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Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3464, 31 January 1880, Page 2

Ouk yesterday's cable intelligence conveyed the news that so excellent an understanding .had been arrived at between the English Government and the Shah of Persia that in the event of certain circumstances taking place the latter is to occupy Herat. The benefit of this stroke of policy is plain. Herat before it was conquered by the Afghans was a dependency of Persia, and the Persians.will only be too glad to get an opportunity to control one of the most important cities of Central Asia. Herat and Merve, to which we referred in a previous article on the situation in Asia, are to Central Asia what Gibralter and Constantinople are to the Mediterranean and the Euxine—the outer gates on the high road between Persia and India. At the commencement of the Afghan difficulty England's trouble was that Russia pursuing her aggressive policy of conquest was rapidly increasing (he dominion of the Czar in Asia, and to such an extent, ia fact, that English statesmen trembled for our Indiaa possessions. And with good cause too ! A friendly feeling then existed between Russia and Persia, and in the event of a war [Russian troops could easily be .concentrated on the eastern borders of the dominion of the Shah— that is on the borders of Afghanistan. The Afghans, a fierce race of mountain tribes, entertained feelings of no friendly nature to the British, and Russian inirigue soou inflamed their dislike to deadly enmity. Russia had played her cards well and had a first-class position. Such wa3 the state of affairs at the time that England became alarmed and endeavored to force her friendship on'Shere Ali. Subsequent events are well known. From this brief review of the history of the iast two years, it will be seeu that England's postition is very much improved by the arrangement with Persia, and it will be Russia's turn to make a move next. As testifying lo the importance of Herat, ws quote the following extracts from a letter to the Timed :-—

•The position occupied by Herat—on the high road between India and Persia, the centre spot of au extensile and fertile.

valley, well watered by channels made from a perennial stream—marks her out as the natural garden and granary of Central Asia. ... A late writer describes the environs as being wonderfully .beautiful, and he confirms the accounts of previous travellers as to the extraordinary fertility of the soil. The gardens, vineyards, cornfields, and hamlets occupying the valley which stretches four miles to the foot of the mountain ranges on the north and 12 miles to the ranges on the south are described by him with an enthusiasm worthy of the theme. The water of the Herirud he prouounces the best he ever tasted ; the fruits as the rarest and most delicious in flavour. They are so plentiful that people are allowed to enter the gardens and pluck and cat them. Each visitor is weighed as he enters and again as be returns, and pays at a fixed rate the difference in weight. The climate is the best in Asia. There are two hot months in the year, but the thermometer even then rarely stands higher than 85deg. (Fahrenheit) in the shade. The nights are always cool, often cold. The Heratis have a proverb. — "If the soil of Ispahan, the cool breezes of Herat, and the waters of Khwarizin were in the same place, there would be no such thing as death." .... Such is Herat—a place possessing vast capabilities, the employment of which demands ouly intelligent rule. The annual revenue, under the tyrannical government of Shah Kamrnn, was £89,248. Under the rule of the British it could be made to cover the expense of the occupation of the great cities of Afghanistan. Again would Herat become what she was 500 years ago—" the garden anH granary of Central Asia." In the course of a few years this garden and granary must fall either to Eussia or to Englend. Why not take it now ? The possession will solve every difficulty. Not only would England govern the country with its own revenues, but she would rescue from Afghan tyranny a race who hate the Afghans, and obtain for the industries of England the market of Central Asia.

[Since the first portion of this article was written further intelligence has been received showing that the British Government have decided to advance on Herat in March. The utter defeat and failure of the Eussian Turcoman expedition, also chronicled in to-day's issue, will give them abundance of time to make their position pretty strong in Afghanistan. The next move on the part of Russia will probably be one inimical to Persia for her friendship to England.] _

We are pleased to learn that Miss Swan of Onehunga, who sang so successfully at the Catholic Concert on Thursday.evening last, will assist in the choir of St Francis' church to-morrow, when Farmer's Mass will be produced, and will sing Gounod's " Aye Maria " as' au offertorium. The same lady will also sing a Tanlum ergo at Benediction at the same place of worship in the evening. '

Ms John Buiii left for Auckland this morning per Eotomahana. -He was accompanied to the steamer'by a number of friends who wished him every future success.

At the B.M. Court this morning two persons were charged with drunkenness. One was fined 6a and costs, and the other, beiug new at the business, was discharged. '

The first meeting of 'the Waiotahi District School committee was held at the Waio-Karaka School yesterday at 5 p.m. H. C. Lawlor, Esq., was re-elected Chairman, Mr R. N. Smith Treasurer, and Mr William Smith was engaged as Secretary. It was resolved that the regular monthly meetings should be held on the first Monday in each month, the first will therefore be held next Monday at 7 p.m. All accounts will hare to be rendered at that time. It was also re» solved that tenders should be called for for the systematic and thorough cleaning of the schools, notice of which will be found in the advertisement columns of this paper.

The services of the Primitive Methodist Church here will be conducted to-morrow by the Revd. J. Nixon at the time and place notified in the advertisement. From the popularity enjoyed by Mr Nixon while in charge or the Church here we anticipate overflowing congregations.

W. SkeS, Esq., Inspector of Customs, was a passenger by the Rotomahaca last night from Auckland. He left again this morning,

The various volunteer and cadet companies will parade for inspection by Major Withers at the old Thames school this afternoon.

The Scottish Battalion and Band are requested to parade for Church to-morrow morning at ten o'clock.

At the first meeting of the newly elected School Committee for Tararu, Mr J. B. Steedman was ro-elected Chairman, and Mr B. Wolff re appointed hon. Secretary for the ensuing term of office.

A vvhh programme in aid of the Ensor Fund appears in our advertisement columns.

We hear that there is a combination of Auckland capitalists and others to make the floating of the New Caledonian Compauy a failure, so that Mr Howe's purchase may be handed over to them. They see a mistake was made in not purchasing the property and now endeavor by discreditable means Jo obtain it. We have no doubt but that the shares will be taken up on the Thames, indeed it will be much to our advantage if they are.

A lkctube on " Pastor Chiniquy and Father Heoneberry" was delivered at the Academy of Musio last evening by Mr George Vidal to a very limited auditory. The lecturer first addressed himself to the question " What is the Christian Church," asserting that it was composed of those who obeyed the teaching of Christ without belonging to any particular denomination. The principle of returning good for evil was not practised by many professing Christians, and consequently they were uucooscious hypocrites. He then referred to some of the assertions of Chiuiquy, saying he did not fear persecution from the Church of Eorae, the laity being too enlightened to allow the priests to practise the tyranuy of the middle ages. He asserted that both Chiniquy and Henneberry were after money. He respected Henneberry as an apostle of temperance and as a candle merchant, and thought him worthy of commendation. He then referred to the Chiniquy stories pointing out how illogical they were in some poiatg, The lecturer did uot approve

of auricular confession, which was an innovation of the Catholic Church. Auricular confession and iransubstantiation were only declared to be dogmas of the Church by the Couueil of Lateran in the 13th century, but the Church had power to do away with them if they proved injurious. The lecturer then proceeded to point out the superiority of the Christian religion over all others. At the conclusion of the lecture Mr Vidal received a vote of thanks.

X EiiAKKS the Manawatu Times :—" A friend of ours with a love for figures and some spare hours at command has been amusiug himself with the following curious calculation. Assuming that the debt of New Zealand is now £22,000,000, if taken in gold sovereigns Hnd laid out on their edges, one before the other, the chain would extend for a distance of 2992 miles, 2 furlongs, 6 chains, 4 poles, 8 yards and 2 inches. Or if taken in sovereigns and laid one on top of the other, it would form a circular pyramid of the height of 209 miles, 5 furlongs, 7 chains, 2 poles, 3 yards, and 4 inches. How is that for high ? "

Me Bachelder's Colossal Pantascepe will open at the Academy of Music on Tuesday evening. The exhibition is ac companied by M. Chalet, a ventriloquist of renown.

The Bank of .New Zealand offered to day to forward the amount proposed to be sent to the Irish Belief Fund free of all Bank charges, but as the Telegraph Department refused to cable the message without the coat, some £7, the Committee decided to send it by the outgoing mail, as £7 for a sum of £150 was too much to be spent in such a purpose. The bank will forward it without any cost to Dublin.

Timber is so scarce in some parts of Nebraska that an ingenious farmer grafted all the telegraph poles along bis quarter section, and such is the fertility: of the soil and the vitalising power of the atmosphere in that country that in two years he had a full bearing orchard. But it didn't do him much good, for every night the telegraph operators at Omaha and Lincoln stole his apples by telegraph, and had the colic just as naturally as any boy that ever climbed a- fence.

It is believed that the cost to the colony of McLennan's trial at Napier, on a charge of wife-murder, will probably exceed £1100.

At Miss Boon's funeral yesterday the esteem in which the deceased young lady was held was manifested by the large attendance of friends, and of the children of the Kauaeranga Girls' School, in which she bad held the position of assistant teacher ever since its foundation. The parents also testified their respect by trimming the children's dresses, &c, with black ribbons, and many were the expressions of sorrow at the loss of one whose amiable disposition had gained her the love of all who kn«w her. Much sympathy was felt for the father of the deceased, who is well known at* one of Auckland's pioneer settlers, and who had made his late daughter his chief com* panion since the death of Mrs Boon some four years since. The funeral service was conducted by the Uev. Mr Watkin, and the children sang several appropriate pieces at the grave.

" A young girl in Ashburton(says a writer in the South Canterbury Times) recently laid an information' against a ' playful cuss' who had ventured to kiss her without first asking her leave. He had, it appeared, wanted to kiss her about three weeks before; but, with sagacious forbearance, she ' did not' she said, • tell anything about it, because she wanted to see it' he would do it any more.' Moral: Beware of .the second kiss^ll ye who are prone to break forth into promiscuous osculation!"

A wbiteb in the Dunedin Star advocates the imposition of a tax on all Justices of the Peace within the Colony, that every man who is appointed a Justice should contribute a stamp duty of five pounds to the revenue. He points out that in the West Indies a tax of this kind has been in force for the last forty years. In New Zealand the tax would yield a very substantial sum, as some eighteen months ago there were more than one thousand Justices in the colony, and the number lus been considerably increased since that time.

Why waste your money and your children's time in music lessons while you have no piano for them to practice on, seeing that good instruments can always be obtained on easy terms of J. Gkigg, Pollen street.—[Advt.]