New-York tribune., 1885-03-30
THE CAUSE OF WAR.


The technical question at issue between
Russia and Great Britain is disputed
boundary. The frontier claimed by Afghan
istan and recognized by Russia from 1881 until
the recent advance was line running from the
Harirud q little south of Sarakhs to the Oxus
The fertile section between the TurcOman
desert and the Paropamisus was conceded TO DC
Afghan territory even after the Russians had
secured control of Merv and established an out
most at Sarakhs, about 200 miles from Herat
The boundary now claimed by NJ Lessar passes
through Akrabat and Bala Murghab. Within
this disputed belt the Russians have occupied
import taut points sixty miles south OF the OLD
frontier Pul-i-Khatum and Sarl lazi have
been garrsOned and advance guards have been
stationed at Zulfcar Pass, Akrabat and Pull
i-Khist Some of these outposts have been
maintained by Turcoman allies, but the Russian
commander has been responsible for the mill
tary advance in the valleys of the two rivers.
The chief stronghold held by the Afghans in
this contested zone is Penjdeh. 1t was occupied
bv the Ameer's troops about year ago upon
his receiving assurances from the British Gov
ernment that his dominions extended as lar
north as the Sarakhs line. Bala Murghab,
Garlin, Robat Pass and other points south OF
the frontier now claimed by Russia are also
galrsoncd by his soldiers.
The Russian Government denies that Penjdch
ever belonged to either DosG MOnammed or
Shere Ali, and claims the right of annexing the
disputed zone as n country where Turcomans
have settled. The British reply to the first
count is that from 1868 to 1879 Shere ALI and
Yakoob Khan exercised sovereignty III the
Herat plain, and that the Sarks of Penjdeh and
other tribes north of the city paid tribute rcgu-
larly. The obvious objection offered to the
ethnographical argument is that the races III the
disputed district are so ihtermiXed that 1t is not
practicable to distinguish between Persans,
Afghans and Turcomans. On military grounds
the English urge that the Zulfcar and Robat
passes must be occupied by the Government
which controls IIerat since those are the natural
out works and gateways of Western Afghan
istan and for similar reasons Penjdeh must be
retained for the protection OF the road leading
TO Maimena and Balkh. The Russians, on the
other hand, contend that a neutral zone between
Turkestau and Afghanistan cannot be marked
out, and that the frontier must be extended so
as To embrace on their side the northern slopes
of the Paropamisus and the valleys OF the
Harirud and the Murghab, whose population
has been protected from the marauding raids OF
the Tekke and Tnrcoman tribes.
The Russian and British Governments agreed
in 1873 to recognize the northwest frontier of
Afghanistau then claimed by Shere Ali as far
as the Oxus. The district west of that river
was not definitely outlined in Lord Granville's
dispatch which was made the basis of the agree
mcnt and this is the territory now in dispute
At that fine the Russians had barely begun
their march from the Caspian, and the chief
purpose of the negotiations was to decide that
Bokhara should fall under Russian influence
and Afghanistan under that of England In
1882, when great progress had been made from
the Caspian. Russia reailirmed the validity OF
the agreement of 1878. and declared its readi-
ness to define the frontier from tho Oxus to
Sarakhs, thus accepting the line now recognized