The Anglo-Russian Difficulty.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 99, 25 April 1885, Page 6

The Anglo-Russian Difficulty.

Mr Gladstone has confirmed the rumours of peace by stating that there is a probability of the diihculty being settled upon teima honourable to both parties. The phra s o has a pleasant and re-a^suring sound, but opinions differ as to what would constitute an honourable settlement, and there ie> a i-trong suspicion that the Gladstone) Cabinet are too eager to avoid war, and theiefoio Milling to accept terms which give Russia the kernal of po3?e^sion, and leave England with the shell of peaceful assurances and barren promise*. It is dis-clo-ed in to-day's tele grams, hovve\er, that with all the Ameer's professions of good will he doc not love or tru=t England too well. He U said to pre fer the ceh-uon of Penjdeh to llussia rather than peimit an English occupation of Herat. There is much shiewdnes 3 , too, about this decision. Penjdeh was never ruled by the Ameer, and he probably has no stiong desire to undertake the work of compelling the turbulent Turkomans to maintain order. In letting Russia take Penjdeh he gives away what belongs to somebody el>e ; but in allowing England to occupy Herat he has strong reason to fear that they will never deliver up possession, and that the independence of his country will be gone for ever. The risk of future invasion by Russia 13 only a distant contingency. Abdurrahman Khan was long enough the recipient of Russian protection and kind ness to have received as-u ranees of their desire to cultivate the friendship of the Afghans, and to make common cau&e with them against the English. The Ameer may think he vvili be able to play off the Russians against the English, and thiow his weight on either pide, as circumstances dictate, If the Ameer should adhere to this resolution England ceuld only attack the Russians by first conquering the Afghans, and apart from the policy of such a course just now, the pretext that we were fighting in the fulfil- j ment of our treaty with tho Ameer would l no longer serve us. That sham will sooner or later have to be thrown aside, , and English influence will have to be established in Afghanistan whether the Ameer likes ifc or not. England will have to occupy Herat, not as a guarantee for tho security of Afghanistan, but of India. General Komarofl now admits that he knew of the agreement entered into with England before he attacked the Afghans at Penjdeh, and ho announces that he has already assumed the Government of that town. Tbis fact, in connection with the intelligence that General Doudonkoff has been ordered te advance from Sarukhs and pursue his march close to Herat, looks as if the Russian Government either desire to wilfully insult England and provoke war, or rely upon her readiness to swallow any amount of humble pie that may be served up with Muscovite sauce. 1 The Gladstone Cabinet may be prepared for such a repast, but we mistake the temper of the nation if it will display an equal penchant for that kind of fare. j