THE AFGHAN FRONTIER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1947, 24 March 1885, Page 2

THE AFGHAN FRONTIER.

The following extracts from EnglislC $ Indian papers will help our readenrlo understand the telegrams recently, published about the movements of Russian troops on the Afghan frontier, the most alarming of which appears this morning:— The Civil and Military Gazette remarks .y Panjeh, an important strategical posi- ■ tion north of Herat, was only saved the M other day from Russian occupation by ■ timely reinforcements sent by the AfghanGeneral at Bala Murghab. Although the 1 Journal de St Petersburg' may deprecate the misconstruction of the English Press with regard to. Russian policy in Central Asia, }ve may safely assume that Ruiljk will annex, more or less formally and coP pletoly, every inch of ground in Central Asianot defended and guarded by England. Whether she will next attack India must depend on the facilities which we leave open for such an attack. Theso facilities will be greater or' less in proportion to our foresight in laying down the line, beyond which Russia may not advance without our declaring war, and to the strength of our. measures for defending this line.. However we might confido in the good will and fair promises of Holy Russia, it is obvious that if Herat is allowed to become, a Russian province, our defences will have to be made stronger than 'they are now. Would it be better to wait till our Russian friends get near us ? Competent authorities reckon that if Russia, gets Herat, the European army in India must be. increased by one fourth, and the Native army strengthened.'proportionately. It would be found neces- , sary to occupy Kandahar. Even a lib- / eral Government, we firmly believe, *\ A would be driven to occupy Kandahar, . were the Russians in Herat, if not Ghuzmjjfe and Cabul to boot. We should wantV 10,000 men at least to hold Kandahar; and a large force would have to be kept in readiness to meet a possible advance from Herat via Furrah, And while we were watching the Kandahar gate to India, we may be sure that Russia would be threatening us, with more or leas real purpose, from the direction of Cabul and Ohitral, That an active policy iB needed, we fully believe. Every effort should be made to render it impossible for Russia to reach Herat, and to put a stop, once for all, to her intrigues in Afghanistan. It should be generally recognised that a Russian occupation of Herat, and of Balkli and Ohitral, would be a serious blow to our prestige and influence in the East, and it is high time to state clearly and emphatically England's determination that the States of Afghan, Turkestan, Usbeg, though they may be,' eu'ght never .. to be allowed to fall' under the dominion of Russia."- , • •

The Bombay Gazette says:-"The out-look in Central Asia is by no means clear. The Russian Government, wheijtif brought to the point, are not at all to weaken any future claim they may make to the possession of Herat, Delay and prevarications may give them valuable advantages, while they gain nothin? by helping us to put a limit to their ambition. It is probably true that a Russian scheme for the occupation of Herat, if not for an attack on India, is actually in existence, and only awaits a fitting opportunity to be carried into execution. The more.they delay tho delimitation the better for them. It has not yet been officially stated that General Zelenoy will not be allowed to join Sir Peter Lumsdon; and perhaps we shall be told before long that the original agreement stands, but that General Zelenoy is again detained in Tiflis by illness." Tho Russians evidently mean to play a waiting game. If our expedition meets with any difficulty, or worse, they reckon on the result being a disinclination on the part of England to meddle with affairs so far beyond our frontier. The final result of the murder of the envoy and our reverse at Maiwand was our withdrawal from Cabul and Kandahar, whereupon Russia took Merv."