The Wilmingtonian., 1885-03-21
AFGHANISTAN.
THE BORDER LAND BETWEEN
RUSSIA AND INDIA.
h"ss'"s' cossack Hordes ana En-
glands Long
Purse.

Afghanistan tine de6ateable land. abon
the protectorate of which England aud Rus
sia are at loggerheads is a large Territory o
some 2l5, 900 square miles, SITUATE on tb,
western foothills of the Hindoo Koosb
Generally speaking it is wilderness. a YER,
small portion of it being cultivated. It,
population estimated between five and min,
'iill oIs is chiefly nomadic. The native,
sustain life by means of their large herds OIL
horses. sheep aud cattle, or by pillage, as a
great number of the inhabitants are nothing
less than robber bands. The main features
OF the country physically, are the remaika-
BILE mountain passes many miles long whose
sides are overhung by high rocky declivi-
ties Here the robber chieftairs find tie Sc
curest refuge when returning with their
booty from u pillaging excursion to the
plains.
Afghanistan with its rocky spurs and diff
ticult passes is the gateway through which
all caravans and pilgrimages must pass from
Central Asia, India and China with their
silks and furs to Bagdad, Smyrna Or Con-
stantinople. This has been the merchants
route from time immemorial and by making
their levy upon the travellers the mountain
bandits find a means of living. The coun-
try that holds this land has the key to the
commercial riches of Asia, for despite mod
ern civilization of locomotive and steam
ships very large share of handmade rugs
carpets ond other textures find their way to
Europe by this ancient overland route,
The Afghanstans, like their congeners the
Beloochistans are hardy semi-civlized
race. Their religion is that of Mahomet, of
whom they claim to be the most orthodox
followers. The territory of Afghauistan be.
ing Immediately south of Turkistan, a re-
Gently acquired Russian territory and exact
ly bordering the northwest line of the Brit
ish Punjaub, forms kind of buffer or neu-
tral land between the domain of England
and her asiatio rival Russia.
Fts letter country Is aGvious OF possess
ing Afghanistan, her governors ever since
the repulse at SebastOpol have turned their
attention towards securing this key to the
land entrance of India. Hindostau is i'm
pregnable on the north being bounded the
full length of that line by the highest table
land and mountains in the world, from the
plateau of Pamir, the Hmalayas, to the
western confines of China. The only en-
trance to India, .lie richest country of Asia |
is by Afghanistan.
In view of the probable hostilities be- |
tween England and Russia perhaps the |
best method of forming Judgment upon
what may be the outcome, is to consider |
the conditions that influence the rivalry of |
these two nations and how they are indiyi !
nally fitted in a military sense for protrac.
ted continental war.
Russia, financially speaking, is bankrupt.
Her paper is refused at London, Paris, and
and is taken at the Berlin
Boerse only at great sacrifice. A Russian
var credit would fall flat on the European
money market to-,lay. With the greatest
lifficulty only, successful Muscovite cam
,aign could be maintained in Western
Asia. Even with II railroad within two or
hree hundred miles of Herat, the difficulty
If maintaining connections along the thou
and miles of read through barren steppe
o the Caspian, which is the base of sup
lies, would be as troublesome as Lord
Volseley found his connections either at
'uakim OF Korti Did the Russians enter
Afghanstan they would find themselves
mOng a people who hate the White Tsar
nth fiercer enmity than the Arab does the
lnglishman.
The Mussulman Of India and his co-relig.
1nst Of Aighanistan and Beloochistan,
espite the Anglphobist clies, well under
Tan and appreciate the tolcration that Mo
ammedanism receives in India from the
lnglish. They fear the intluenco Of the
Ireek church, its proselytizing and Russian
ling. The Russian commander in The step
es Of Turkistan cannot rely on the unbro- :
en- friendliness ofthe Tartar hordes whose (
OWNS and villages he has only so lately in
lolated in the most barbalous manner
hould tue Russians suffer any critical de-
'at a safe retreat to the Caspian by way of
urkistan cannot be relied on, for trcachery
nd above all vengeance is their creed. The c
artar of the steppes is a match any day for a
is partially civilized descendant the Co.'S I
lck of the Don, and the latter is the light ,
Ivalry whose duty it will be to maintain
'nnectOns and protect the advance of the
vading Russian army with its long train
supply and treasure wagons I
Russia has plenty of soldiers. A million '
eu at arms could readily be raised out of G
II $4,000, 900 Sclavs. But the trouble is as (
money matters. Black bread and dried {
getables is all the food the Russian soldier fl
IT'S, but even that costs something. This b
rye army has 10 be transported 1000 miles u