THE AFGHAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION. Origin of the Present Complication.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 100, 2 May 1885, Page 6

THE AFGHAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION. Origin of the Present Complication.

Russian conquests in Cential Asia having brought her advance guard to the borders of Afghanistan, which the Russian Government have lepeatedly acknowledged to be entirely with in thepaleof Jinglifh influence, it became necessary to feline what that limit should be. It must be explained (hat the country tiuith of the I'aropamisus mountain" is occupied by Turkoman-", and although the Ameer has exercised a sort of suzerainty over a portion of that territory, it has never been stiictly within the Afghan dominions. .Many maps place the Afghan boundaiy south of Penjdeh, and excluding the territory claimed by Russia. On our general and sketch maps will be found cleaily nmiked the disputed lines of frontier. The most northern one is that marked on the very recent Indian Govern ment maps, and i- also the lino indicated in the first proposals from Russia for a Com mission to define the Afghan boundary from nu-akhs to Kogah Saleh. The middle line is one commonly found on English maps of Afghanistan, a d the southern line is that proposed b}' M, Les*-ar, who was tent by the ftusr-ian Government early this jear on a special mission to London to setuie British acceptance of this frontier. '1 ho i ecent proceedings, which have led up to tho piesent stiained lelatinns between England and Uussii, aie admirably di scribed m tho following article, which appealed in ihe " Madras Times'' of the 19th February, and which gives a veiy clear idea ol the enthe question : — "That a mixed commission should define accurately the north - west boundary of Afghanistan was a proposal that originated from Kuseia herself. She doubtless made it for the sole purpose of amusing England while she was in reality transgressing those boundaries. She was surprised at England's tardy acceptance ot a pioposal made in 1882, and actual despatch of a Frontier Commission for tl.e delimitation of the boundaries uf Afghanistan ' from Khojah Saleh to the Persian hontieriij thw neigh bouihoood of fciairakhs. ' IV hen the ufX> r was made Russia v a* not in possession of Sarrakh* ; and she professed to be desirous of keeping her pledged word i hit Af<^lnim-can should bo ouoide the spheie of Russian influence. But on Sir Peter Lum«den'<» arrival at tho disputed territory, nob only uid Lo tail lo Una the portion of the Afghan Fro^tiT Cott. l - Ision anywhoie near the debateable land; but he did find a Russian military force well within it— in fact, occupying a .station 00 miks south of JS.urakhs" Long after the English part of the commission had started, the Kussian portion was still at Petersburg, and tho hoad of the Russian party, General Zelenoy, dmiborat«ly wintered at Tittis, while the British patty shivered on the left bank of the MurgUab. Evidently Russia did v^ ?<"■;*■., Is i,r mean that the Afghan Frontiei t ,-m t- ;c; c decide the north-western boundary of Afghanistan. This is still further apparent iiom the despatch to England of M. ' essar, who is on the "taff of the recently made Commander - in - Chief of tho Trans • Caspian territory. This diplomatic agent is said to have played a conspicuous part in the occupation of Merv and to possess a knowledge of the Turcoman country and people surpassed and perhaps equalled by none others. M. Les»ai's mission was to decide in London a north-westero Afghan boundary w hich should suit Russia — for the present M. Lespar ' maintained that, through the submi-sion of thu Salor Turcoman.- to Ru=s sian rule, the Russian authority has been established as far as the western spins of the Paiopamisus Range, which i-* the only practicable frontier between Russia aud Afghanistan ; that the Amir of Afghanistan's authority on the Murghab cannot extend below Penjdeh ; and that thus the district oi Badghis will be appropriated to Russia, with Kushkas, the Eastern frontier of that country." The Hiitic-h Government lejecte the claim, and M. Lcssar is now awaiting instructions The meaning of the?e claim? is, that Rufcsia claims on the noith a triangle of disputed territory ISO miles long and 50 miles wide at the base near Penjdeh, equivalent to about 4,500 square milts, and on the wes 4 ! claims the country lying between the Hari Kud and the Kushk River — the fonnei being the Persian boundary, and the latter the most western affluent of the Murghab River, which flows to Merv. This region is about 1.'5 rnilos long from north to south with an average breadth of 65 miles, giving an area of 8,000 square miles. Altogether, the claims may be taid to afk-ct an area of about 12,500 square miles. But far more important than the extent of ferritoiy is the fact that it contains many villages and a few important towns— important, that is to say, in those regionb of back wood civilisation and sparse population ; and yet more important than this is the fact that it bring* the Russians to the hoi them base of the Safed or White Mountains, at the southern base of which stands Herat, the key of India, with less than 40 miles between. .Herat Aould be completely within the power of Russia ; in 24 hours could pounce down upon it and surprise and capture it For it would be impossible for the Amir of Afghanistan to maintain a force at JBerat that would be able to guard always against a surprise. The town and villages along the Kushk and Penjdeh on the Murghab would furnish quarters in which a considerable Russian force could be distributed and maintained, and ma&sed together when required. The British commission marched northwards as far as Penjdeh, but found it expedient to fallback on Bala Murghab, which is well outside tho territory claimed by Russia, well within as yet undisputed Afghan territory, and in a corner about 40 milea from both the northern and eastern boundary which M Lesear has demanded in London. The discourtesy of Russia in occupying posts within the debateable territory, and in keeping the British commission waiting, have been remarked on with displeasuso in England So, doubtless, has the attempt to transfer the decision of the matter to London instead of leaving it to the commission, which the Government of St. Petersbuig itself proposed for its determination. But this has been but done by the unprincipled insolence and truculence which characterise the last utterance of the Russians on the matter. They recently said that Herat was out of the sphere of Russian action, as it was in Afghanistan. But considering the way they have treated, or pretend to interpret, their professions about Merv and about the Afghan boundary, considering, too, the boastful and threatening tone of the Russian press in regard to Herat, it is not stranee that these professions of the Rus s an Government are treated by England as worthless— especially as the military can force the hand of the Russian Government, if necessary ; and what the military mean is very evident from the utterly fictitious petitions to St, Petersburg 1 , as from the Heratis and the tribes in the vicinity, asking Russian protection and annexation, Perhaps the submission of the

Salor Turcomans is part of the matter of those petitions. Meantime, the Afghans have remonstrated against Russian occupation of places within the boundary they claim. The Heratis and all the people north of Herat have gladly wolcomed the British Frontier Commiseien, and shown great apprehension at the Russian advance. Still more, Tur oomans who have boon conquered by Russia are said to have paid friendly visits to the Commission uud shown that the Russian away is very distasteful to them One of the latest' telegrams does indeed state that 'M. de Giera has infoiined the British Government that no steps have either been taken or are in contemplation inconsistent with the declarations made by the Russian Government in 1873.' But aftor our experience of Russian promises, and interpretation of promises, and of the ability of Russian generals to forco the hand of their Government, if necessary, it would be extreme folly to believe this statement, or to let it hinder for one moment preparations for the defence 01 Herat, which thoso with the co-n mission deem urgently necessary, in view of the unmi«takeable preparations that Russians are making for tho captuie of the place. If the Afghans must smile when Russians occupy towns in their territory and advance on the key to their country and India, Russia ought not to frown it the Afghans prepare to defend Herat. Tho very 'Standatd' which now denies tho rumour of an intended march on Herat, lately declared — " We have reason to believe that the position on tho Afghan frontier is more serious than the authoiities are willing to admit. Sir Peter Lumsden and his escort were to have wintered at Char fhambeh, near AJaimenn. This decision was changed in order that the English Commission might be closer to Penjdh, and, above all, to Herat ; and Ba!a Murgbab was chosen as th»i most convenient place for their camp. While the English Commissioner is waiting for his Russian colleague, he appears to have occupied his loieuro by diawiug up and pending home proposals for throwing himself into Herat under certain contingencies, which there is reason to fr-ar may not improbably awe.' fn July, lhBo, and aguiit in February and Juno, \Sbo, the Viroroy and t!u\« j rnorGtidci'al Ot India uooui^d the tl.at if he unreservedly followed tho advice of the Bnti.->h Government in regard to his external relations, they would be prepared to aid him in lepdliny ihe u'ipro\cked aggrcs s:on of nry foreign powr upon hi« dnrainion, and, moreover, to enable him to preserve inviolate his north-west frontier in pa/'i.Mjhr, the B'-i:i-h have regularly paid tho Air.it- u iukn vf rupees a month. We must not only prepare to defend Herat u>n( !«.■ ist their claim to the Kushk boundary, but turn them out of their position south of Sarrakhs, and incite the Persians to turn them of this pl".oc also. Now thatßu°ti\ thieaten?, and we see ho^ un certain her position in her now conquests would be with a groat power liko England to contend against, wo must make the Hub siansfeel that it is in oui power to i< 11 them back on +\o Caspian S^, find iwo it if uecessaiy."