Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-30
THE KEY OF INDIA.
The Mountain Barrier n Myth-The Key of
India Open to Russia.

The Mountain Barrier n Myth-The Key OF
India Open to Russia.
The eyes of the world are on Herat, and
Herat is the key to India. In 1882, Cen
eral Soboleff, then chief of the Asiatic
branch of the Cars staff, made use Of the
following remarkable assertion: "a body
of European troops established at
Herat and standing with its front
to the southeast, would draw upon 1t
the attention of the whole population
of India; and it is without reason that
numb.r of experts, knowing India well,
have expressed their belief that were an en-
emy to occupy Herat with a powerful force,
the English army, without having fred a
shot, would consider itself halt-beaten." "
This, coming from Russian general, ex.
plains in small measure the Importance OF
aerat as strategical point and the i'm
portauce TO Russia of securing and fortity-
ing 1t before the English or Afghan forces
can be concentrated at that point
In 1878, General Grodekoh, who was ap-
pointed by Alexander II, to act as Chiet OF
Kautmsnn's staff, during the diplomatic
controversy that at that time made de-
scent upon India imminent: "Herat is a
very large city. 1t contains $4,000 people.
Among the cities OF Central Asia and
Khorassan, Herat, by its buildings, occu-
pies a place next to MeShed. The city
is surrounded by walls twelve feet high,
with a shallow ditch outside. There
are no outer detenses of any kind; nothing
hat would call to mind the defsnses of
European city. In its present condition
Herst is not in position to defend itself
against European army, since at mile to
the north it is commanded by heights from
which it could be bombarded by artillery"
Grodekof was writing for the benefit of the
Ger, and the European srmy he spoke OF
was one under the Russian flag. Signi6-
cantly he adds: 1T is reckoned to possess
inmense stra,egical importance"
Importance of Herat.
Both England and Russia are just awak'
enipg to the importance of Herat as a
! strategical position. In Marvin's work on
| The mGSssians at the Gates OF Herat," He
| rat is thus described
The city stands on the right bank Of the
Rari Rud, from which water is brought BY
several channels. 1t is bdilt IN the form Of
arectaDgle, the north and south walls being
about 1900 and the east and west faces
about 1900 yards in length. Enclosing the
city is an immense earthwork about Fifty
feet high, surmounted by wall ranging
from 20 to 30 feet, with deep moat,
which can be easily flooded from the Hari
Rud. The citidsl is situated in the
center of the city, and is also
surrounded by a most. There are FIVE gates,
OF which one, however, is closed up, and
each is tlanked by two bastions. The city
is bridged at each of the four gates by
wo, dea drawbridge which is raised and
lowered by mechanical appliances worked
from inside the wall Each face of the
four walls is furnished with from Is to 80
bastioDs On the exterior slope Of the en-
5ankment, supporting the walls, are two
lines of shelter trenches one above the
other, carried all around the city, except
where the gates are. The garrison consists
of eco or 5000 troops, exclusive of regu.
lars"
To defend this place Sir Peter Lumsden
declares there are twenty guns, of various
cahbres, besides numerous others lying dis
mantled on the walls
In the event of Herat being occupied by
the Russians, the latter, it is said, have al
ready prepared plans for the complete forti-
6ostion of the place. Completely invested
it is declared to be invulnerable, except by
long and protracted siege.
The idea of India being open to Rus
sian invasion has always been secuted in
England. The belief has existed until a
very recent date, that the mountain barriers
between Russian Merv and Herat were so
tremendous as to make the successful of
rapid passage of an army impracticable, if
not wellnigh impossible. The mountains
were considered more effective barrier to
Russian invasion of India by way of AT.
gbanistan than a standing army. Not two
months ago leading London papers, such
as the Standard and Daily News, spoke
of the presumed fact that while the Rus
sian army is much nearer Herat that the
Indian contingent of the British army the
English forces, owing to the nature of the
country, could reach and thoroughly fortify
Herat before it could be occupied by the
Russians"
An Exploded Myth.
Now it is asserted beyond all question or
contradiction that the impossible noun
tain barrier supposed to be standing
Ike sentinel between Herat and Merv
is a myth, and that, while there are hills,
because it is billy country, they are
neither impassable nor impracticsble as
roadway for moving army. This discoV-
cry has put an entirely new phase on the
Typographical defense Of India by Afghan
istan. Not only ara the Russians nearer
Herat than the English are, but the road
that lies before them is easier than that
which the English must travel to concen-
irste their forces at that point. The occu-
patton OF Herst BY Russia, in the light of
recent events, seems no longer to be mat
ter of boubt-simply question of time.
Marvin says that "In 1881, when English
people were still incredulous as to the prsc-
ticabih'y of q Russian invasion of India, !
put forth this argument: That Russia hsv-
ing in 1887 marched $4,000 troops and so
guns from the Caspian to Herat,and IN 1880
Ayoub Khan &c, 900 troops and 30 guns frota
Rerat to Candahar, to which point various
English armies had advanced from the lodus
with guns, therefore, there was absolutely no
obstacle to the marching of q powerful Rus
sian force with heavy artillery all the way
from the Caspian to India. The terrific
mountaih barrier many English politicians
still believe in, assert to be mere moon
shine. Since then this practical line ofin-
vision has been supplemented by the sec.
opA that the Russians now hold and Of
Ekich / have said !. is 90 Cat sad EASY