Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1879. RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5572, 27 December 1879, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Herald. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1879. RUSSIA AND AFGHANISTAN.

Fhk papers to hand \)j the last San [ftancisco iUA.iI throw a good deal of light ipon the circumstaucse leading up to the iifficulties tliat hare been encountered in Afghanistan after the capture of Cabul,< svhen it was supposed that the Afghans iVesfe completely subjugated. Do sortie jxteat the subsequent rising may be acJounted for by the insufficiency of means the British possessed to retain what had been gained. When Calnil was captured it is more than probable that the yielding :>£ tlie Afghans without a struggle was due to their being in ignorance of what might be the extent of preparations for conquest the English had made. Gradually, however, they became aware tliat no measures to support General Roberts had been taken, and theii) listening in all likelihood to Russian intriguers, they revoltsd. The probability of such an occ\\rtenee appears td hare Beetl foreseen by the (2d!itii\e'nial Press. La Republque firancaise pointed it out at the very' time that General Roberts had entered Cabul in triumph. "Now, what is absolutely necessary for an aririy, add particularly in a COuiitty like Afghanistan," it remarked, "is to ensure the liberty of its communications. It is precisely this that we consider by no xneans sure in the case of G eiieral Roberts-, Eveii supposing tildfc lie ha 3 annihilated^ the regular soldiers there still remain the neighboring tribos, who are eager for pillage, hostile to Christians, and recognise no other authority than that imposed by force. These wild mountaineers, entrenched in their valleys, may open Or shut the Passes which are the veritable gateg d£ lhdia i So long as a Column cannot penetrate in a few days from the Valley of the Indus into the heart of Afghanistan ; so long as the English are not certain to be able to defend the Passes of the Hindoo Korsh at a short notice, the 'Scientific frontier' will Be dnly a line marked out on the map, and not the bulwark of the Indian Empire." Events have proved that LaJßejp übliqueFrancaise was perfectly correct. The British having omitted to arrange for the rapid penetration of a column into the heart of Afghanistan a formidable rising of the tribes ensued. There can be little doubt, however, that Russian agency has Bedu at ilie Bottom of the affair".; 'Pile only chance Russia had o£ gaining anything in Afghanistan was by promoting disturbance. Could England become convinced that the entire conquest of that country was a necessity, then Russia might come in for a share of the spoil. The Russian newspapers openly avow that view of the matter, and even justify the adoption of secret intrigues to bring it into realisation. " Now that the English have made a victorious entry into Cabul," says the Novo Vremya, "the uncertainty of the situation will cease, and tho Central Asian territories whi ch have been hitherto independent will fall either to England or to Russia We made the first step by the conquest of Tashkend, England makes the last by the conquest of Cabul ; and between these two events there are only fifteen years. At this rate not more than two or three years will elapse before the question of the AngloRussian frontier is ripe for a settlement." The Moscoto Gazette has the following : — "The Afghanistan which was formerly acknowledged as beyond the sphere of Russian influence no longer exists. A new condition of affairs has been created which liberates Russia from all previous obligations Russia must take the opportunity finally to detach the revolted provinces from Afghanistan, andmustseek to establish in them her own permanent and paramount influence." In the Odessa Vestrlck we have a pretty plain indication of the means to be used for establishing the " paramount influence "of Russia in Afghanistan — means that are justified by the Vestrick on the plea of retaliation. "As England," it says, " has shown a disposition to interfere in the subjugation of the Turkomans, she must be reminded of her indescretion by interference in the affairs of the Afghans. It is only a short time since that a number of Persian merchants broke their bargain to convey stores for the Russian General Tamakin. No doubt the Russian Government has information showing that the Persian merchants were instigated by the English Consul, and Russia will use this circumstance as affording her a right to retaliate in the same way in regard to Afghanistan." The St. Petersburg Golos very significantly remarks, "The English difficulties will only begin after the taking of Cabul." Bearing in mind the strict censorship maintained over the Press in Russia, there is much weight to be attached to the utterances of Russian newspapers. Wo may take it for granted, at all events, that if those utterances are not inspired they are sanctioned by tho Government. Russia has possibly no enmity against England in endeavoring to stir up the Afghans, but Russian interests are so deeply involved in the matter that any other moving cause is not needed. The result, however, is the same, and eventually it may load to a rupture between the two countries, which disastrous as it may be to Russia, cannot fail to entail loss upon Great Britain.