The Wilmingtonian., 1885-08-29
ENGLAND AND RUSSIA.

huSSid mas WlGuufaWn neT uefuduus III re-
gard to the Zulficar Pass. This means
peace between England and Russia. This
little upland hill pass was t'ie assumed bone
of contention between the two countries.
Heretofore while Russia clamored stoutly
for her rights to its possession it was con
tinually cited by Komaroff as the key of the
Asian position.
1t is strange, now that the St. Petersburg
government has found that the Marquis of
Salisbury is serious in his objections, to
hear that the Russian Typographical Corps
having made survey of the locality, report
it ofno strategical value. This discovery,
or decision reminds one forcibly Of the sour
grapes fable and suggests the practical
thought why did not the Russians discover
the fact of the valuelessness Of ZuIficar be-
fore and save Europe all this recent war
turbulence and expensive military prepara-
| tion.
Though Russia in her recent twelve
months military policy has gained immense
extent in territory, she has failed signally in
gaining her policy of maintaining an iudeti-
mite Afghan boundary line. As long as
there was no exact frontier of delimitation
Russia was enabled surreptitiously to
push her encroachments into Afghanistan.
Now as the two boundary commissions,
English and Russian, have certain definite
points conceded them upon which they may
base tho territorial boundary lines, there can
be no further question or dispute as to
whose territory any particular hill, valley
or hamlet is.
The result then of all Russia's recent eff
forts to gain an opening to the Indian Ocean
has been futile The threats upon India,
which were never anything else than
t threats, were only political strategy to
strengthen her possibilities of roadway
5 through Afghanistan to the sea, to alarm
0 the English and thereby when her real in
tentions were disclosed, to give the Cars
5 position less harmless or aggressive one
/ than it would have were the Russian uncom-
0 promisingy stated. But the patriotism and
love of Independence disclosed in the recent
V difficulties by the Afghans and their titular
J. ruler Abdur Rhamau was to Russia an uu-
q expected disclosure, together with that
!, rulers loyalty to his promises to England.
These facts together with the clandestine
support that Persia has gained from Ger
mauy in her refusal to allow the Cars
armies passaze through his territory has
and pllRofpaIities Of {. aoutr GuFmHIi
Bund And in the north the German feet
must watch the Baltic, the German ocean,
~ and the mouths of the Rhine Weser and
Scheldt, etc.
But, to look abroad, the prospects of a
successful war of foreign conquest in the di-
rection Of Cuba, are still more questionable
for Germany. Gfthis country declared war,
an act which our foreign policy would drive
us into, did Bismarck threaten Cuba, the
% United States could in a few days food the
island with troops equal in stamina and
ed
pluck to any thing that Germany could send
across.
Oar ironclads would blockade aud watch
every mile of coast Our depot of supplies
would be but two or three days distant from
- the front, with nothing to interfere with
their being sent forward. Germany is ,00t
miles from the possible seat of war with q
tedious and dangerous sea passage to over.
come. Again at the first futtering of the
~ American flag, every native Cuban would
be in arms and joyously crowding to swell
= the ranks fighting against Germany
=" What Cuba wants first is Independence, il
~ she can get it. Her next choice is annexa
tion to the United States. If she canno
- get that the native Cuban would be glaC
o' enough to get rid of Spain and accept con
stitutional government under England, o
- any enlightened European power. But th
- last mentioned alternative is not possibl
W under the Monroe doctrine All that can b
= done just now is for Bismarck to let Cub
20 rest quietly, for the United States is not S
~ readily scared by Germany as was Spain il
the recent Caroline Islands incident,