LECTURE ON AFGHANISTAN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 128, 8 June 1885, Page 4

LECTURE ON AFGHANISTAN.

In his interesting locturo on Afghanistan, delivered in the Young Men's Christian Association Hall on Friday night, tho Bishop of Auckland said he would en- | doavour to mako cloar to tho young men of | tho Association what tho present troublo was about in the north-west of Afghanistan. 1 The Russian army had come very near to the j British possessions in India, and was threatening to take possession of Herat, a city in the northwest of Afghanistan, During the last ten years the Russian Government had advanced steadily from tho Caspian, until they had annexed Turkestan, a country to the north of Afghanistan. It was not the proposal of the Russians to enter into war with Great Britain at the present time, onless obliged to do so, but to obtain possession of a district from which an advance into India could bo mado nt some future time. Tho Bishop pointed out the importance to Great Britain of the possession of India, and that India could not be lost to England without the loss of much more besides. It was absolutely necessary for the prosperity of the country that India Bhould bo secure from invasion, nnd it could only be invaded from the north, and by a Russian army. In 188+ a Boundary Commission was appointed to define tho boundary betwoon Rufsian Turkestan and Afghanistan, but tho Russian members of tho joint Commission had not mot tho English mombers. The Kiusinns desire Panjdeh to bo included in thoir territory, and it seems likely to bo conceded to them, though tho Afghans claimod it. Tho Bishop gave a short description of Afghanistan, of which the population is about four millions. Though the' Afghans and Persians are both Mahometan nations, thoy do not work together, as thoy boloti^; to opposing sections of tho Mahomedan religion. The chief dangers to tho peaco of India aro tho fifty million Muhomedans, who will never bo contented to be ruled by Christians, and tho largo armies of tho independent princes. Tho Bishop spoke of tho great educationul work going on in India, and of tho iulliioncos for good exercised by Christian missionaries. Ho said that if England would remain at peaco with Russia, it would bo necessary always to be prepared for war, und that the 251,000,000 of Indian peoplo would bo prepared to oppose an invasion by Russia in propcrtion to thoir contentment, as tho result of just and benevolent government on the part of Great Britain.