The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-26
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England In the Orient.


nized as an authoritative speaker on
Oriental affairs. 1t is intended frankly
for the nlan in the street" and is not
quite so profound CT so technical as the
authors previous work. Overland 20
China" 1t deals more with material
things and rather less with international
relations.
st the same time the book is meant to
further Mr.. ColGuhoun's purpose to make
the general public so acquainted with the
tendencies and influences at work in the
East that positive and definite foreign
policy will be demanded by the English
people, and eventually be secured. He
says in his preface:
There many who ridicule the idea OF such
IN impending struggle (the struggle Tor Asjd).
DO they base their confidence the pacific in
tenilons of Russia. or on the impregna5il!ty OF
all other nations with whom she l. likely TO dis
rGte the possession Of Asia? In either case tie
history of the past throws a significant light
on the possibilities Of the future The advance
Of RusSia-''creeuing bit by bits, in tins
little book. viewed as a whole. and the connec-
tion between the transformation OF the Far East.
especially of China. and the RussiIn advance
toward India through Central Asia, is shown 10
be intimate.
With British Interests in India are closely bound
up the interests Of the whole AnglO-SaNon race,
and. indeed, of many o; the Latin races IS well.
That these interests are in real jeopardy the
writer has endeavored TO make quite pain. II
is possible that the whole question may not
come TO head during the next few years, but are
not bound to ensure, 5 far possible, Tor
those that come after Us the prestige fathers
bequeathod US? At the same time, when
take bird s-oye view of the progress OF Russia
since the time of Peter the Great, when we look
at the maps Of Russia then and ncw-or even the
maps Of sixty years agO-wc may not feel SO
certain OF security even in our own times.
The writer has given the outlines Of a policy,
at once bold and prudent, which alone would.
IN his opinion, meet the eXi:enCies Of the s:tua-
iion. But such policy is likely to be mi
tiated unless the peope-who govern govern
meHts-instruct themselves, become interested,
and demand that measures re taken TO safeguard
the prestige OF the Anglo-Saxon in Asia. II is
q case Of educating our masters.
As great deal of this applies more or
less to the American as well as the Eng
lsh public, American readers should be
particularly interested in Ny. Coiquhoun's
book.
The work is divided into six parts; first,
the historical introduction, in which the
history Of Russian dominion in Asia is re-
viewed; second, detailed description OF
the country and people OF Central ASA;
then, discussion Of the British rule in In
dia, the history OF Afghanistan and Persia.
the present position Of Russia in Central
Asia, and the means which are TO be used
for the defence Of India.
part of the first chapter has to do
with the Russian subjugation OF the
Kirghiz tribes OF Central Asia. Mr.. Col
quhoun points out the fact that every king
dom, principality, OF tribe 10 which Rus
sia has extended protection has eventual
ly been incorporated into the Muscoyite
Empire. 1t is this steady acquisition Of
territory, as exemplified in the swallowing
of Finland, Livonia, Lithuania, part 0:
Poland. BessaI abba, and other countries not
particularly familiar by name to the aver
age person, but nevertheless important
II is this continual and puTposeful aS-
grandizement which is viewed with alarm
by long sighted English statesmen and
diplomats. The author also calls particu-
lar attention to the peculiar performances
of Russia in AfGhanistEn, which in his
opinion indicate bad faith, or something
very like it. He says:
With regard TO the conduct Of Russia in
sending StOlietoff 10 habul, II must be Telneln-
bered that in 1869, and again in 1873, she had
given the most solemn ASSURANCES, which were
repeated from time 10 time, that AfTl@Histdn
should not be tempered with. and that Russian
agents should not visit kabul. In spite OF
this however, Russian officers aid Cossacks, as
has beeen s5id, remaiIsd at kabul for i've
months after the treaty Of Berlin was signed,
and this although NJ dc GieIs, in July, ISIS,
gave assurance 10 the British Ambassador At
ST Petersburg that mo mission had been, or
was .-t-nded to be. seut 10 habul, either by
the Imperial CoyeramCIt or by General k2uii-
mann A month later, when the STATE OF
affairs could no longer be concealed (as &C
counts Of the progress Of the mission were &C
tuRlly appearing IN the Russian press DC
GieTs informed the British Charge d Alaires that
"eycrythng had been stopped; the political as
well as the military precautions which we
gl4f id "A
-cgtryti.in- has been stopped Nevertheless,
four months later, in a conversation with tie
British Prime Minister, Count ScLGuvaloE casu-
ally observed that, although the Russian envoy
who had been sent to Afghanistan had been re-
called, the Russian mission still remained at
Kabul. Nothing could better illustrate the tne
distinctions which characterize the general policy
OF Russia in Central Asia, where, 10 quote Prince
Dolgoroukoff. ''slavish sIbjcctiCn and arbitrary
force reign from top 10 bottom, and throughout
there is developed III formidable propoi tons the
official lie-the lie erected into a political in
stitution" Under all The circum
stances 1t is apparent that Russia's action in
Central Asia at that time is not TO be viewed
s0ely in the light Of precautionary measures,
in case Of hOstilitics with Great Britain. In
reality, the Tsars Government saw chance 70
male another step forward in the direction Of
India and they did not Lose the opportunity
Mr.. Colquhon also sees fit to criticise Mr.
Gladstone for his action in letting Afghan
fstan 90 after 1t had been won in revenge
for the murder Of Cavagnari. He seems to
consider Gladstone the "craven- hearted
pilot" of the British Ship of State which
some other Observers of international al
fairs have considered him.
Another point which this author makes
IS in connection with the occupation Of
Herat. He points out that Russian pres
ence in that city would be exceedingly bad
for British prestige in India. and he says
fatty and frankly that the time has gone
l -.-ha Epu raj a
attention to Russian pledges which are, he
AYERS, given merely for diplomatic pur-
poses. and rot in good faith; and that il IS
high time for England to have definite
and aggressive policy against Russian ad-
yancements II she wishes TO retain control
of India and her present position in the
world.
After this frank statement OF the dan
gers Of Russian occupation OF Central Asia
in the vicinity Of the northern frontier OF
British territory, he describes the peoples
who inhabit this territory. and his ac-
count Of the KirghiZ is extremely inter-
esting. Their country, as he says, quoting
the Great Tsar. Is 'the key and gate 10 all
the countries Of Asia and they, with the
Kalmucks, have besn partially assimilated
by the Russians within a comparatively
rhort time. There Is something rather
fascinating about the mixture OF Asiatic
md European life, barbaTism and ciyiliza-
lion. described by him as existing in these
Central Asian towns. 1t is utterly unlike
lnything which has yet cote into Euro
yesif iir-s-ttiis s..-.- -->->zzs-.--S-'sHt "h''
ihese regions are opened up TO the roman
lie novelist, It may be discovered that all
material for fiction has not been used even
In this blase period. This is the way the
people OF Central Asian cities live when
they are most at home:
The native houses Of the better class in Tash-