THE WHITE CZAR'S PROTECTION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2194, 14 January 1886, Page 2

THE WHITE CZAR'S PROTECTION.

The Argus remarks Under any circumstances, the intimation conveyed by our European telegrams this morning, that the Turcomans.and Usbeks of the Khantes of Khiva and iiokhara, had sought Russian protection against Afghan raiders, would be sufficiently ominous, but in view of the result of the recent British elections, this movement cannot fail to give rise to a widespread feeling of apprehension. These intertribal difficulties arising either froni race or religious antipathies, have "ever been Russia's opportunities in Central Asia; and in the earlier stages of the negotiations about the delimitation of the Afghan frontier, this readiness to interfere in native affairs was regarded as the most serious menace to Afghan and British interests, The' White Cpir' has been invoked, but the nature of his response will, doubtless, depend on the fate of the Conservative Government in England. The Turcomans, for . the most part, are nomad tribes, and so far as predatory proclivities are concerned, Witt striking resemblance to the irrepressible Afghan hill tribes \vitj) whom they have come into conflict, The majority have actually tendered rheir submission to Russia, while those who were not absolutely subdued by their futile efforts to stem the tide of Russian aggression have lately shown a disposition to accept the proffered protectorate of that country. The Usbeks are really Mongolian' Tartars, and are of all the people of Central Asia the most civilised. At the present time they represent the chief agricultural element-' in Kluva and Bokhara. They also occupy a distinguished place in Central ■ Asian history, but of late years have fallen under the domination of more aggressive, l though less intellectual, races. This' difficulty with the Afghans is probably, due to the late cession of Afghan territory to Russia, By the Afghans'the Usbeks are regarded ir much the same way as the Anglo-Saxons in .England were by the Normans. Under such circumstances, a ! cause of quarrel necessitating Russian i interference would not be difficult to find," '