RUSSIA AND INDIA.

Kumara Times, Issue 2650, 5 March 1885, Page 2

RUSSIA AND INDIA.

Our cablegrams to-day contain some very important information, relative to the advance of Russian troops in Central Asia, and encroachments on Afghan territory. A recent number of M. Aksakoff’s “Russ” contains a letter by General Soboleff, from which we extract the following remarks as to the ultimate designs or intentions of Russia : “The Black Sea is a Russian sea, with its outer door kept widely open that Russia’s enemies may attack her rich possessions in the south, Russia strives to obtain possession of this door of the Bosphorous only in order to keep it closed against her foes. This lias been the aim of some of her emperors. It is moreover the desire of the Russian people, and by the help of its stubborn will the end must eventually be achieved. This is admitted on all sides, and therefore it is only a question of means. Hitherto Russia has gone full lilt against all obstacles, and has constantly directed her attacks on Turkey. In so doing she found Eng-

land a strong and dangerous competitor in the way, and several costly wars only left our rich territories of the south open and exposed to danger as before. Until we compel England by force of circumstances to see that it is more profitable for her to be Russia’s friend than her foe, we shall only pursue our efforts amid seas of blood and with financial ruin staring us in the face. The direct road, therefore, is too difficult and dangerous ; we must take another path.

“We can only defeat the enemy by striking at his very heart, which in the case of England means India. It is just as sur e that as two and two makes four that a campaign in India would cost five times less than the expense of the last war against Turkey, besides which it would take place in Asia, where neither Austria nor Germany would move a finger, and this is a very important consideration. And while England dares us to enter the Bosphorus are we to renounce all action against her in Asia? Are we to bo insulted in the Crimea and at Berlin with impunity. No; it is time to recognise our true aims and the proper means of pursuing them. We are firmly convinced that the surest means of obtaining the northern part of the Bosphorus is to threaten English dominion in India. M. Makoff says that Russia’s advance into Central Asia is weakening her, and brings no good. It certainly costs much money, but the sacrifice will one day be repaid a hundredfold. If in 1853 we had occupied our Central Asian position even of 1874, there would have been no Crimean war ; and had it not been for our strength in Turkestan in 1878 England would never have stood by with folded arms during our last struggle with Turkey, Probably we should have had another Crimean war, hut with Austria in the place of France.

“We have now gone far beyond Geok Tepe. Merv is ours. The Tekkes and Saryks are subjects to the White Czar. We are now nearer to Herat than St. Petersburg is to Narva, and if we are wise in the question of settling the north-western frontier of Afghanistan, and have the courage to declare to England that we are the real rulers of Central Asia, and will not hesitate to expel anyone who treads on our toes there, you may rely upon it that the English will be disconcerted and confused. In the meantime, we will go on making our clay pots in Central Asia. After clay will come the period of bronze, and with God’s help we shall eventually reach the age of gold.”