The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1885.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5030, 25 February 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1885.

The announcement received by the Colonial Press, that Russian forces had been ordered to make an advance in the direction, of Herat at the present time in connection with Asiatic designs, should not be a very astounding fact to present to any ordinary observer of the policy Hitherto adopted by the Czar of all the Kussias. Strategy in all its shape? and forms has long been the system under which the Russian Government has sought to veil its designs on British India, 'and now that Great, Britain appears to have her hands full of Egyptian troubles 1 the splendid nature of the Ku6sian comes to the fore—it must needs try a species of rear attack. It is almost a maxim that I were not Great Britain's hand hampered, the Russian bear migh^ growl and snarl without avail to its heart's content, and even now, although England has many troubles on her hands! and 'those not of her own makibg, mayhap the Great Bear may have gone a step too far. IWEuropean chessboard has ever proved a puzzle to the Statesmen of the Continent, and England's road to India is likely to be one of the greatest problems on it. The Egyptian trouble is connected with it; Russia's aggressive' action is one of ita products ; continental alliances are resultant from it; emulation, being the sincerest form of flattery, points out that other powers may desire to have strongholds such as Brittannia possesses. Seeing all these things, Russia, desiring - to aid the one great dream of its life, has evidently not only resolved to make an advance on Asiafixing her own boundaries of possession— but has actually taken up strong positions with a very palpable, intention of holding theml The last question raised has been the boundary matter of territory between Russia (in Asia) and Afghanistan, and over this it appears that considerable difference of opinion exists. Russia demands more dominion, and, as we have stated,.seems prepared to have it at all hazards; while the British Commission, appointed in a pacific manner to see into the matter in,a business-like way, fixed the line of demarcation, and then pacifi. cally retired from. their position upon Herat, apparently expecting the Afghans —an unworthy lot* of creatures, by the way—to uphold the orders of the Commission. No great surprise would be manifested probably were it telegraphed to-morrow that trouble had arisen over the question between England and Russia, and should the report now extant, that France is mixed up with Russia in the matter, be verified,, the satisfaction attached to the discovery would be almost infinitesimal. A general continental disruption could be the only result, unless the pacific counsels of disinterested Powers were more potent than we take them to be.