The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-09
AID FROM AMERICA
ENGLISHMEN THINK PERNTCrOus
ACTIVITY OF GERMANY MUST
BE RESTRAINED
PERSIAN GULF STORM CENTER
Incident at Koweyt Is Exciting
Widespread DisapprovaI in Lon
don-Status Quo Is in Dam
ger OF Rupture.
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
LONDON, Feb. S-Englishnen are ask
ing how long it will be before themselves
and Americans will have to fight side by
side to repress the pernicious activity of
Germany
The situation in the Persian Gulf TODAY
where the war cloud may burst into an
actual tempest at any moment is the di-
rect outcome of the ignoring by Germany
and Russia of British rights in Koweyt
and Oman
Inc action of Turkey in demanding Of
the Sheik of Koweyt that he make obei-
sance to his suzerain, or in other words
comply with the demands of Germany,
made through the porte, meets with gen
era1 disapproval here.
is considered that both Germany
and Russia could have adopted more
diplomatic methods in securing access to
the Persian Gulf for their railway ter
mlnal than by sending warships to
reeonnoiter or threaten.
koWeyt has for some time been under
a British protectorate and also Muscat
or Oman. The present need Of Russia
ana Germany for termini in this local
itys would appear to be the result of
plans long since considered which could
have been presented for British sanction
through the foreign office
There is a. decidedly uneasy feeling
here concerning the present state of af-
falrs in the Persian Gulf and there IS
talk of modelling the Indian army at
once, in which case it is likely that
Lord Roberts would, for patriotic rea-
sons, be requested to postpone his re-
tlrement and accept the command Of
the Indian army
It has been with the present situation
IN view that the British Indian govern
ment has established it's great military
frontier for Northwestern India. This
mas been done by the Incorporation Of
the mountainous districts lying north If
Baiuchlstan between the Indus and the
Afghan frontier in one province, under
the direct control of the Central Cow
eminent of India, and was political as
well as military measure
One Eye on Russia.
This new military province covers the
Northwest frontier and constitutes the
| 1lrst line Of the defense of India against
| a possible invasion by a Russian ar
my The thanking defenses are Kashmir
on the north, which is practically a
| BRUSH province, and Baluchistan in the
south, which boasts the formidable fort
| ress of Quetta.
| me old policy of the Indian government
! toward the frontier tribes has been TO-
! tally reversed. Instead Of the proyoca
ton methods which kept these semi-ciy-
! 1llzed people in a constant state of alarm
and made them permanently hostile to
! the government of India, there is a cor
DIAL understanding with them and thew
are treated as allies or feIlowsubiects
by the Indians who come up from
| PeshaWur
Inc Afghans and Kabulese who form
the bulk Of the tribesmen are all war
Ike and will fight to lie last man -
preserve the integrity Of their country.
1t is by encouraging this iaea of in
dependence among them that the British
have secured their outposts in a way that
enables them to economic greatly in the
matter of frontier troops.
A Russian army marching on India
through Afghanistan must reckon with
these guerrilla troops, of whom thew
would find not less than 100000, desperate
fighters and armed to the teeth as the
British authorities would very promptly
see.
The positions of Muscat, Koweyt ANA
Bunder Abbas, to where the Russians
want to build railroad, are all consid-
cred strategic points from which move
ment could be made on India Tne
northwestern frontier having been made
practically impregnable by the British
Indian government it is now surndsed
that 1tussia seeks a means of getting at
India by sea-
Her present scheme is to run a line
from the trans-CaSpian railway at Merry
to Meshed and then south to Bunder Alb
bas This would bring the railway with
in a few miles of Herat, the key to India
1t would give Russia the opportunity of
holding her thumb on the latch of India 8
back door. while, if she controlled the
route to Bunder Abbas, she would have
her paw on the front door latch also. Ii