The Washington times., 1901-07-29
6ircuratton statement.
The Afghan Peril.


Some days ago we took occasion to
comment on the sudden awakening of
the British Government to a new dan
ger, involved in the hostile attitude and
suspicious movements of Abdurrahman
Khan, Ameer of Afghanistan. Until re-
Gently 1t was believed in Downing
Street that the Ameer was heart and
soul with England, and was increasing
his .rmy and buying up-to-date small
arms and artillery in order to be pre-
pared for a Russian advance by Herat
upon his territory, should such a thing
occur. London opinion held that the
stronger the buffer State could render
itself against the Muscovite advance in
Central Asia, which might be pressed to
include some or all of Afghanistan if
not checked, the better it would be for
the safety of England's position in In
dia.
Since receiving the despatch on which
we based our remarks. additional infor-
nation is at hand. and ii tends to show
that trouble on the frontier is more inn
minent than the public has guessed. 1t
appears that, as much as month ago,
the British War Office came into pos
session of facts which so greatly
alarmed the government that imme-
diate steps were taken to arrange for
the transfer of seventy thousand troops
from South Africa to India, under COM
mand of Lord Kitchener. Correspond
ents on the other size are displaying
great reserve in what they say on the
subject. Our own London despatch yes
terday contained statement which
may or may not have been inspired by a
desire to avoid anything that might
meet with official disapproval. II was
to the effect that there was no infor-
nation eXtant which would indicate
that the Afghanistan danger suggested
a move on the part or in behalf OF Rus
sia. Abdurrahman may indeed be con-
templating hOstilities against his great
neishbor on his own initiative, and for
his own purposes solely; but we do not
imagine that intelligent students of in
ternational affairs will believe anything
of the kind. The ruler of Afghanistan
is a half barbarian Oriental, it is true
but he is not so lacking in sense as not
TO know that he would simply court de-
Struction Were he to engage in war with
the British Empire single-handed even
at time when ii is tied up as it is in
South Africa. He must be aware that,
at the first serious menace of an in
vasion of India, England would tell the
Beers TO go hang and rush every avail
able man TO the Afghan frontier. OF
course. il would be humihating TO Brit.
ish pride to abandon South Africa after
all the sacrifices that have been made
to conquer the republics and bring
them under the dominion of King Ed
extreme necessity, fer India is vastly
more important to England both intrin-
sically and sentimentally than South
Africa
The political situation in Europe, as
readers OF The Times will infer from
late reports and developments, is grow
ing acute. II it be true that Germany
ciple that they ought 10 stop the Boer
war, the danger that England might
have to submit to such a joint demand
or fight is a serious one. If 1t be true,
also. that Abdurrahman Khan is pre-
pairing for descent upon England's In
dian possessions, the conviction will be
universal in the United Kingdom that
he is prompted by an enemy of the EN-
pire. and that If Great Britain should
have TO face another Asiatic war, it
would be not with a semi-barbarous
Khanate, but, in fact, with one of the
greatest military powers in the world
The conditions to which his Britannia
Majesty's government and realm are
exposed just now are readily seen to be
exceedingly grave and unpromising 1t
is not impossible that British power
and prestige may again be subjected 10
a new and terrible strain before the
first year Of the century shall enc