The Marlborough Express. published every evening. Saturday January 6, 1900. RUSSIA IN ASIA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5, 6 January 1900, Page 2

The Marlborough Express. published every evening. Saturday January 6, 1900. RUSSIA IN ASIA.

Russia is apparently bent upon some aggressive action m A sia. According to tbe Odessa correspondent of tbe London Times, 60,000 Russian troops will shortly be pushed forward to the northern frontier of Afghanistan. A seoond and equally significant item of news is that all officers who have been absent on furlough have been recalled to the garrisons of Central Asia. It would be premature to assume that Russia intends to invent some pretext for a quarrel with Great Britain, and to embark upon tbe long prophesied oampaign whioh would have for its object an invasion of India, but it is impossible not to view the latest evidences of her activity on the Afghan border without a considerable amount of anxiety. As matters stand at present nothing would be easier for Russia to find an excuse for the invasion of Afghanistan. The Ameer Abdurrahman is growing old, and his cruelties and tyrannies have inoreased to such an extent that there now exist m his dominions all the elements favorable to revolt. In Asiatic countries rebellions are easily provoked, and Russian gold has before now been employed to create a situation whioh would justify her m interference m what is nominally the cause of order. Russia's south-eastern railway now extends from Merv to within a very few miles of the north-western frontier of Afghanistan and the conquest of Herat, the historical " Gate of India," would be an easy task for her numerous well-armed forces, indeed, there is, m the opinion of expert authorities! little hope of oheoking a Russian occupation of Cabul itself. Suoh a course of aotion would place Great Britain m a very embarrassing position, for the Afghan Ameer is our ally, and, indeed, enjoys a yearly subsidy paid to him by the Indian Government. To permit Russia to invade the territory of a friendly monarch and to allow, without protest or armed interference, tbe Russian occupation of Cabul would, at first sight appear to be impossible without a great lose of prestige ; but m view of the present situation m South Africa it is difficult to see how Great Britain could very well undertake a campaign against Russia m Afghanistan. So great is the drain upon the militaiy resources of the Empire, that no troops oould well be spared to reinforoe the British Army m India, and that the War Office consider that army to be none too strong has been proved by its decision announced last week, that no further depletion of the British military strength m India is advisable at the present time. The probability is that before long we shall see good proof of the contentions so frequently made by expert military authorities that the forward frontier polioy on the Indian-Afghan frontier has been a mistake. Thousands of lives have been lost, and heaps of good money spent m endeavouring to subdue the savage hill tribes on the eastern slopes of the mountain ranges whioh form the natural boundary of India on the north-west, whereas if the same money had been expended upon the fortification of the Indian ends of the various passes, the invasion of India from Afghanistan would, it is held, have been rendered impossible. It might savour of cowardice to allow the Russians to overrun Afghanistan, and suoh a step, now that we have advanced aoross the ranges and established a "soientiflo frontier" which takes m the western ends of the passes, might severely injure British prestige m India. But the real question is whether Great Britain has enough troops m India to justify her fighting the Russians m Afghanistan. If not she will have to choose the least prickly horn of the dilemma, and elect to leave the Ameer to his fate, withdrawing from the western side to the eastern side of the Hindu Kush and Suluman ranges and fortifying the western or Indian outlets. Exactly as to what Russia's game is going to be, we are yet m the dark, but these movements of troops are not being made without an object, and it is quite m aooordance with Russia's past polioy to seize upon an opportunity when Great Britain ia m sore trouble to institute sohemes for her own aggrandisement. Further news as to the situation m Asiatic Russia will be awaited with no small interest and anxiety. On the conclusion of the ordinary business last night, pabtinci wobdb. Mr F. Meehan roee and spoke of the association of tbe members of tbe Lower Wairau Biver Board during their term of office. He said he would not go into the transactions and vloisßitudea of the Board, further than say. log that tbe illness of the Obairman during the last year was very muoh regretted. They owed a good deal to the soothing influence that the Chairman had exerted, ft

times of " rows and motions ;" and there j was disappointment not only m the Board, but also among the publio generally, that Mr Bayner oould not see his way to seek re-election. The Chairman had saved the Board from many difficulties by his good counsel. He moved that the thanks of the Board be aooorded to Mr Bayner for the capable and effioient manner m wbioh he had oarried out the duties of the ChairmanBhip during his three years' connection with the Board, and regretted exceedingly that hiß health did not allow of him offering bis Bervioeß for the future. Mr Birch seconded the motion, and endorsed all that Mr Meehan had said. He bad always looked on Mr Bayner as the strong man on the Board, and as one who thoroughly studied the finance, and used the best judgment m oonneotion with the many good works the Board bad oarried on.— The Ohairman said he did not expeot anything of this kind. He thanked them heartily. The members present, so far as tbeoaueing of "motions" were oonoerned, had always tried to make his duties bb light as possible. Bad health was the only reason wby be was not standing again; he would have liked to be farther asßooiated with members present m carrying on the good work now m hand. He hoped that whoever wbb eleoted would make it their main object to push on the Opawa Belief Channel, whioh he looked upon as the safeguard of the whole district. It might be presumptuous to propheßy ; but if that work were done there would be only the Taylor, Omaka and Fairhall to trouble then, and they were nothing to the Opawa. He was very sorry that Mr Birob, who deserved the best thanks of the previously muoh-negleoted North Ward, had overlooked the day of nomination and was not standing again. As for himself he had done his best, though he did not deserve what members bad just said. The engineer and himself bad orosßed swords onae or twice, bnt as they went on they understood one another better. Mr Dobson (Engineer) added a few words on behalf of the staff and himself. They all very much regretted the cause of Mr Bayner's retirement. Whenever any question or differences arose theyalwvys found Mr Bayner (m faot the whole Board) ready to discuss whatever was before them ; and Mr Bayner had always shown the keenest interest, and given them attention and justice, The motion waa carried. ________