The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-05-08
THE ENGLISH RETREAT.

Juos as the Russians began this advance
The English determined to retire from Al
ghanistau, which they had for some years
held by strong bodies Of Troops, The plan
was greatly objected to by the arIny and
those in position to understand the sit
uation, hpt the Government paid no at-
tentiol to theif responsiveness and the
English army MARCHED away, The Rassians
improving tie opportunity by inlpstfi-
ousiy spreading reports that the English
had been driven away by the fear Of the
Russians. A short peace left the russians
time to organize their new possession,
when they again assumed the aggressive.
The territory hetYRen Askabad and Herat
is largely composed OF deaeFt gltha few
rivers that lose themselves In the sands,
and an occasional oasis. One OF the most
fertile GASES is that OF the Alerv, situated
about halfway between the Russian from;
tier as It then Fss spd the acknowledged
border Of Atghanistaa, hpt Hsnine|ly IN
der the government OF the Amcer. Fhe
frontier ttlssians went at once to work to
create Russian party at Aierv, and soon
succeeded 30 farin theifpuFp0ae Is 10 indpce
the people OF Merry 10 allow Russian trad
ers 10 enter the oasis, ostensibly for the
purpose Of carrying on commerce, when
the very tirst caravan was accompanied
Information 81 {lie oasis E ] ali So tt;ciepii2
accurate sketches Of the deienses and for
titications 81 tie place TO enable Rus
sian afmyto. take Il almost by surprise in
1882 u st at this time the Egyptian cues
tion was exciting q good deal OF attention
in EareBa, and the interest taken it in by
the English govcFAseps was deeply re-
scnted by Rnssia, who, pot egageiy ina
that the English would give up a country
that they had eyeS ogce occupied, began
TO cast about f6r the means pt 'Fetsl tastis9p.
The oppartpnjH was found in Aighanis,
tan. itneyef has hepn o secret that the
Russian Government Is determines some
day TO have ntinople, aud has found
England to be the principal opponent to
her ambition in this direction. Still the
Russians haye Riweyg hS1 a hope that
when The decisive moment sstas. ise
interference Of England might be prevent,
edo BY sllogtRg TIE annexation OF
Esypt'to the British kmpira. When the
Russian Government found, therefore,
that the English Cabinet had forestalled
them and actually taken possession OF
Egypt yttboAt thejr advice or assistance,
they. proceeded TO regent thS Sffart by
making an advance In the direction 81
india. n Central Asia . ptetext Tor doing
anything Is seldom lpng wanting, and 9
trivial quarrel between elg FcstS vas
made the pretext for a further advance Of
inc Russian troops into the borders Of
Afghsnist4a. H. eFder that this might be
done with some 9ppesF snecs II right Q
quarrel had already been opened With the
Shan Of Ferssa, WIG undertook to spbdne
some border troubles on biz own teFritarY
when. the Russians forbade him to do It,
claiming that the territory belonged to
them. Thrs both the Amer Of Afghanis.
tan and fhs shsh u PsEsis were bnllied
into acaniescenee ior The fine beiaa and
the Russian army occupied hot only 9ery,
towhich Russia lad not Q sshlssaog q claim,
but the entire oasis. 8 "a
gIl .,,,N,.,l s..,s. ket,at.n,t k,a