The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-05-08
WAYS afforded supplies for the armies O

both besieged and bestegefS, and it mt1l
4 be remembered that the latter have ofte
reached the number Of 80, 900 men, Will
both armies have always been compose
OF undisciplined troops who destroyed Q
l much g they consumed Besides all th
positive and patent advantages which th
place itself possesses, Russia in Hera
would have an unassailable position from
which to threaten us in India, 80 as Il
compel US to keep large forces Away
readyto meet the menace, while she would
be able to SOW broadcast the seeds Of 9
rebellion that would still further cripple
us, and ahe would ALLEVIATE from US both
the Aighans and Persians and would prac'
tically control for her own purposes
nearly all their military resources"
HElNvAsIoN oRfSDIA.
Before the death Of Gen. skobeletf he
proposed q plan for the invasion OF India,
which received the sanction Of the Inn
perial authorities. An army was to have
been led by Kaufman TO Cabul, and there
was to have organized the Aighaus for an
attack on the Indian provinces. 1.-THE
Indians failed TO mutiny, Kaufman was
to detain the Engli, b army before him by
threatening II, whileanother army march,
ed to the south towards Quetta and Canda-
har. 1.-THE attempt failed, Kaufman was
to retreat, not upon Turkestan, lest the
sight OF his shattered forces should cause
an insurrection, but upon Herat and the
Caspian. The scheme excited much talk
in Europe after the death OF skobeleii,
principally for the reason thst sue.
ceeding events have shown that
the project was perfectly practica-
BILE. AS Mr.. Marvin shows in his
work, the task before Russia, in attempt
ing the invasion OF india, Is far easier than
that undertaken and carried out In the In.
vasion OF Turkey. Russia now has rail-
roads 10 every principal city, the leading
rivers running into the Black'and Caspian
seas are not only nayigable but contain
large numbers OF excellent steamboats,,
while the Caspian sea has over fifty large,
ocaan.size steamers, which could be uti.
lized in the transportation Of troops. and
beyond the Caspian there Is q railroad ex.
tending nearly 200 miles into the heart OF
Turkestan and in the direction Of Herat.
More than this, the Russian Government
would be fighting on an interior line and
could keep It's movements concealed, 80
that 1t Is quite posss lie for it TO mass 100,-
900 men on the Indian frontier, II Herat
be once In its possession, without England
knowing anything at oil about the matter,
while the Engliah Government can not
move man or q gun without the fact
being at once reported by the for
eign agents OF the Russian Govern
ment. AS to keeping India after an adj
vantage has been once gained. there, not
even the widest dreamer. according to
Mr.. Marvin, imagines that Russia intends
10 do anything OF the kind. The purpose
s 10 excite general uprising OF the ma
lives against the English power, and while
.he British empire was in the confusion
hat would necessarily result, because
most Englishmen believe that with India |
goes the empire. Russia will seize Con-
'tantinople Fnd the Straits OF the Darda- |
1elles. The plan seems extravasant, but
stranger things have happened in the
world, and, considering the value the
English place upon their Indian empire,
{ Is not remarkable that Marvin's books
Ihould already have made profound sem
'ation in England, nor that the English
Government should be making tremend-
Jus preparations for war that shall drive
pack the Russian arms from the gates Of
lie Indian empire.