Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-29

 war munitions with which to equip the hill tribes of northern India. Of these there are 15,0O0,Oo0 or 20,000,O00, and the whole country could easily be set ablaze The Himalayas afford fruit. ful field for revolt. The whole of India has hitherto been kept under English subjection through the inability of the natives to equip themselves with mod ern implements of warfare.
 ''The time was that such equipment could reach the Indians through the iseaports, but since England has con- ItroIled in India she has so jealously guarded the ports that all equipment
 for warfare has been excluded from the country. The transcaspian road, over which travelled for a distance of 2,OOO miles, is essentially a military road. Every man employed upon it is soldier. Projected in a direct line, as it will be extended, it will nearly cross Tibet and will be aimed at the heart of China It Is of greater strategic impor- tance than the transsiberian road. Up- on the latter I travelled as the only American passenger on the first through train from Moscow to Irkutsk, dis tance of 4,300 miles. Since then the line has been completed its full length of 6,2OO miles to Vladivostok. E II had visited China nearly twenty years ago, and it was to gratify per sonaI curiosity as to exact conditions fD central Asia that I made the trip in Russia, extending it into Siberia as far as the road had then been completed. In the event of war Russia, without doubt. will convert the transsiberian
 rs,ad into a military highway OveI which to transport men, munitions of war and supplies to the far east. Or every verst (two-thirds of mile) the
 entire length of the road there is guard, and with such complete sys- tenn of protection interruption of traffic would not be easily accomplished. And If war were in progress every man enn- ployed on the line would be soldier. Already large numbers of Russian troops have been transported to the probable theater of war over this line.
 Japan could only hope at best to se- cure briefly temporary advantage, for in the end Russia will accomplish her aim. Even If the powers combine against her they cannot drive her out of Russia, and they cannot prey upon her commerce, for she has none open to attack. Russia is rich in resources and Is self contained. She can manufa cture her own guns and munitions of war, and when foodstuffs are considered it should be remembered that she exports almost as much grain as the United States.
 Tt is probably wide of the truth, to assume there Is no sympathy between Russia and China. Should war come, however, and China assume an attitude unfriendly to Russia it is highly proba- ble that Russian army would prompt ly occupy Picking, or 1t might be done with the consent of China.
 'sEnglishmen living in Russia with whom came in, contact speak with inn patience of English official misconcep- ton of Russia's purposes and assert that there is in fact real community of interest between England and Rus sia and not the natural antagonism SO frequently assumed. Russia's purposes, broadly Interpreted, present no cause for conflict, and if the problems now presented are viewed in a rational light and settled upon 8 broader, higher plane than that of mere commercialism 1t will make for universal peace for many centuries. But Russia is schooled in the arts of diplomacy, and the hand of England pushing Japan to the con
 1ict is ill concealed. Once war begins, England will expect that the United States will take hand"