RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1, 29 May 1885, Page 2

RUSSIA AND ENGLAND.

The impression m diplomatic cirles m Vienna (says the Home News) is that the answer" of the Russian Government will prevent the immediate breaking out of hostilities m Afghanistan. Russia will profit by the time to complete her military preparations. A definite and satisfactory solution is not considered likely.

" Herat has perhaps been assailed and sacked more often than any other city m the world," says the Daily News, " The Herat of modern history is but the paltriest ruin of the ' Arian ' city — theArian metropolis— of the olden time. There is no reason to doubt the statements of old historians that Herat contained one million and a half of inhabitants, and that its architecture was the wonder and pride of the Eastern world. One or two buildings which (m a |crumbling condition) exist since the time of Timour are still among the beat specimens of Mohammedan architecture. The ruins of Herat, like the ruins of Delhi, cover the country for many miles around. There has perhaps been a slight improvement m the state of li'jiut since its last conquest, by the Afghans ; but the only reason for the supposition m the slight increase of its population. Since the year 1813 up to 1803 Herat was incessantly fought for by the Afghans, by the Suddozye Prince of Herat itself, by the Persians, who always- claimed sufeerian rights over it. In the earlier years of English intervention m Central Asia, the fixed policy of the English Government was the maintenance . of Herat independence, not only as against Persia, but as against Cabul. But m 1863 Dost Mahomed, the ablest, of all the Af glian Ameers, conquered and annexed the principality, since which time England has regarded Herat as an integral part of the dominions of the rulers of Cabul. There was, we must add, an attempted change of the, policy by Lord Lytton, who, when Governor-General of India, had elaborated a remarkable scheme for the separation of Cadahar from the Ameer's kingdom and the transference of Herat to Persia. The first portion of this programme was put In force. The latter never was-^-put -it would have been if the Conservatives had returned to power m 1880. Herat the magnificent is now one of the dirtiest dens m the wlwle world. Arthur Connolly, says Sir .John Kaye, 'expressed his wonder how ilio Heratis could live m the midst of such filth. 'The climate; is tine,' replied the Heratis, 4 and if dirt killed people where would the Afghans ba ?' 4f3 a centre of tradeflterat should be, as it once was, the key of Central Asia. All the great roads from tlie principal towns m Central Asia meet there — the roads from Merv, from Cahdahar, Meshed, Balkn, Bokhara, and' Saraarcand."