Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-02
THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE
How England Stops It at
midas Gateway.
LORD CURZON'S POLICY
VIEWS EXPRESSED IN A MAGA-
ZINE ARTICLE.
Com bining the Border Tribes-Govern-
ment of Baluchistan - Possibly a
Lesson for the United States.
BY WILLIAM Z. CURTIS.

PESHAN Oh, lnGld, AldECH - iSV1'
There is no doubt as 10 what Lord Curzon
knows and believes concerning the agrees
sive policy of Russia in Asia. because. short
ly before he was appointed viceroy oil India
he wrote an article on that subject for
London magazine. which Is stiii what cd
itors call live matter"
THE supreme interest," he said lies In
the physical fact that 1t uhe northwestern
frontier) Is the only side upon which lndia
has been or ever can be invaded by land,
and In the political fact that 1t confronts a
series of territories inhabited by wild and
turbulent. by independent semi-independ-
ent tribes. behind whom looms the grim fig
ure of Russia, daily advancing into clearer
outline from the opposite or northwest quar-
ter 1t is to protect the Indian empire. its
peoples. it's trades, it's ltboriously establish
cd government and its accumulated wealth
from the insecurity and possible danger
arising from further Russian advance
across the intervening space that the IRON
tier which l am about to describe has been
traced and fortified Politicians OF all
parties have agreed that while the terrific
rial ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Russia is permissi-
BILE over regions where she replaces par
barism even by crude clVllZauon there
can be no excuse for allowing her to take
I'D a position in territories acknowledging
our sway where she can directly menace
British interests in India, or indirectly I'M
pose an excessive strain upon the resources
and the armed strength az our eastern do
minions The guardianship of the frontier
Is, therefore, an act of defense. not of de-
fiance and is an elementary and essential
obligation of imperial craftsmanship
Three Hundred Passes.
Originally 1t was supposed that there
were but three or four passes or cracks by
which this mountain barrier was perforated,
and that If British soldiers only stood senti-
mel at their exits an invader would have no
other alternative but to come down and be
annihilated. Modern surveys. however.
have shown that the number of available
masses is nearer 800 than three, discovery
which has suggested the policy of establish
ing friendly relations with the tribes who
hold them, and thus acquiring an Indirect
control over their western mouths. For
just the main physical feature or the
frontier Is this mountain wall. with Its mar
row lateral Sits, so the main political fea-
ture is the existence in the tracts of country
thus characterized of a succession OF wild
and warlike tribes, owning allegiance to no
foreign potentate, but cherishing an imme-
mortal love for freedom and their native
hills.
1T is only within the last few years that
the extreme north sections of the Indian
frontier. stretching beyond the farthest
limits of Cashmere to the borders OF the
central Asian Pamirs, have been thought
gists. The dispatch of q Russian lightly
equipped mountain column from Turkestan
in this direction in 1878 and the discussion
of this line of advance in every Russian
plan of campaign against India have sug-
gested the ACCESSIBILITY of safeguarding it
against possible attack. although the gen.
eral result of the explorations of Coils. Lock
hart and Woodthorpe in 1SS5-6 and of Capt
YounghSsband in 1889 has been to show
that the Pamir passes. which are of great
altitude and severity, are not available for
serious purposes of invasion. To guard
however. against any evil in this quarter
a political resident has recently been es-
tablished at the important post of Gilgit
the northern capital of Cashmere. with a
garrison from the quota of Cashmere troops
selected for imperial service. This officer
exercises control over the dependent princi-
palities of Chitral, Mastuj Yasin and Hun
Ia, the first Of which are vassals of Cash
mere. while the last named is within the
sphere of British political influence
South of Wakhan the frontier on the
west touches the little known and unex-
plored country of Kafristan. inhabited by
peculiar race of people, who have resisted
contact alike with Afghans and English and
are now one of the few remaining mystic
rtes of the east. Then occurs a mountain
Gus tract inhabited by independent and
sometimes hostile. sometimes semi-alled
tribes, tnhabiting the upper basin of the
Indus. and occasionally necessitating puni-
tive expeditions, though seldom anything
more serious.
AN intervening belt of mountains. some
times over 100 miles in width is held by
these native tribes. whose general attitude
has In recent years become more friendly
toward England than toward Afghanistan
and who are being gradually transformed
into an irregular guard for the frontier of
the indian empire"
Com bining the Border Tribes.
Although the idea of consolda ting these
border tribes into single province with
n adj tot
own directly under the control of the vice
roy was first suggested by the late Lord
Lytton. 1t has been the good fortune of
Lord Curzon to carry it into effect, and it
Is considered one of the wisest and most
notable events of his administration of In
dian affairs ~ "
me new community. which is called the
northwest Frontier Province, was organ
lzed In February, 1901. and takes in the
wide stretch of territory which is described
Dy It's name 1t is directly governed by an
asent 10 the governor general and chief
commissioner, who allow the widest lib
erty and jurisdiction to the local chiefs
consistent with peace and good govern
ment The new system has been working
about three years, and while IL is vet too
early to calculate the results. the Improve
ment already noticed in the condition of
anairs, peace. industry, morals the in
crease or trade and the development of
natural resources justified the expectation
that the semi-barbarous tribes will soon
yield to the influences of civilization and
settle down into Industrious, law-abidine
and useful citizens.
AT least their organization and discipline
under the command of tactful and discreet
Enfish officers gives India a frontier
guard composed OF 10000 or 10000 fearless
lighters, who will be kept on the skirmish
line and prove invaluable from their knowl-
edge OF the country and the mountain trails
In case OF a border war. The military posi-
tion OF England has thus been trengthened
immensely. and when the railways now be-
Ing constructed in that direction are COM
pleted so that regular British and native
troops may be hurried to the support of
the wild and warlike tribes whenever il Is
necessary. a constant cause of anxiety will
be removed and the northwestern frontier
will be thoroughly protected.
The problems connected with the aggres-
stve policy of Russia on the Indian from
tier are very serious from every point OF
view to every Englishman. and whenever
the time comes. If 1t ever does come, the
frontier will be defended with all the DOW
er of the British empire. The aggressive
ness of Russia has been felt throughout
India much more than any one can realize
who has not lived here and come in con-
tact with affairs. II has been like a dark
cloud continually threatening the horizon
IL has disturbed the finances of the coun-
try: IL has entered into the consideration
of every public Improvement. and has, d.
rectly or Indirectly. Influenced the expendi-
ture OF every dollar. the organization OF
the army the construction Of fortifcations
and the maintenance of a fleet