RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 3, 11 May 1885, Page 3

RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

The London Times, m a leading article of January 13, 1873, said :-" We have far more to luge m Asia that Russia has. She, at the most, could but be driven back a few hundred of miles, with the prospect of recovering the lost ground at some future opportunity. Sho has founded no empire m the East ; her power is not centralised m every metropolis; her subjects are only scattered tribes, owing to I»er a loose unsubstantial allegiance. There is nothing for no enemy to break down or destroy, whereas we rule a compact empire, of great antiquity, highly civilised, and containing a population singularly susceptible of political alarm. Russia, as she well understands, could distuib us, and possibly create even . serious commotion iv the very heart of our dominion."

Herat, the centra of threatened hostilities m the East, has for years past been the gate through which Manchester cotton and calicoes, Sheffield cutlery.and Birmingham hardware have poured into Central Asia.to crowd out Russian goods, £'6,000,000 worth of such wares passing yearly threugh Bokhara alone.

llussin ia m want of funds (says an English paper), and a fortnight since «a\v fit to largrly increase the import duty op a small selection of articles, including wine, Ua, silk, olive oil, and dried herrings. Thus all tea imported into European Russia, either by land or sea, is to pay a duty of LIO 6d lOd a ewt. ; whilst all sparkling wines are to be charged no less than 3s lld£d per bhttlo. Russia thought sho i could jilso got some more ihonny by •••• dutyurg" herrings very seven.-ly .