, 1885-03-14
rHE AFcHA rRonnLE.

The key to the entire trouble between
Russia. Afghanistan and England, is that
the latter country IS not simply seeking a
little more Asiatic territory in Persia or
Afghanistan, but a large belt of country
from the Caspian sea and her own south
ern borders clear through to the Gulf Of
Oman and the Arabian sea, a belt Of
country large enough for railroads, mill
tary forts and a sufficient Russian settle
ment through the country 10 connect it
with her great northern empire as part and
parcel Of the same. Russia has already
land enough and to spare, but she has no
territory that gives her frst-class trade IA
cihties with the great and growing south
em countries of Eastern and Western
Africa, India and Australia. 1t is this
that she is after and sooner or later is
bound to have.
The immediate bone Of contention look
ing toward this is the new frontier line to
be fixed between the recognized Russian
possessions on the north and Afghanistan
and hence India on the south, and though
the very latest reports touching this I'M
mediate problem are contradictory enough,
the clear bottom fact is that Russia is con-
stantly pressing a little farther southwark
and that England will soon have to fgh.
or let Russia through on new but well de-
fined lines of acquisition. England has
long held hat any Russian advance bear
ing on Herat would be considered suih-
Gent cause for war.
Herat is a fortified Afghanistan town
of about 10000 inhabitants, located on
the Hair Rood river about one hundred
miles east of the border line, between
Persia and Afghanistan. Three years
ago the nearest Russian advance south
ward wa five hundred miles from Herat,
Within the last two years Russia has in
duced the Merv province to place itself
under the Cars protection. Within the
last six months some 400 Cossacks and
GOO Turcomans have occupied Old Sar-
akhs. only two hundred miles north of
Herat, and declared that it belonged 10
Merv. Within the past few weeks Rus
sian advance frontier settlers have been
menacing Penjdh, only about one hun
dred and fifty miles north Of Herat, and
now occupied by Afghans, the Russian
idea being that Penidh ought also to be
held as a part Of Merv and their pur-
pose being to fix the new Russo Afghan
frontier so that it will run within thirty
miles Of Herat, south Of Herai's best line
of defensive hills and leaving Penjdh
and Old Sarahks in Russians Merv ter
ritory.
To accomplish all this it is one day
asserted hat Russia has formed an ALI
ance With Persia; the next day that Persia
will remain absolutely neutral under any
and all circumstances; then it is asserted
that the ear has offered the ameer of
of Afghanistan N alliance for himself,
his dynasty and their descendants, in
virtue Of which Russia would be at liber-
ty TO establish a protectorate over Herat,
while the Afghans wonld receive occult
assistance from Russia to extend their
frontiers in a direction 4 be desired.
Over all this and against it all England
is tuning and INC for all has resolved to
have a fixed and safe arrangement with
the car or fight him for all the entire
business contains. Canada. Australia
and India arc all uniting on this more
than on the Soudan business. Turkey
and Italy are friendly, and within six
months from date England could have an
army Of 200,O00 men to protect Hert
and drive the northern prowler clear lack
to the Caspian sea, if necessary. The
hope is that it will not be necessary, but
that peace will prevail