RUSSIA AND. AFFGHANISTAN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1777, 2 September 1884, Page 2

RUSSIA AND. AFFGHANISTAN.

For'some days past, writes the Vienna correspondent of th'el London "Telegraph," there have been : rumor6 from St. Petersburg of fresh activity in tho Government""department" specially devoted to the affairs of Central Asia. As these rumors have of late become periodical they have ceased to attract much attention. Yet it is well to remember that the seizure of, Men- was predicted in Vienna some weeks before it occurred at a time when tho Indian Department in London treated the mere notion of it with scorn. Such wilklso probably be the fate of the intelligence now received from; St. a threatened conflict between the Russian authorities and the Ameer of cAffghanistan.- It appears cloaked in the ,most plausible semiofficial jargon'mt'communication from the Russian capitaV, published by the "Pdlitische Corapondenz," and runs thus:— lastii hews received' trora Central Asia States that the Ameer of A ffghanistan,lias assumed a hostile attitude towards Russia, and even that ,ne ; 'is'arming,:isas; there is reason-, to "believe against 1 Russia, but nevertheless complications need scarcely be apprehended, _ jas the Russian Government are resolved not to take exception to-this provocation. Having adopted as a prificjple that, according to existing treaties, they have only to deal with' England in all questions affecting Afghanistan, it is with England alone that they are disposed to treat such matters. If Abdurrhaman means to meddle it will certainly require no more than an appeal to the loyalty of the British Government to exclude the Ameer from the debate,- and to keep him within bounds of that conciliatory policy of which England and Russia have given each other numerous proofs in the affairs of Central Asia." What chief lurks beneath this annonncement will be best divined by those who have access to the intelligence department at the Indian Office. Of course nothing could well be more inconvenient to the English Government at present than difficulties of a serious nature in the direction of Afghanistan; but then it is precisely such moments as this," when their attention is absorbed elsewhere, that Russia chooses for furthering her schemes in Central Asia,