The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-04-17
PREPARATION.

Although, technically, there Ii no war,
Russia has attacked England in Afghan and
slain 500 men. A Russian paper calls 1t Gan
untoward incident" The English govern
ment, while apparently procrastinating to
give It's merchant ships time to get under
cover, organize its war furnishing depart
ments and concentrate Its forces 10 hold "the
gate Of India" affects to believe It was only
an accidental slap In the face which may be
explained; but the English people are not to
be so concilisted or put of with plausible
phrases or the mythical ties Of royal inter-
marriage, and demand more than tame ex-
plantations and hollow diplomatic evssions
for the dire affront that has been put upon
England by Russia; and Russia seems not
laggsrd In reciprocating the pugnaciousness
of Great Britain. While Gar and Minister
and the imperial journal are profuse In pro-
testatiens Of friendship for England and al
lege the massing of troops on the Afghan
frontier Is merely for protection against
Turcoman robbers, the people are tearing
their throats in huzzas for Kamorof, who
Afghans. In the greater event all lesser dis
sensisns seem to have faded into insignif-
cance-even Ireland shows fair loyalty,
and the Gear, who was but recently hiding
TREMENDOUSLY from the Nihilists, mingies
among his subjects and hears with joy their
loud cheers Of devotion. When the people
of both Empires are so clamorous for war, il
is almost beyond the power Of rulers or min
isterial newspapers, If they would, to repress
or sppease them. At most, in this instance,
II is like smothering volcano that sooner or
later will burst forth furiously to wither,
devastate and destroy; and Europe, aside
from the nations directly involved, seems to
consider this, while Bismarck is still vigor-
Gus and Germany is the great central con-
trolling power, an opportune time for the
Lion and the Bear 10 have out their inevita-
BILE conflict.
Leaving out the remembrance of the Cri-
mean humiliation, Russia will never rest
content until her standards foat over port
on the Southern sea. The eternal winter Of
the north cripples her commerce and curbs
her power. England will never permit that
acquisition and the menace to her Indian
possessions except at the end Of q gigantic
war In which she has been worsted. Thus
stands the case, and by the geographic con-
ditons the field where this great world
struggle is to begin, II not end, is in the
mountains Of Afghan, whose people hate the
English as cordially as they detest the Rus
sian, and yet who will for the time serve
either, As they are bribec or compelled by
the circumstances of armed occupation.
Nominally, for the time, they are friendly to
England and the fact that while holding .
British outpost Afghan troops have been
overwhelmed by Russians, will 60 far to-
ward necessitating England to avenge the
affair. While not q very important people
outside Of 1t, their alliance Is essential to
the security Of forces occupying Afghanistan,
and no honeyed words of diplomacy will
reconcile that semi-civilized people to Eng
land If she fails to resent the Pendjeh de-
feat. The Afghans number five million
souls; they are warlike, constituencies,
cruel and treacherous Are known to the
nations as "birds Of prey" but they have in
tense national pride and will not be made to
see why England should not instantly pour
out oceans Of blood and treasure to avenge
the Russian outrage On sacred Khorassan.
Thus enforced by cumulative circumstan-
ces, 1t seems impossible that war can be
averted by the Gladstone government with
out wrecking itself and perhaps the empire
of Britain In India. 1t means q gigantic
war, the lavish outpour of life and treasure,
dire disaster to commerce and foreign trade
perhaps the loss of India. But England
is committed to the policy and nothing less
than an unmistakable back down Dy Russia
can relieve her from declaring the affair at
Pendjeh an act Of war.
This is doubtless the universal view Of the
situation. And, while the hours 60 by, in
almost every land in the world men are put
ting on the harness of battle to engage In the
great conflict; foundries and sbipya ards, arm
cries and manufactures of munitions are
worked to their utmost capacity; the marts
Of the world are ransacked for provisions,
and the navies for ships, and the world
stands with bated breath waiting in almost
certain expectancy for the three sanguinary
words that thousands Of wires will carry with
lightning speed to the uttermost shores:
"War Ia declared"