea OF yellow fields and verdant trees.
Without going further it easy to see the value
OF Herat to any Power with intentions on India.
aud to recognize the justice o. the dictum which
operations of the capture Of city the wise com
mander will give his troops "A breathe, On their |
raining the outer defences, must every general |
coming from the west rest his men awhile III this |
valley And no better place could be found for this
purpose; abundance ofsbeautlfnl water, quantities
OF wheat and barley and rice, endless herds Of |
cattle and sheep good forage. and fine climate
all combine to make the Herat valley the most apt |
place for a halt before entering the des0late |
country between FurTah and Candahar.
TO add to the force of these statements it should
be said thatl the impenetrabIlity of the Afghan