Year: 1878

efforts to lay before him reasons why the
country should not be involved III war
without conference with Parliament, IL must
be regarded us a concession eXtorted from
him at the peril of a break up of the Cabi-
net But it is only formal victory over
the imperial system, for there is 10 good
reason to believe that his majority will be
feebler than it was, Tor the war spirit is q
safe reliance.


England's forces have crossed the Indian
frontier with gallant show and promptly
enough, and in the report OF the first
movements Of the advance the war is pre-
sented in the aspect Of parade or field
day at Aldershott. Unfortunately the pas
sage of any given frontier with the pride,
pomp and circumstance Of military style is
not all there is of war; and partic cularly the
passage of the Afghan frontier in the neigh
borhood of the Khyber could not even ini-
tiate serious hostilities unless the Ameer
were i'll advised or so affiuent in force that
he might wantonly waste it, 1t is not OF
anything like SO much account to have
passed that frontier in this war as it was to
have passed the Danube in 1877 for the
invasion of Turkey, and the invader, after
that passage, was yet very, very far from
the end of his route. But the Moslem
failed there, for he could have gained i'm
portant advantages by fighting at the pas
sage, while the Ameer would have played
into his enemy's hands to have fought
them on the frontier. 1t is therefore not to
be counted as any success to the invaders
to have passed the frontier SO readily and
to have begun the passage with such small
exchanges of fire. 1t is an evidence that
the foe in front of them is alert and well
advised as to the peculiar advantages OF his
position.


Although the expedtionary force seems
small one, it is probable that small force
in good hands and picked for its quality
and condition is the most effective agent
that could be sent upon the errand this
force goes on. Unwieldiness would be the
least fault Of great army in that country,
for the point of supplies is n capital one
and the train necessary for large force
would not only impede its advance to dan
gerous degree, but would reduce its func-





rial. But this is not merely an advance OF
small body OF men of superior race into
| the country of barbarous or saw
age foe. 1t is very different indeed
| from that /; for the Afghans are men
of superior quality, as soldiers, to the men
| that make up three parts Of the invading
| force, and not unequal opponents to the
! Europeans in that force England, there
fore, invades the Ameer's country with a
force numbering about one-third Of the
force at the Ameer's disposal; and the force.
so much the less mum ally--though it is
entitled to great consideration for its quail
ity in virtue of the four or five thousand
men OF the British races in it's adulterated
| with about fifteen thousand Hindoos; so
that. taken altogether, it is inferior in war
| like attributes to the Ameer's army. But it
is, no doubt, far better armed than his
forces are, and the experience and skill Of
| its officers is great point in its favor.
With this war faiey on foot we shall per-
haps see very early and distinct develop
ment of Russia's operations both in ASIA
and near Constantinople. Her relations to
the Ameer of Cabul may be judged some
what in the light of what is reported in our
dispatches to-day Of the transmission to him
| from the Car of sword las pledge of
friendship and unchanging affection to his
| friend and ally" With this gift the Cars
representative, General Kaufman, sent a
| message tha. need not be wrested from its
evident intention in order TO find in it
distinct words of assurance for the
Ameer with regard to the position
| in which he finds himself to-day.


He is assured that Russia 'has always
known how to protect her allies from
the attacks of any enemy, however power
full" and that "whoever sides with Russia
| need not fear that hair of his head will be
| injured = and these words have a reference
| that is certainly not accidental to what was
| known at the time they were sent to be Eng
lands intention. Words of compliment to
barbaric princes are not always to be taken
| literally but when the Russian Emperor
| sends sword to the ruler of Afghanistan
! and treats his country in plain terms as one
| allied with Russia ''for the benefit of AZ
ehans and Russians" it would seem an
inevitable inference that relations hitherto
partially kept secret are to be secret no
longer.


Russia's operations near Constantinople
are dealt with in the communication Of
Count Andrassy to the delegations at Pesth.
BY this official disclosure we learn that
Prince Labanoff had actually declared to
4ba Porte that Eactarn Roumelio wouId not
be evacuated by the Russians until the
Sultan had made defnitive treaty with
Russia. Against that threat the Porte ap-
pealed to the Powers, and Austria, for one,
answered that the definitive treaty was en-
tirciy between the Porte and Russia, but
that the evacuation Of Eastern Roumeia
was provided for by the Treaty Of Ber-