The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-02-26
LATEST LONDON CABLE.
The Central Asian Question Ovid
ing Interest With the War.

ing Interest With the War.
The following Associated Press ca
blegram was received in San Francis |
co half an hour before the Rio de ia
metro left the wharf and sent in care |
of the purser to the Advertiser. It ao-
peared that afternoon in journals
which will arrive here by the next
Coast steamer:
LONDON, Feb. 17.---What is known
in Great Britain as the Central Asian
peril once more obscures the pacific
international aspect of affairs. AS
viewed by the Man-in- the-Street, the
definite news shows that in spite of
denials, Russia has advanced a strong
force within striking distance of Her
at, and whether she intends this as
a distinct demonstration against At
ghanistan or merely as a blind to draw
off attention from or ultimately assist
her objects in the Persian Gulf, is
merely matter of surmise. Whatever
all this really means, large portion
of the British public and press is de-
voting serious attention to that time
worn bugbear, the menacing shadow
of the bear. Though Lord Salisbury
refused to discuss the question in the
House of Lords, the Associated Press
is able to give the opinions of British
Government officials, which, in the
| main, are those of Lord Salisbury, up
on this latest development But, first
| OF all, it will be well to say that no ac-
ton has yet been taken or decided on
| by the British. Weeks ago the report
| OF a Russian advance was circulated.
and when questioned on the subject
the Russian ambassador assured his
dear friends in Downing street that
the reports were exaggerated. 1t was
nothing but annual maneuvers he ex-
planned, and least of all was it intend
ed as menace. In fact, it was so be-
| Titled fy this diplomat that the Brit
lsh offlclals had no other alternative
but to believe the reports were practi-
caliy untrue, especially as Russia, in
conjunction with every other Euro
pean power, had, a few weeks previous,
formally assured Lord Salisbury that
sne mad not the fajntest intention of
Fronting by Great i itain's embarrass-
ment In South Africa by pressing out
stanc,ng claims or interfering in any
way News from Central Asia trickles
into England slowly, but this week
there Ctme from many sources infor-
ION 81 wing that Russia's Embas-
fita' to put it mildly, misled Lord
l. .isburS, and the Foreign. Office
Wednesday last had to bring itself up
with {. sharp turn to the realization
that the Central Asian situation de-
manded immediate attention. Yet
what To- n such attention will take
constitutes dilemma, on the horns of
which the British Government is still
perched. Details of the proceedings on
the borders of Afghanistan are still
lacking and are likely to be for some
time. As high official said To \ rem
resentatiye of the Associated press
II we politely suggest to the Russian
EN- 0assador that a further explanation
Is IN order we are sure to get the same
friendly assurances that it does not
amount to anything. If we address, a
formal, stringent protest to st. Peters
burg, we deliberately cast doubt or
Russia's practically spontaneous dec