Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-03-15
RUSSIA SEEKS
MORETROUBLE
o. Petersburg starts Talk Of War
with England After the Japanese
Have Been Wiped Out.
ON THE INDIAN FRONTIER
Sending In Guns and Getting Ready
for Another Struggle and
Afohanlstan Are Needed.


Af0hanlstan Are Needed.
st. Petersburg, March 15.-Russia
Is steadily reinforcing her military
strength, both in men and guns, in
the direction of the Indian frontier.
Sensational rumors Of the dispatch Of
achievements for Russian Turkestan
were current two months ago. but
they were denied. The Associated
Press is now in position to affirm
their truth, on the authority Of trav-
eler of unimpeachable veracity, who
has Just arrived from Tashkend, and
who was personal witness Of the
military activity on the recently COM
pleted Orenburg-Tashkend and other
strategic railroads through Merv to
Krasnovodsk. Troops, guns, and mu-
nitions of war have been moving
southwark for two months. Between
the middle Of January and the mid.
die of February Sc military trains.
mostly carrying artillery, arrived at
Tashkend.
The guns were mostly sent from
Merv, whence a purely military line
runs to Kursk. The traveller in ques-
ton was informed, although he had
no personal knowledge on the point,
that Russian troops had crossed the
Pamirs, through Terek pass, and gar
risoned Kashgar. The Orenbrug-
Tashkend railroad was so crowded
that the traveller was forced to re.
turn by way of Krasnovodsk.
The Associated Press informant
states that the greatest secrecy is OBJ
served. Travellers, who are rare,
must be provided with special per-
mits from the minister of war, and
kept under the closest surveillance.
The baggage of this traveller was
twice seized and searched, although
his papers were regular. It is most
significant that local officials have
been ordered not to permit English.
men to travel in Russian Turkestan,
and captains on the Caspian have been
forbidden to allow Engllshmen to land
on the eastern shores. At Krasnovod-
SIX, the informant Of the Associated
Press was told that two English Off
GERS, who had been travelling in dis
guise, are languishing in prison.
Speaking generally the Associated
Press informant said that the great
est tranquility prevailed in the Turk
estan region. At Bokhara there were
only vague rumors that war was in
progress, and absolutely nothing was
known regarding political develop
ments in European Russia. The on
ly explanation of the renewal of Rus
sias military activity there is that it
probably is a demonstration to i'm
press Afghanistan.
The Associated Press is unable to
obtain any official admission here
that any unusual military movement
is in progress, the statement being
made that If the guns were going
south it was simply an ordinary oper-
alton in the way of shifting troops,
but an officer of high Russian po-
sition made this statement:
Russia has not any designs on In
dia, as England is so fond of alleg-
ing. II 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 vital interests
as she, nor can we Russians get over
the idea that, sooner or later, con-
flict with our traditional enemy is in.
evitable, and we realize that our on
ly path to victory lies in the direction
of India.
without going back to Lord Cur
IONS bombastic proclamations or any
thing prior to the war, and out of con
sideration for the manner in which
she sought to embarrass and discred
it us in it's prosecution, we recall
what Great Britain has done in Asia
since the outbreak of hostilities, and
ask whether Russia would not be
justified in making counter-mOve
to Younghusband's expedition to Thib
ct, which was in direct violation Of
Great Britain's solemn assurances tc
us. Younghusband, you will remem
Der, negotiated a treaty which sc
ClOScIy dpPAOoNAOA q PAOSONSOAWSO w
er Thibet that the British government
was obliged to administer public re
buke to him. Then Lord Kcithener's
scheme for the reorganization of the
Indian army blossomed, and a social
ed commercial expedition was sent t.
Persia. The son of the ameer of AT
ghanistan was next brought to Bonn
bay. Then pressure was put upon Tur
key to settle the Alden Hinterlant
question, and now there is a projec
. to autonomize Arabia. Great Britain
has been making hay while the SUI
shone. But Russia cannot hold he
hands, and see Thibet and Afghanis
tan converted into 'bhutans' or 'nep
ais nor Persia placed completely un
der British influence. have N
knowledge of what, if any. steps hav'
been taken in Turkestan, but Grea
Britain will find Russia is not so en-
crossed or helpless as to be oblig
ed to relinquish border states to he
mercy without a struggle"
Lights and Side Lights.
Auto Victim-NO, I don't know hi
identity: but I know that he was