THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1770, 22 October 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1879.

The state of affairs in Central Asia is every day becoming more complicated. The news of the proposed abdication of Takoob Khan, the rumor that Persia will assist Russia in its Central Asian policy, and that the former power has already occupied Merv, point to the fact that a crisis is at hand, and that the British Government will he compelled to make a new departure and take steps not founded on the basis of the first treaty with the Ameer. For that basis has disappeared. A now Ameer will have to he appointed more than ever dependent on English bayonets for the support of his power. The Afghan kingdom is likely, for many a long day, to be the scone of a disorganisation only too favorable to Russian designs, and this latter power is said by some to have made a gigantic stride towards our scientific frontier and to ho moreover aided by Persia. The treaty of Gundamuk laid down that the Ameer should conduct his relations with foreign states in accordance with the advice and wishes of the British Government, the latter declaring a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan. Lord Cranbrook, in his despatch to the Governor-General of India, stated •* that with a competent resident at Cabul, the permanent location of English officers at Herat, Oandahar, and other points at the frontier will, no doubt, he less essential than up to the present time Her Majesty’s Government have considered it to he,” and he states his belief that all that will he wanted will he the acquisition “of every reasonable facility for acquiring trustworthy in formation of events beyond the border through the channel of officers deputed from time to time to the frontier.” Lord Cranbrook mentions the gratification of the Government at being able to secure the objects of the war without any “ actual annexation of Afghan territory,” the Hill tribes being evidently considered as not under Afghan rule. All these congratulations and suggestions appear now quite a thing of the past. The situation is so completely changed that it seems impossible to believe, Lord Beaconsfield’s disclaimers notwithstanding, that some further change in our Afghan policy will not shortly he announced. Already we hear rumours of the Indian Government being about to construct a railway to Quettah, and thence on to Oandahar. The action of the British Government in this crisis will he watched with the deepest interest. The circumstances are, apparently, most grave, and, in order to find a satisfactory solution to the difficulty, all the boasted astuteness of the English Premier will have to be called into play.

During the hearing of the case last week which resulted in a wellknown commission agent obtaining from the proprietors of the “Lyttelton Times” the sum of £5 sterling as a salve to his wounded feelings, Mr Wilkin, publisher of the journal in question, was kind enough to let the public behind the journalistic scenes and to reveal to us what a mighty engine—in his opinion—was that over one department of which he presides. “ The circulation travels, I suppose, whereever the English language is spoken in the civilized world.” These were the words of Mr. Wilkin. Over the whole of the civilised world—not only the more modern, but the ancient civilisations —wherever Englishmen are to be found, wherever the English tongue is heard —there is also to bo found a copy of the “Lyttelton Times.” As there are but few corners of the world into which the Britisher does not penetrate, the tremendous import of Mr Wilkin’s statement is at once apparent. Not only over the whole of tho United States, Canada, Australia, the Cape Colonies, British India, &c., &c., &c., does this universal journal find itself, but those somewhat isolated Englishmen who dwell among the crystalized forms of more ancient civilisations are evidently quite unable to get along without the universal guide and friend. The English communities scattered in various parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, all eagerly yearn for their dose from Gloucester street. One can imagine the inhabitants of remote localities clustering round the mail steamers, pale with excitement, and entreating that there shall be no delay in the deliver of the magnum opus. One can fancy them retreating to tho shelter of their houses to pore over tho brilliant satire and burning eloquence which distinguish our contemporary. And more than this; wo cannot think that the civilizations with which these scattered groups of Englishmen are surrounded would bo satisfied unless they too were allowed to participate in some degree in the pleasure enjoyed by their English speaking neighbors. It is probably Mr Wilkin’s great modesty only which prevented him, on tho occasion referred to, from divulging the fact that those nationalities had taken stops to translate tho “Lyttelton Times” into thoir respective languages. The old idea, that tho Bible and “The Pilgrim’s Progress” are road in more languages than any other two books, is possibly erroneous. Tho Gloucester street organ may, perchance, head the list. One of its effusions on Greyism would sound well when translated into, say, modern Greek, and would, to all intents and purposes, suit the inquiring Greek just as well as it would its Canterbury reader. Apparently there is only one limit to the circulation of our contemporary. No steps have, as yet, been taken towards forwarding copies to those Englishmen living among totally barbareus nations. Possibly some difficulty has boon found in “ running ” tho paper

properly through utterly wild and savage tribes. These ignorant barbarians are, unfortunately, quite unaware of its humanising and improving tendencies. Their utter darkness in this respect adds to the complete hopelessness of their position. It will, of course, be the first duty of any missionaries that may hereafter be sent into these parts to correct the want of knowledge displayed by these benighted heathens. All will agree that it is most satisfactory that such an organ should emanate from Christchurch. One slight difficulty, however, stands in the way. The somewhat limited circulation of our contemporary makes it difficult to understand how, when the wants of its Canterbury readers have been supplied, this world-wide demand can bo met. The dilemma is a most serious one. The modus operandi is concealed in the bosom of Mr. Wilkin. It was not found necessary for the ends of justice that an explanation should be demanded. The mysterious publisher of the world renowned journal left the witness box with his secret unbroken.