New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-03

II "a not the possession of India which tho
desire nor do they wish to make any ng.u h~er
upon English rule in India Ihey ao msn her nv
20 he in a nosition to threaten lndla wne,net 10y
go - arms ar intriQues in case England shoulu
aaain object TO any aim OF RUSSIAN PoihS' 80
West. One OF those aims NUS ynnnicatou from the
pIl Sea 10 file Mediterranean. In tins stage OF
c;yiIization tho world at large should srnpatniso
lei tJe free development OF any Natlon SO long
as N Interferes with the rights OF no DINER Sdatc
rather than with the policy OF restriction. ne
opening OF the Bosphorus ana the 4e"; and
skould be merely question between Russia anu
Turkey. in which foreign Powers should nave no
actua interest except to desire the freedom Oh INC
seas and of the straits IL. Al am
quest of India. or simply to gain position AIN AIN
which to annoy the English, IT IS the oOVlon uy
of the British Government to decide upon Iohter
which the Russians cannot DO allowed 10 |:
Much as they might protest ana quesuon. 40 20
obviously impossible for the English 10 l nss1 ePon
frontier line drawn through me stepes ~
have no possibility of defending and II - TOT heIl
interest as they wish further barren
to restrict themselves 10 what they really no T Nv
to draw the frontier as India as rs sle. pJ
which they can be nearer their own base OF opeia
lions and The Russians far as possible from tehs
1t would that the English made hnnadorW
1872 in insisting the Oxus as the oouhu nto
between Afghanistan aud the Russlan proto 80
or tributary states. The tribes ana ply .t ~
countries on the LETT bank OF the Oxus aithousn ~
various times they had been subject to A1ghlhiStn
had frequently been entirely lndependent in; anu
were of the same Turkish race as the uioes ~ h
all
pOssbe for Russia in the event OF wa!, wien al
things are allowable. TO carry on intrIgucs WIN
su CHI people ,,-,. :. .,,o roo++or il
Afghanistan for it is wrong to consider ighanisan
as country. as it is really composed OF saa9y
of tribes who hold only slender aleelanSe 10 oro
Amer. Even Mr. Marvin. after insisting very
strongly upon the necessity OF the Engsh
ing Afshamsta1, says: Inc hotiOn 81 Tie
Afgans are conquerors aud foreigners III the WHO'RE
of the country north of the lIindoo Koosh IRON
Balkh to Herat Their control OF HeTa as msSra
is constantly reminding us is quite OF recent oIlgn
and yet they have not succeeded I'D luilT,ms
their rule over a the clans dwelling between iefat
and Cabul." In 1878 l met at Samarcand tue
resent Amecr, Abdul Rahman, and had long CON
versaton with him on the subject OF Aignahls;uan
and India In spek , Of TIC SUBSIDY t aec him
personally il would have no effect npon Tue
Afghans; that If the English were 70 give Aighah
stan tho Wnos rsyGnS ne u bct Iea WtG reference
rather to the possibility of war between our own
country and England. ] asked HIM whether II an Al
attack were made on India anu subsidies gwen ~
the fchans they would be willing to jOln IN H. nc
rrplied that il word were given To the A!Ruahs
that attack were TO he made against lhe Ens.tsn
in India and that they convinced that me
war was not against India, but only against Ihe
English domination there, they would wilIi III. "
ioin in il without any subsidy or the Necessity OF
mnch urging Abdul Rahman may have changed
his politics since the time he was an oXile III sam
arcand that he has assembled the THRONE Oh his
ancestors but il ia much to be doubted whether nc
has changed his feeling, ana appearances Soen 70
show that the English must be very, cautious IN
their dealings with Afghans. While using the
| AfglIans as a barrier and while promising 70 pro
teet them against the Russians, they must hestaIe
about interfering when their aid is not requested;
1t would seem even almost advisable for Eng and
TO Tx the boundary on the sou bern side oil Afghan
istan taking possession of such strategic positions
as would enable her to defend the frontier with
fortresses knowing perfectly well that the moment
the Russians attempted 10 invade Aighanlstan
the Afghans would take the English side until they
were free from the Russians. AT present me
English run the risk OF their pseudo-alieS bcing
divided il not absolutely persuaded, by tho
Russians in case any false move is made.
1t should not finally bcforgotteuthat there are TWO
sides to every question. EUGENE SCHU fLEE