Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-05-09
80 ENGLAND.RusslA PR0BLEM.

is the real trouble between England ana
Russia, anyway? What are they quar-
reling aboutP' In order to give our
readers the true inwardness" of the
situation, we publish the following arti-
Gle from the Inter Ocean, it being the
clearest and most concise statement of
the case that we have seen.
The constrained attitude Of England
toward the Afghan question and the
somewhat novel bearing OF Gladstone in
his explanations to the British parlia-
ment nave given a new and more gener-
al interest to the Anglico-Russian con
trOEersy, and people are beginning more
earnestly to inquire what 1t is all about
To understandiHgly present the matter
it will be necessary TO review briefly the
story OF English negotiations with Rus
STA, and this, as It Is compiled from both
Russian and English sources, will, we
doubt not, prove sufficiently explicit
and certainly interesting.
The annexation OF Merry to the Russian
empire brought the Nominations OF the
car into immediate proximity TO those
of the ameer, u fact of which the En-
glish Government jealousy took nOte.
II was even urged by some English
spOke-n men that the voluntary suOmls-
sion Of the Merry elders should be made
Il casts Getti, and from heated discus
sion OF the subject there was generated
s.me soreness between the two govern
meuts. When, therefore, in March
1884, Sir Edward ThUrtOn made repre-
sensations 10 he Russian minister con
corning the English view Of the incOT-
pOraUiCn Of Merry he did not find the
Russian government disposed TO enter
IutO The question. The minister an
sWeled. however, that with regard TO
/ the importance of an entente cordlaIe
| between The two empires in cent? al Asia,
Russian government had TWO years be-
lore prUpOsen To have the precise Doun-
Diary Of the Afghan region exclusively
under English control accurately masked
/ OF. Bur as this proposal had been re-
/ jected by England, Russia had now no
proposition I'd offer.
! The annexation of Merry caused the
4 English government to take n new view
/ OF the original proposition, and on its
| subsequent renewul by The Russian gov
/ ernIuc 1T IL was agreed, though not with
/ out some delay, that there should be a
! Joint COMMISSION OF one English and one
! RUSSIAN official 10 determine the north
]
/ in May, 1884, both governments stood
| commIJJed 10 a settlement ot all disput-
/ ed points by joint commission on the
/ spot. 1t Should be stated that England
/ desired to have an Afghan representa-
( tive on the commission, IL proposal To
/ winch Russia refused to accede, and he
/ yielding OF this point by the English
government both in England and India,
/ who maintained that The Ameer should
fX his own boundary n connection with
| England without any Russian iuterfer-
/ euce.
This sentiment melted the Amecr to
/ bestlr himself, possibly Influenced also
| by Sir Henry haWlinsO on and men Of his
I opinion who resented the Russian poll
! ay and desired 10 circuugenL'1tbe com
mission. To do this The occupation by
Afghan forces of the debetable land was
thought to be an effective and decisive
way 10 render unnecessary the delibera-
| lions OF the commission. IhrUEgh their
/ agency it appears the seizure of Penideh
| was proposed, an indication OF the IN
I tentiOn appearing in an article published
in the London Times June 9. lmmedi-
ateiy III. De Glers, the Russian minister,
1 sent Tor Sir Edward Thornton, and
graVelv protested against the proposal
/ TO substitute the seizure Of slrOng posi-
tons by Afghan troops for the deliUera-
lions Of the Joint commission, and re-
minded him of agI eements made in
/ 1878, in which the car consented 10
recognize Badakshan and Nakhan as
4 within the limits of Afghanjstan on the
! express condition that England would
use her undOubted influence to restrain
the ameer from extending his dOminiOns
beyond the territories in effective pos
/ session of Shere Ali and DOst MahOmed,
and to prevent aggressiCns on indepeHd-
ent TurkOman tribes, which covered
Peudjeh.
Though the justice CO the protest was
not challenged by the English govern
/ ment, there does not seem TO have been
any repress i've influence put upon the
/ ame6r, and about the end of June the
/ Afgh4us made q seizure OF Penjdeh. AT
that time there was not Russian sol
der nearer than MerV, and there was
/ not the least sign Of any intention on the
part OF Russia to send q single COssack
into the disputed territory. Bur the ILL
! advised advance on Penjdeh changed
| everything. 1t excited an enormous
cOmmotion throughout the whole debat-
able land, and the Russians found it ne
I ceSSdry 10 hurry up some troops 10 be
/ ready for emergencies and to stand on
I guard against q breach of the peace.
/ But it was not until some months later
. that the Russian soldiers entered the
. debated land and occupied Pul-i-khat-
nm.
The Instructions to Sir Peter Lums-
den, the English commissioner, were
/ broad. liberal and comprehensive, and
as presented to the Russian government
were found acceptable. In them was a
clear statement OF desire TO not to I'M
t pose on the Ameer territory which he
] did not desire, or (which might prove
/ too great d burden 10 Afghanisian."