The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-08-09

readily submitted to when improvements are
progressing, but it is not too much to ask that
IL shall be made as small as possible, not
tion, in order to save a trins of trouble or
expense 10 the persons responsible.
We are glad TO see that one of the numer-
ous investigations in progress apparently
develops no fraud and no very criminal
negligence in the conduct Of the public
business. The court martial Of Paymaster
General Smith, of the Navy, so far as can be
judged from the published reports, does not
make out bad case against that officer.
Mr.. Austin Brown, the contractor, also
comes OF with flying colors, as nothing is
shown up in regard to any Of his transact
tions that is not entirely fair and honor
able.
Whether the surprising statements about
the increase of rainfall over the former arid
belt west of the one hundredth meridian are
part of the systematic scheme to tempt i'm.
migration, in which every one in the far West
seems to be engaged, the reported phenomena
are worthy of careful observation and dis.
cussion. The ultimate causes Of meteoro-
logical changes are so little known that 1t
will not do to be too sure of change which
is assumed from the experience of few
years only. 1t is well known that series
of wet seasons can follow series Of dry ones,
just as one cold summer can follow another.
Possibly cultivation may have an important
effect in increasing rainfall, but it will no
do to be too sure of this fact. Should the
increased rainfall on the once arid belt
prove permanent change, the result will
be one without parallel In the history
of the world. We know of regions made
barren and inhospitable by the destruction
of their forests, but the reverse process of
return from aridity to fertility has never
yet been known. Many treeless districts in
the Old World have for ages depended upon
irrigation, and in no single instance ever re-.
corded have irrigation works been rendered
unnecessary by the recurrence Of a sufficient
! rainfall TO support agriculture. The danger
to be feared from the rose-colored view
which few exceptionally wet seasons have
given to agriculture west of the one hum
dredth meridian is that farmers will be
tempted to settle upon lands upon which crops
can only be grown in occasional years, when
the rainfall is unusually plentiful. Proba-
bly, general forest culture would have re-
claiming effect upon the arid plains Of the
/ IA - 4 l.
it will be safer for settlers TO leave them to
the stock men for good many years TO come.
The insincerity of Russian professions and
the worthlessness of Russian engagements
are well illustrated in the present position
of the negotiations for settling the Afghan
| boundary. When the Gladstone Ministry,
for the sake of peace, conceded to Russia the
district of Penjdeh, to which that power had
not shadow of right, the incident would
naturally have been closed. But with Rus
sia point gained is only regarded IS a
point of departure for further claims, and an
agreement entered into is always held to fur
nish a pretext for evading its ful6llment.
The terms of settlement as agreed between
Lord Granville and NJ. De Giers We're that
Penjdeh should be ceded to Russia,
but that Zulfcar should remain Afghan.
The Ameer considered possession OF
the Zulfcar Pass important to the
defense of his dominions, and Russia, in
consideration of acqiescence in her claim
to Penjdeh, agreed that he should keep it.
Now Russian negotiators have discovered
that Zulfcar did not mean the pass but only
the adjacent valley, and they are setting up
entirely unfounded and preposterous claims
to this important gateway to Hsrat. Hav-
ing secured the road by the Khusk, they
now want that up the Heri Rud. No intslli-
gent person can fail to see that this new
Russian claim rests on the weakest OF quib-
bles, and is put forward in defiance of q
| sacred agreement, after the Czar had been
left in possession of the ground for which, in
a sense, Zn6car is a compensation. As to
whether Russia means to maintain her pres
ent untenable position We are entirely in
the dark. The only thing quite certain is
that she means TO use the baselsss claims
now put forward as prstext for prolonging
negotiations until after the British parlia-
mentary elections. They will at least serve
to keep the subject open until the Russians
can see whether they will still have to deal
with the stiff backed Conservatives, supported
by the friendly sentiment of Germany and
Austria, or whether they can resume the old
game with the flexible Liberals, who may
bluster little, but will end by making any
sacrifice for temporary aud insecure peace.
WHAT are we coming to In this ribald age when
the World, audlng % Major Benz Perey Poores In