The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-01-11
FOR THE new MOVEMENT
An Interesting Series OF Historical,
and Other Bright
Sketches.
ENEMIES ARE SURROUNDING ENGLAND
! Those Matters Must Be Taken Into Con-
sideratton by ireland's
Friends.
Continued from last weekly

.
Continued from last weekly
In the history of the Turco-R Russian
war. by Prof. Schun, it IS aid Russia and
England are opposed to each other on all
questions to the East, because they are
rivals for trade and dominion there. The
political and commercial relations of
either nation are SO closely connected
with every part Of Asia that hardly a
question can arise with reference to any
part of the continent that will not affect
the interests Of one or the other of them,
and often bring them into conflict, and
the time IS looked forward to as possibly
not far distant, when the pioneer armies
of the two states shall meet to dispute
the boundary line. 1t is chiefly by rea-
son of these circumstances that the East
ern question has acquired greater i'm
pDrtance fro England and Russia at this
time q878} than it ever had, even during
the Crimean war. For it is since then
that Russia stretched so far towards the
East that it's continued advance can be
regarded as involving q definite threat
to the integrity Of the British empire, and
what was then only 9. vague question Of
general influence and of events which
might take place n a distant future has
become for England an intensely practi-
cal problem Of the safety Of it's Indian
empire. The question is all the more
imomento'ls for England, because it's ten
ure of India is in reality very frail. Its
900 or more colon:sfs in India are only
as drop in bucket by the side Of 245,-
100000 of the native and MOhammedan
population; and all the armies it could
pour into the country would be insult
ficient to repress an :nsurrection support
ed by such able and skilled leaders as
they possess of both races
The British has 4 foretaste Of the d:f-
ficulties they would encounter in case Of
such an instruction in the mltiny Of
1857, and have since then constantly Civ
en- their best attention to the provision
of measures that would render It impos-
sible for a rebellion to gain Roadway.
The best of rleaures would be futile if a
powerful neighbor we're ON the frontier,
ready, for the sake of promoting it's own
Interests, to stir up discomfort and give
assistance to a revolt. Russia, it Is
feared, might become such neighbor.
Within the last fifteen years (this was
written sixteen years ago. Russia has ac-
Quired a dominion in Central Asia AS large
as the Austrian and German empires and
Belgium combined, and has founded lines
Of trade which extend away into the west
ern provinces of China and almost to the
borders Of British India itself. It's man
ufacturers and merchants control the
markets OF this vast region. It's goods
come into competition with those of Eng
land, and In some places have crowded
them out. 1t is fixing the settlement of
Its new territories, establishing civiliza-
t1oQl, replacing the n0mad:c and preda-
tory occupations OF it's former inhabitants
with steady Industries and enlightened
enterprises, and is preparing the deserts
to become the seats of prosperous states:
but in doing all this it is strengthening
itself effectually at all points where it
might come in the way of it's rival. Eng
land. At present the Russians are under
stood to have their eyes fixed on Merv,
IN important trading post in Southeastern
Turkestan, about equally distant from
Afghan and Persian boundary lines and
an easy march from Herat in Afghan
lstan
Now of what Importance is Herat?
Let two English writer's inform us. The
bearing of the Russian advances of Brit
ish interests in the East is clearly set
forth in Mr.. Rawlinson's "The British in
Asia" published in 1875, which carefully
reviews the question in all its points.
Speaking Of the movements of the Rus
sians which seemed to indicate a pur-
pose to advance towards Merv, he says
they evidently mean mischief. "Polit-
zeal Objects of high import, could alone
justify the movement. These necessa-
rily point to Herat. which would he at
the mercy OF a European power holding
Merv, and whence India would be seri-
ously threatened Herat possesses nat
nral advantages of quite an exceptional
character. 1t is the frontier town be-
tween Persia and India. 1t is connected
by high roads with the capitals Of all the
surrounding countries, lying in an admi-
rable climate. and situated in the midst
OF one of the fertile and populous valleys
In Asia. Above all, the city is sur
rounded by earthworks OF the most colos-
sal character, dating from prehistoric
times. Russia. in possession of Herat
would hold grip on India, which would
control the military resources of Persia
and Afghanistan. and would oblige the
English to increase their frontier army
by at least 10000 men. 1t is the pivot OF
the whole Eastern question and is the
key to India" Prof. Schun adds: The
Importance which the British have at
tached TO the freedom of Herat is shown
by the fact that they sent an expedition
to the Persian gulf in 1883, in order, by
effecting diversion to compel the Per-
slams to raise the siege OF Herat, and
later, when the Persian troops occupied
the place in 1856, went to war with the
Shah to compel their withdrawal Eng
lish writer's acknowledge that Russia
has gained advantages over their states
men in negotiations, both with the Ash
atics and with the British government
itself, and blame the laundering and
hating diplomacy which has permitted
such a. result"
Capt. Burnaby. Of the British Horse
Guards, says, in his Ride to khiva,'
that ne found the Russian advance
talked about by the Tartars and Turco-
mans of Khiva. and relates a conversa-
ton he had with the Khan of Khiva, in
which that chief spoke of the Russian
advance and seemed to be little sur
prised that the English regarded it with
so much unconcern WELL said the
Khan, "the Russians will now advance
to Kashgar, then to Bokhara and Balkh,
and soon on to Merv and Herat; you will
have to fight some day, whether your
government likes it or not" What these
English writer's predicted as a dangerous
proba bility sixteen Or twenty years ago