THE AFFGHAN QUESTION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1986, 31 March 1885, Page 4

THE AFFGHAN QUESTION.

( 1 lt\tl(tlrtsift>t.) Inv, constantly iecnnin s ' AllVhan di'hculty between Engl md ami Russia is coming up ng.un hi a giave foim. Recently an olrioei of high digiee was •»i'iit l>y the Government to India, with .1 strong escoit, to niett an offkinl of <.'(|ti<il i.mk iiom Russia, and to effect between them the delimitation between Russian ten itoiy and noithvin Affghan ist.ui. But the Russian Government, w ith its usual had faith, failed to st nd its hilf of the join mission, ami the English paity, heanng of movements of Russian foiccs to the north, rctiied on Herat. The expedition, however, was not entirely frnitles. It ascertained tint the anthoiity of the Ameer Abduiidhman was strong throughout Afghanistan, so lately the ecene of .inaicliy and civil war, and that the rultr of the country was loyal and friendly to the Indian Government. He is himself coming to India to confer with the Viceroj on the subject of insisting Russian encioaclunents. In tlie me.iii tune the Inipei ul Government has dt". tiiictlywniiiedKussi.ith.it it will legist anyahsoip'ion of Vff^han tenitoiy This, indeed, is a jinrt of the foreign policy t.f England, in lespectto which there is no difference of opinion in political patty. The Liberals did not agree with the tin fortunate enterprise of Loid Eeaconsfield, which for the tune i-onvtited the fnendlj power of Afghanistan into a formidable enemy, and locked up a third of the army of India in hostile teintory. But they and .ill agree that if Russia makes an attempt on the territories of the intervening state, it must at once be resisted l>yall the lcsourcts of the Empire. And that there is a serious apprehension of the possibility of this contingency soon arising is shown by the action of the Government in calling out the reserves and the milita, and, as we are informed l>y the cable this week, in deciding on an inciease of the permanent militaiy establishment. These are sign idea it tokena of the view of the position taken l>y those best aide to judge of its perils. i/ is, pirhapf, not those who look with most gravity and unwillingness to the piospeet of so serious a calamity ns a wai with Russia who would he the least ready, finding themselves embarked in the qu.iirel, to fight it out with strenuous resolution to the last. But we must lemember all that such a war would imply, which is ceitainly more than operations around Herat or Cabul — the woild wide struggle between two vast empires whose armies would probably cover battle fields in two continents whose fleets would thunder on eveiy sea, and who would not he likely to desist from the colons il conflict till one oi the other was exhausted or ciushed. There is only one case in modem history in w hioh a n-ition in the person of its chief Minister vaunted the lightness of heart with winch it plunged into a great war, and we may be sure that the <*ci inns ness with which Englishmen would, if .'0 compelled, engage in a war with Russia would be proportionate to their resolution to fight it to a successful' issue, whatever that might cost.

Thk Observer is the only high class London paper published on Sunday. Esuiasu paid £3,000,000 last year of foreigners foi cheese. The Queen's omission to congratulate Mr Gladstone upon his ai-\ onty— fifth birthday is much lem.uked in London. The Earl of Aylesford, who died in Texas m January, had his life insured for £300.000. Tur. king of Swedan is said to be trying to tnnrry hib second son, Prince Oscar, to priueebS Lout'-e, eldes daughter of the Pnnce of Walt's, his recent visit to England having that object in view. A lady addressed a letter to .1 New York editor the other day, stating that her liusbmd was a continued snoier'and asking foraruic, The callous hearted editor, instead of recommending a divorce and a new non-snoring husband, ad\ised her to I it the patient on the nose with a sledL'f hammer. "Wll \T on earth have they been trying to do to the Muudian'" exclaimed Mrs. Rain, bonified. "Good gi.ieums' if they're going to liter that, what will bo come of the equatoi? My dear, I'm an old fashioned woman, and I hold with its being positively wicked to mo\e your ancient laudm.nks." — Punch Sru'iim Fumks and Maiahia — At the P.uis Academy lately some curious and intciestmg notes relative to sulphur fumes as a preventive of malaiia were lead by M. d'Abbadie. He stated that some elephant hunters fioru platen hv with comparatively cool climate can go into the hotest and most deleteiious Ethiopian regions without being attacked by fever, and that they attribute their safety to the daily practice of fumigating their naked bodies with sulphur. He also quoted caves wheie sulphur mines were free from disease, whilst the inhabitants of villages near at hand were constantly attacked by fever. It has always appealed to us that sulphur as a curative agent has been too much neglected in our own country — Chambers's Journal. A corrkspondknt writes to the Australasian on Feb. "21 :— For the last two or tluee years I have grown my tomatoes in my orchaid among the apple tiees, and the tomatoes have hail sufficient water to make them grow, and a little stable manure at loots. In this tomato bed tlieie are thiee apple trees in line. About a month or siv weeks ago one of these apple trees that had been planted for two or thiec years died. A little apple tree, planted hst year, and w hich cimeoutin le.if and piomised well, followed suit, and now the third tree, which has been in for eight or ten years, is neatly dead also, and will die. These trees aie in the middle of the tomato bed, but tomatoes well away from trees. The apple trees in the margin of the tomato bed are very healthy and bearing well. Out of o\er 200 fruit trees these three above referred to are the only ones that have died. Can you throw any light on the subject. I Yes ! It is certainly true. Ask any of j your friends who have purchased there. Garlick and Crarmell have numerous unasked for and very favourable commendations from country customers on their cxci llent packing of Furniture, Crockery, and Glass, &c. Ladies any gentlemen about to furnish should remember that Garlick and Cranvvell's is thk Cheap Furnishing Warehouse of Auckland. Furniture to suit all classes ; also Carpets, Floor Cloths and all House Nccc«smes. If your new house is nearly finished, or, you are going to get married, visit Garhtk .md Cranwell, Queen-street and Lome-street, Auckland. Intending purchaser* can have .1 catalogue ten frrn