Year: 1873

ence between the kind and intensity of their
guilt, have done more than ordinary criminals
to deserve the doom which has been accorded
them.


Russia and England In Asia-The


The interest shown in Asiatic affairs by the
American people finds an interesting express
sion in a communication which we print in
another column from can Englshman." The
comments of the HERALD upon the Russian
movement into Asia and that future, swiftly
coming, as many men believe, when the
Englishman and the Cossack will stand sword
point to sword point on the confines of India,
do not meet with the approval of our cor
respondent. It is not the tendency of the
English mind to underrate any danger, and it
is hard to understand how the Crimean war;
which taxed the resources of the British and
French empires, would have been fought in
obedience to the drifting and shifting public
opinion which our brilliant correspondent in
forms us now exists in England in reference to
the Russian question. We can well understand
the present Gar is an easy-minded, stout
hearted gentleman, who drinks champagne as
he leans over the back of chair, and cares
more for peace and quiet than for Russian
aggrandizement; but there were Cars before
Alexander, and there will probably be Cars
after him who will have more earnest and
ambitious purposes. What Russia may be
to-day is no criterion of what she may be in
the future, with more enterprising mon
arch-one like the first Gar named Alexander,
who believed his mission was to re-
construct Europe in sort Of mys-
teal obedience to the Greek religion,
prince who fell in love with Frederick the
Great and the prince, still more foolish, who
would have joined in the alliance with Napo-
leon if he had not been killed one night by
party Of conspirators In government like
that Of Russia-called by Talleyrand, we
sassination-it is mistake to accept the doc
trine laid down by our correspondent, that
there is an Indifferent policy towards Asia in
the minds of it's rulers, and that to this policy
public opinion in France and England is even
more Indifferent We have seen no Power
grow with more steadiness, more zeal for ag-
grandizement, than Russia. The anxiety
shown by the Russian government during the
Prussian and French war to break the Black
Sea treaty; the sensitive feeling in England in
reference to this very Khivan movement in
Central Asia; the ever growing thought that
these two Powers separated by nature and
space and civilization upon one continent, will
some day meet face to face in another the
happy feeling that seems to have come to
those who believe in peace by the proposed
marriage of an English prince with Russian
princess all these indications, added to those
which we see every day in the journalism, in
society and in politics in England and Russia,
only strengthen us in the conviction that our
correspondent undertakes the value of the
Asian question and knows Russia well enough
to see the humorous phase of her strange peo-
pie, but does not examine her closely enough
to give her rulers credit for the ambition of
the future.


If anything would strengthen this belief it
is the correspondence which we have printed
from the Russian column in Khiva. The
movements of the army of General Kaufman
and the policy which has controlled the Rus
sian General in dealing With the powers Of
Central Asia in themselves controvert the
opinions Of can Englishman." What we
see in the critical statements of our able
correspondent is that Russia presumed to


wi tbo of a1
well-commanded army into his dominions and
has taken possession of the Khanate under
circumstances which show an intention to
hold the country. Yet with diplomatic tact all
this is done SO as to excite no jealousy on
the part of England or create policy that
might lead to war. When O complaint is made
of Russia advancing into Khiva the answer is
that the Gar, having imposed fine upon the
Khan, simply holds his army in the territory
of that Prince until the indemnity is paid. The
imposing of an indemnity by power like
Russia upon such potentate as the Khan of
Khiva is as absurd proceeding as it would
be for the American government to infict
upon the Modoc Indians an indemnity for the
cost of the Modoc war and to send an army
into their country to hold it until the success
sor Of Captain Jack would find the means
of satisfying the demand In other
words, the indemnity is simply pretext 1t
satisfies England, France, Germany and
those Powers who may care to trouble Russia
for information as to her intentions in Asia.
But we all know, as our correspondent so
clearly and logically shows, that before this
indemnity can possibly be paid the advance
of Russian civilization, and the steady silent
progress Of her armies viii succeed in time in
giving the power Of Russia as permanent
hold upon the halt-civilized people of Khiva