Year: 1878




With regard to the relations of England
and Russia in countries contiguous 10
England's Indian Empire British poll
ticians are still, as they have always been,
divided into two classes One class has
always treated the notion that Russia could
ever become source of uneasiness to Eng
land in India as the madness of visionaries,
and the other has ever been ready with an
array Of significant facts to prove that the
danger, though not Immediate, was one
that only constant watchfulness could guard
against. In the arguments of the first the
distances have always figured for great
DEAL as have also the other physical OBJ
stacles-the uncertainty Of the supports
that the northern foe must depend upon
and the sufficieacy of England's military
resources in the East. Naturally these will
deem the last point as greatly strengthened
by the showy compliment which the govern
ment recently paid to its colored soldiery
in bringing few of them to Europe; for
there are people who imagine that that
ridiculous feat of transportation proves the
fitness of the Hindoos to fight the Russians.
But those who have thought that 1t was un-
wise to belittle the dangers of Russia's
proximity to India have always pointed to
the constant and regular progress OF her
advances in that direction; to her success
in overcoming the repugnance to her su-
premacy of the barbarian potentates in her
path; to the fact that she is no longer re-
mote from India in military sense, and to
the fact. above all, that if it should come to
hard fighting England is much the most
remote from the scene Of conflict, since the
fighting material would have to go from the
British Isles. 1t would in fact, be as
idle for England to try to fight
Russia with Hindoos as it was for
France to put "Turcos" as far
as they went in the field against the Ger
mans Out of Asia there has come into re-
lation with the people of Europe but one
really high class fighter. This is the Turk
vet in the recent war the Turks at their
best, with military training and equipped
with the best arms in the world, never
stood any chance at all in open battle
against the Russians; and the Hindoos
would be no more successful against the
coma uerors of the Turks than they were for
merly against the Russians themselves. All
these considerations will be gone over anew
in England now, for the insult to the
British mission at the frontier of Afghanis-
tan will give them fresh interest. Jealousy
of Russian advances and manGuvres In
Afghanistan was what prompted the de-
spatch Of this mission. 1t was held that
England must have from the Ameer an ex-
PLANTATION of the Appearances that seemed to
indicate an excessive good will between him
and the northern enemy; and the sudden
determination Of doubts as to his temper
toward England will confirm the worst
opinions on this point. Does it follow from
this that the collision between the great
Powers in the East, which must come some
day. is now near as hand? Doubtless the
course taken now in Afghanistan is under
Russian impulse; but we do not believe
that Russia proposes to be seen just now in
a war with England. Events will take a
shape that will make them even less easy to
deal with than they would be in that case.
England has been grossly insulted by n
small Asiatic potentate, her neighbor. Her
prestige will require her to punish him.
An expedition will be sent for that
purpose, but its result is not to
be certainly counted upon. England
has found the Afghans troublesome GUS
toners in former conflicts, but the Afghans,
plus the assistance that Russia can secretly
give them, will of course be more trouble
some still, and England might not readily
come out of the difficulty to her satisiac-
ton. Here, then, is the Characteristic way
in which Russia may try the exact limits OF
Engiands capacity for war in India. There
will be no invasion of India, as the British
critics have always counted there would be
in reasoning on this subject. But England
will be excited to invade other States, and
the war SO made will prove an enormous
har