The Fielding Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 1885. The Afghan Difficulty

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 22, 1 August 1885, Page 2

The Fielding Star. SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 1885. The Afghan Difficulty

♦ The London Times says a considerable amount of uncertainty and even mystery still hangs about the negotiations with Russia. The whole affair would probably have been settled by this time but for the circumstance that we have to deal with the Russia of diplomacy and the Russia of the military party. The views of these two are not by any means harmonious upon all points, and probably not upon the main point, viz., whether settlement is a thing to be sought after. The details of a frontier offer endless opportunities for an obstructive policy, since it is always possible by a little ingenuity to discover overwhelming strategical reasons for dissenting from any conclusion arrived at by diplomatists. Had the Russians sought a definite line negotiations could hardly have been prolonged to the present day, but while they persist in asking for a little more each time that a settlement is in sight, there is no reason why negotiations should even stop. It is unquestionably to be desired that a conclusion should be reached, but it is not desirable at all that it should be reached by unlimited concession. It is the less so because while Russia displays such a temper it is impossible to feel much confidence in the stability of any arrangement that may be concluded. We English have an inveterate habit of assuming that agreements are made to be kept. Recent experience ought to have taught us that thfre are Governments which entertain a totally different conception of their use and value. .Some cynical statesmen hold that the chief use of an agreement is to give time and opportunity for upsetting it. The most solemn agreement about the frontier will: only serve at best to enable some Foreign Minister to repeat the admirable demonstrations of the goodness of our case which adorn the latest blue book. It will be appealed to some day — perhaps at a very early date— to show that some Russian general h&q been guilty of unprovoked aggression, while the general will blandly admit the fact and retain his conquests. India cannot be defended by any agreement with Russia, nor nan we rely for her defence upon any frontier over which we do not exercise absolute control. It is really not a matter of the importance some attach to it to get these negotiations settled, unless we are prepared to maintain the settlement by adequate military strength; there is always the danger of assuming that a settlement dispenses us from providing- that indispensable sanction. Obligations are worthless unless they can be enforced, and it is ! earnestly to be hoped that nothing will again be permitted to blind our rulers to the truth that whatever England is not ready to defend Russia will assuredly seize^ . ■.. \. " ■ •••■■• .