Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-22
England and Russia.

vi AAuooAd " CAbtIlQ utE influence. II no
her conquests, to the southwark until she
obtains a right of way for an outlet from
Turkestan to the Persi an Gulf. While
there is no evidence that Russia has any
immediate designs on India England re-
CARDS any advance of the Russians into
Alghanistan as endangering British
interests in India. Herat is
considered the key to India, and the
Russians, if they really intend to seize on
that place, can, doubtless. do 50 be-
fore the Indian troops can be pushed for
ward from their present position on the
( Eastern Afghan frontier, and Russia has,
| probably, sufficient force in the disputed
/ territory TO overcome any army the At
/ ghans can oppose to them. The seizure
of Port Hamilton in the Corean Archi-
| Delago by the British, thus threatening
Russia's communication between her ST.
berian ports and the Japan Sea, seems to
have greatly added to the gravity of the
situation, and it looks very much as if war
is inevitable.
There is no earthly tribunal to decide
the equities of the questions, the dispute
dbOub WnACu LuitdLtus " lteuAl III OAlC Vi
the greatest wars Of the age. England
and Russia have both uniformly acted on
the doctrine that might is right, and each
Of them has seized every part of the globe
that was worth selling and that they
could possibly hold. A strategical posi-
ton, question Of eXpediency, conflict of
interests, are regarded as ofinfnitely more
Importance than the actual and acknowl-
edged rights of either nation Or
of any other nation or people
that may chance to become involved in
their quarrels. In fixing ones sympa-
thies with the parties to the present dis
pute we may well leave the idea Of right
and wrong out of the question.
A war between England and Russia
would be peculiarly interesting from
military point of view. On account of the
mountainous nature of the country and
the great distance from the bases of sup
plies of both parties, it is not
likely that any great armies would
operate against each other in Afghanis-
tan. 1t would scarcely be practicable
for the Russians to invade India. or for
the Anelo-Indian army to invade Turkes-
tan by way of AfghanIstan. 1t would be
ell but impossible for an English army,
landing on the eastern coast of Siberia,
to march across that region, even
were no considerable force of Russians to
resist it. The vast northern coast Of Rus
sia and of Siberia are effectually pro-
tected by the icy barriers of the Arctic
ocean. and were it possible for hostile
forces to be landed on that inhOspitable
shore, they could accomplish nothing
With Persia, Turkey, Austria and Ger
many occupying a position of neu-
trality, the Russian empire would
be most etfectually secure from
invasion from the southwest and west.
Russia would only be exposed to invasion
by way 9f the Baltic, on which she has
few harbors. and they are magniticently
lfoftiiea and supported by powerful iron
clad ships and scores of the latest i'm
proved torpedo boats. The defensive tor
pedo system of Russia is said to be unsur-
passedGY by that of any other
nation. Could the English effect a
Judgement in Russian territory
on the Baltic they would be met by an
immense army equipped with the most
approved appliances Of war. 1t seems
that a serious invasion of Russian terri
tory by the English is hardly possible.
The very conditions that 90 to make
Russia seemingly impregnable, so far as
English attacks may be concerned, make
it all but impossible for her to wage an
aggressive war on land against England.
If sufficient force could be thrown
across Afghanistan into India to
maintain itself in that empire, it
could doubtless support itself on the
country and perhaps form alliances with
some Of the native princes that might
lead to the expulsion of the English
rulers. The loyalty of a large part of
! the Anglo-Indian army is not above
suspicion. England places little reliance
on these troops for any purpose, unless
they are held under the strict discipline
of English officers. There might arise
emergencies in which they would be
worse than useless.
! In the event Of war the principal part
of the Russian navy would be necessarily
| on the defensive, and it is not likely that
any great results would obtain from naval
operations. Naval battles would most
probably occur and the modern
styles of war vessels and guns be
thoroughly tested. The commerce of
England would be exposed, to a great
extent, to the rayages of Russian
cruisers and of privateers. Should
Russia issue letters of marQue in
violation Of the treaty of Paris, which
she would hardly consider n polite
course, the English navy could
sea. cely prevent the temporary Gripping
of the English merchant service, espec.
tally IL the Suez canal should be closed to
the hostile powers, hut it would be out Of
the question now for few cruisers "a
drive English trading vessels from the sea-
The immense energy that would be nee.
essary to array the vast power Of these
nations would cause great activity in both
countries that would offer al.
most endless opportunities for
individual profit, and hence
the war would be very popular with the
respective peoples. The millions that
such a war would cost might well appall
the responsible parties concerned. Well
may the English Ministry hesitate before
assuming a position from which there