The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-03

Three Detachments OF Russian Troops In
trenchcd In the Panir ReeIon-Enxisnd
ma China Jointy Interested In the DC.
cupied Tcrritory-Thc British Foreign
once stirred Up Over the Encroachment.
LONDON. Aug. "a despatch to the Times
from Calcutta says that three detachments OF
Russian troops have occupied the Pamir
region. ms far as the Hindoo Koosh. holding
the country from which Col. Yanoff OF the Rus
sian army retired last year. This news excitos
considerable interest. and 1t is believed that
the sudden activity is due to the success Of
Mr.. Gladstone In tho elections and a convic-
tion at ST. Petersburg that Mr.. Gladstone will
not be IS active az Lord Salisbury In obstruct-
ing Russian aggression.
The aggression Of tho Russians hna caused
much stir ut the Foreign Office. and 1t Is said
TINT Lord Salisbury is actively engaged upon
tho matter. The chief sufferers by tho present
Russian aggression are China and Afghan
istun. China is perhaps the larger loser. and
her history in central Asia shows that there is
no part Of her empire in regard to which she
is more sensitive than Central Asia. or for tho
retention of which she is more willing
to persistcntly fight. Afghanistan will
also DO considerable loser. and here
the obligations of Great Britain come into
play The Russians are practically trying to
substitute n southern hcadwater Of the Oxus
for tho more northern one agreed to rs the
denarcAtng line in 1873. and to enclose the
immense tract intervening between the two
rivera 10 this crent ABSORPTION OF territory.
chiefly Mt the expense OF China, they have
added n further cncroachment on Afghnnis stan
by drawing II geograp phi "al line across Bad kh-
shan and claiming as their own tho territory
which lies north OF 1t up to the line OF the OXus
agreed to in 1873
1t is scarcely necessary to repeat that a
Wholesale annexation of this sort can be per-
mitted neither by China. nor Afghanistan. nor
lasscs of tho Hindu Kush. and thus bring
themselves into almost direct contact with the
Hunza md oth Ter tribes subiectto kashmir and
rs such entitled to British rejection and I'M
der British control. Tho object Of the expedi-
ton on the part of Russia is believed to be to
for some time put forward. and which Col.
lanoff last year cndeavored to assert by ad-
vancing southwark from tho demarcating line
agreed to in 1875 That line followed pretty
Oxus. 1t left Budakhshan. including its north
eastern angle of SILVA. within the Afghan ter.
ritories or dependencies. 1t also ran north Of
The territorial claims to this region were
left an open question. and tho regio itself was
and neutral zone between the territories or
dependencies Of Russia on the north. Afghan
istan on the south. and Chinese TurkestRn on
tho east. The eastern part OF it was under
stood to belong in loose way to Eastern
Turkcstan. Whom China put down the Mo-
hammedan uprising and regained her ascend
ancy in Eastern Tur kestan about fourteen
to the eastern border OF the Alichur Pamir
within the supposed neutral zone. The claims
now put forward by the local Eussian officers
actual facts of Chinese possession OF or Chi
nese suzerainty over this tract