The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-10
MuscOVitss are Sending Men
 to Indian Frontier
ONLY QUESTION OF TIME
High Official Says Russia Cannot Hold Her Hands and See England Act as She Has
 Done.

St. Petersburg March 9.-11I5 a. m.)- Russia is steadily reinforcing her mili- tary strength. both in men and guns, in the direction of the Indian frontier.
 Sensational rumors of the dispatch of endorsements for Russian Turkestan were current two months ago, but they were then denied. The Associated Press is now in position to affirm the truth on the authority of a traveller of unim- peachable veracity who has just arrived from Tashkend and who was personal witness of military activity on the re- gently completed Orenburg- -Tashkend and other stragetie railroads through Merv to Krashnovodsk Troops, guns and munitions of war have been moving southward for two months. Between the middle of January and the middle of February fifty-sx military trains, mostly carrying artillery arrived at Tashkend. The guns were mostly sent from Merv. from whence purely military line goes to Kurosk. The traveller in question was informed although he had no personal knowledge on the point, that Russian troops had crossed the Pamirs, through Terek Pass, and garrsoned Kashgar. The Orenburg- -Tashkend railroad was so crowded that the traveller was forced to return by way of Krashnovowsk.
 Greatest Secrecy Observed.
 The Associated Press informant states that the greatest secrecy is observed. Travellers. who are rare, must be provided
 
 with special permits from the Minister of War. and are kept under the closest sur veillance. The baggage of this traveller was twice seized end searched. although his papers were,V V q. Orders have been issued not to 10. sllshmen travel in Russian Turkestan, a.ld captains on the trans-C Caspian have been forbidden to land Englishmen on the eastern shore At the Krashnovovdslz the informant of the As- sociated Press was told that two English officers who were travelling in disguise are languishing in prison.
 Speaking generically, the Associated Press informant said that the greatest tranquility prevailed in the Turkestan re- zion. At Bokhara there were only vague rumors that a war was in progress, and absolutely nothing was known regarding political developments in European Rus sia. The only explanation of the renewal of Russia's military activity there is that 1t probably is a demonstration to i'm press Afghanistan.
 The Associated Press Is unable here to obtain any official admission that any un- usual military move is in progress, the statement being made that if guns were going south it was simply an ordinary operation in the way of shifting troops. but Russian of high position made the following statement:
 Wants to Be Let Alone.
 Russia has not any designs on India, as England is so fond of alleging. If Great Britain would only let us alone. we would not trouble her, but we are not blind to the manner in which Great Britain has seized the occasion of the present war to buttress all her interests in Central Asia, where we have as vi- tai interests as she: nor can Russians give over the idea that sooner or later, a conflict with our traditional enemy Is inevitable, and we relaize that our only path to victory lies in the direction of India.
 without going back to Lord Curzon's bombastic proclamations, or anything prior to the war and emitting consider alton of the manner in which she mas sought to embarrass and dscredit us in it's prosecution, we recall what Great Britain has done in Asia since the out break of hostlities, and ask whether Russia would not be justified in making counter move to Younghusband's ex- petition to Thibet which was In direct violation of Great Britains solemn as- surances to us.
 ''Yolnghusband, you will remember. ne gotated a treaty which so closely ap- preached q protectorate over Thibet, that the British government was obliged to administer n public rebuke to him. Then Lord Kitchener's scheme for the reorgt. n- izati of the Indian army blossomed. and what was called commercial ex- DC dition was sent to Persia. The son of the Ameer of Afghanistan was next brought to Bombay. Then pressure was put upon Turkey to settle the Alden Him terland question, and now there Is a project for an autonomous Arabia.
 Made Hay While Sun shone.
 "Great Britain has been making hay held her hands and see Thibet and Ar ghanistan converted into Bhutans or Ne pals. nor Persia placed completely un- knowledge of what. if any steps have been taken in Turkestan, but Great Britain will find that Russia Is not so en- grossed or helpless as 10 be obliged to reIinqulsh border states to her mercy without a struggle"
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