Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-04-16

is that the possession OF HencJen is
necessary to the preservation of his
hold on>the road running northward
from Herat through the province of
Afghan Turkestan TO Maimena and
Balkh. Russia would give him that
road and no more. 1t is absolutely
essential to its security that the ameer
should retain the control of the region
on its western flank, which includes
Pendjeh and the Kushk valley. On
the question of Pendieh, as on that
OF Zulfcar and the Robat pass, there
is no room for discussion o. difference
of opinion. Those places form an
integral part of the ameer's dominions,
and apart from their own inherent
value they are most important as con
stituting the natural outworks of
Herat. The Russian troops have not
vet assailed either Pendieh or Khom-
bou. but they are encamped close to
the former place and at Zulficar. We
have frequently pointed out the risk
thus created of a hostile collision, and
we can only repeat that an attack on
either of these places could only be
regarded as an act Of unprovoked ag-
erosion upon the ameer, which we
should be bound to promptly resent
by force of arms.
Those persons who extenuaae the
latest phase of Russian aggression
ignore all the circumstances which
induced the English government to
join with Russia in an attempt To de
limit the Afghan frontier. They pur-
posely overlook the fact that the de-
limitation Of the ameer's boundary on
the northwest was taken up because
Russia, only twelve months ago,
seized Merry ia supreme Indifference TO
her repeated declarations to us That
she had not the least intention Of ap>
prcpriating the Tekke stronghold.
We have no wish to imbitter the
present controversy by dwelling upon
past breaches Of faith, but the sudden
and secret occupation of Merry was an
act that showed how illusory Russian
pledges are. Yet now that Russia,
far from standing still, has within a
year pushed her outposts $50 miles
south of Merv, and to places in AT
we are again asked to con
hde to her honor when she repudiates
all intention of treating Herat as she
has treated the other places on the
Murshab and Herr Rudd. When
Russian troops entered Merry, it was
at once pointed out that the time had
come for definite and decisive policy
with regard to Russian advance to-
ward India. We duly acquiesced in
the seizure Of Merv ON the express
understanding that the frontier of
saoald be clearly mark
ed out, and that the least infractlon
Of this line would be regarded by
England as a casus belli. That course
was adopted by our government, and
to all appearance that of the car also
conceded in its justice and agreed to
participate IN giving ii validity. To
the policy of maintaining the integri-
ty of Afghanistan this country was
not only by a sense of its
own interests, but also by the definite
given to the ameer from
time to time, and particularly IN 1888.
1t is one from which the govern ment
has as has yet shown no sign of de
parting, and. indeed, the least symp.
tom of wayering would be attended
with fatal results to their own exis
tence. They have from every point
Of view q position which is practically
so far as the matter is
one of negotiation. The exchange of
opinions which took place in 1872 5
between the two Governments on the
subject of the Afghan frontier has
been described as no longer binding
on Russia, but the Russian ambassa.-
dor at the court of St James was in.
structed in the spring of 1882 to state
that the st. Petersburg foreign Office
still recognized the validity of the ar
then concluded. This
statement acquired more explicit
value from being followed up by the
declaration of Russia's readiness to
delimit the Afghan frontier from the
Oxus to Sarakhs. How, it may be
asked, can Russia carry out her own
by throwing a loose line
round the Salar and Sarik districts
and Incorporating all the region up to
the Paropamisus2 The Russian acts
now are in fat contradiction of every
thing stated by M. de Giers up to the
the Merry occupation, and there is
every reason TO say that those ex
pressions were repeated still more
after that event had
taken place.
When the English government are
tied down to a policy of maintaining
the integrity of Afghanistan by their
formal representations to Russia and
by the solemn pledges to the ameer,
the Russian government equally
bound themselves to co operate in the
task of delmitiug 'the Afghan front
Ter from Khoiah Saleh to Sarskhs. ?"
In measuring the extent Of the un-
friendly action to which Russia has
resorted within the last two or three
months it is necessary to remember
that the frontier commission was
devised as a means of showing Rus
sla's good faith. and of proving that
the cars conquest of Merry did not
constitute a menace to England as
many persons represented that it
would Nor can we lose sight of the
fact that long before Gen Lumsden