Delta chief., 1885-05-06
AFGHANISTAN.
SOme Causes Of the Difference BE-
tween England and Russia.
lscion,ific American

Though occupied by Aighans, Penjdeh
lies in a region claimed by Russia to have
belonged to its lately conquered neighbor,
the Amir Of Bokhara, and therefore should
be surrendered to the conquerer. This
claim was disputed by the Afghans and their
allies, the British, and survey committee
had been appointed to examine the ground
and Fl the proper boundary, an agreement
having been come to that neither party
should move until the question was properly
settled. Whether the conflict was provoked
by the Afghans as the Russian commander
alleges, or was sheer breach of faith on the
part of tlle Russians, as the English assert,
does not much matter. The war il actually
begun, aud IL seems to be mainly question
of promptness aud dash whether the I,ussi-
ans are able not to settle the frontier
question as they will. at least for the time
being.
The nominal northern boundary of AZ
CHAN Turkestan, Ms shown on English maps,
runs almost due east from Sarakhs, near the
northeastern corner Of Persia to the south
crnmost bend Of the ANU Daria and thence
along thn, river To ITS sources in the noun.
tAlus Ot hph>h. III tns Ntsl that ilHt
crosses desert region. without fixed inhab-
itants, and always in dispute between the
seminicpcndent tribes OF the ill-defned
political border between Afghanistan and
Bokhara. More than twenty years ago
Prince Gortschakon. speaking for Russia,
said tina, the hecting sand grains Of the
.teppes were incapable OF forming frontier,
l,l. If, s.,l
part of the country would answer for solid
line OF dcmarkation. The Russians have
been pursuing that phantom solid line"
across the stcppes until they have pushed it
across Khiva, Bokhara. aud kokhaud TO the
mountain frontier Of Aishnistan proper.
The old frontier Of Afghan Turkcstan
through the desert did not fulfill the pre-
mandcl, running cas, from Zulhrkar Pass
through Akrobal and Bala Murghab. The
English aud Afghans were willing to com
promise on n line some forty miles further
north. a line which would give the Afshans
command Of the mountain passes leading in.
Ia their country but the fprcible advance OF
the Russians lind probably pu' an end to all
discussion Of the matter, and only a stub
born war will determine whether the Rus
SLAMS stay their course for the time north or
south Of the mountains on the Turkos,an
side or along the fertile valleys OF lIcrat and
Cabul.
The latest battle ground lies near the
junction of the Kushk River with the Mur-
glinb, which streams drain the northern
slopes of the mountains, and flowing To the
northwest water the oasis of Nerv about 100
IN the sands of the desert. The mountains
are that prolongaiion Of the 1Iindo- GOSH
known rs the Koh-i.babs. iorking into three
ranges westward under the general and very
ancient name Of the Paropamisis.
The Murghab river. the upper valley of
which has never been explored, rises be.
tween the hrst and second ranges. The lIeri
Rud, or River Of llerat, drains the valley
between the second and third ranges, the
middle range being much the highest, rising
in places to 10000 feet above the sea. The
upper valley of the Murghnb is inclosed by
high mountains. aud is said to be fertile and
well wa,cred. Its inhabitants are Mongol
Hazards. At the, foot of the IN ,untains near
Bala Murghab, where the road from Maim-
ana to lIcrat passes. the river runs through a
narrow dcflc. At Pcnjdch abont forty miles
below 1t enters n broad valley, which grndu-
ally opens upon the plain OF Merry.
The Kushk flows more directly northward
through narrow valley traversed by the di.
rect road from Penidch to Hcrat-the best
route from Central Asia to Hernt and heart
of Afghanistan. II is along this route that
the Russian advance will most likely be
made. Robat Pass, A. miles north of Herat
leads from the valley Of the Kushk into the
valley of Heri Rud, and is where the sever.
est fighting is likely to occur if the Russians
meet with serious resistance north of Herat.
Here the Amir of Afghanistan is said to have
concentrated considerable force. At other
points east and west the mountains are snid
to be practically impossible by troops. There
is however, n fairly good road along the Per-
sian frontier, and Russian force is reported
ns advancing toward llcrat by 1t.
To meet the advancing Russians, the Eng
lish are said to have 10000 men at Raw,l.
Pindc, TO the southeast Of Cabml and Pcsha.
war. on the Indian frontier; $1,000 men ON
the road from Quetta on the southwestern
frontier, to Cnnhnhar; and $4,000 men Mt
Quctta. But before either of these forces
can be brought into action the Russians have
ample time to seize Ilcrat If they wish to do
so.
lIcrat has u population of $4,000, and Is