ENGLAND AND RUSSIA. TO THE EDITOR.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 12, 14 July 1885, Page 3

ENGLAND AND RUSSIA. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib— lt may be in the reoolleotion of some of your readers that, in a letter whioh I wrote to you some time ago, I suggested that the position of European politics must be looked at in connection with the questions at issue between England and Buaaia aa affeoting the boundaries of Afghanistan. I then pointed out that Germany had evident designs upon Holland, which gave a due to her aotion in the Paoifio, ana especially to her aotion in relation to the northern parts of New Guinea. The view I then expressed has found a practically simultaneous exposition in the Home News of the 21th April last, L" ' 'hioh the matter is elaborately disouaaed following extraot from the oomm -t oi the article indicates the line t " "• ' Bismarok wants.—Prince Bismarck wan.j peace, and is ainoero in wanting it. He is equally sincere in wanting Holland. His motto might be ' Peace with Holland.' It is perfectly understood abroad that he desireß the Netherlands as an outskirt of Germany, not only because it is a fat country, and one to which the trained energy of the sons of the Fatherland oould be brought with advantage, but also because it would become a more central shipping port for the great, and at present chiefly inland, Power known as Germany. Being much more peacefully disposed than ia generally believed, Prince Bismarck desires Holland for an essentially peaceful objeot, viz., the bettor development of German commerce, as indicated by the Colonial polioy he is now gradually unfolding." Those who have considered the Central Asian question in connection with European polioy, will see that Germany would unquestionably gain by a conflict between England and Russia; for suoh a confliofc would materially assist in "ripening the pear" which Prince Bismarck desires to piok, although he wonld prefer delay in this respect to the possible complications whioh war would create. I now venture to suggest that the aspect of the Central Asian question has undergone a peculiar change, and that Russia, while still coveting the possession of Herat and Western Afghanistan, will be content that it should become strictly neutral territory, because thia would help her in her designs upon Persia. I have no doubt that in the settlement of tho present dispute Eussia will make it a sine qua non that Herat Bhall remain unfortified, and that nothing shall be done to aßsist in making it or other parts of Western Afghanistan a base for English operations against Russia in case England should interfere, as sho would probably be bound to do, with the designs of Eussia against Persia. Now, the possession of Poraia by Russia would effeotnally prevent aocesa to India by land— a point of enormous importance to England. I cannot suppose that this will be loat eight of by English statosmen, but if my idea aa to the designs of Busaia be correct, then her willingness to accede to a peaceful solution of the Afghan question may be reconciled with the faot that she ia massing troops at Sarakha, a point from whioh they can at onoe maroh upon Meshed by the high road, from thence to Merv, simultaneously with an advance on Astrobad and Thahred, whioh would at once give them the possession of tho whole of Eastern Persia. What the result of suoh a stop would be is not easy to contemplate, as affeoting the question of peaoe or war between England and Russia, but the effeot upon England and India would unquestionably be serious. I am, &0., Wm. Thos. Locke Tbavjrs. Wellington, 11th July.

A private cable message waß received in town to-day announcing the arrival of the Shaw, Savill & Albion Company's steamer Arawa at Plymouth. Aa she left Lyttolton at 1 o'olook pn the Cth of *rtjr, her run Home, including all stoppages, must have bean accomplished in 37 days.