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Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1590, 1 April 1887, Page 2

The Star.

RUMORED ADVANCE ON HERAT.

IPUBMSHED DAILY.)

FEIDAY, APEIL 1, 1887

There was an item iv our cable news the other day which is worthy of more thau passing remark. It related that the Government of Turkestan had directed tlie invasion of Afghanistan and the capture of Herat. The news has not been confirmed, nor has it been contradicted, but it may be assumed that there was some truth in the news — that, even if no such precise orders were given, there is a revival of the spirit of unrest which for years has been move ov less active in the gap which separates the Russian and British Empires in Asia. Further, it may fairly ba assumed from the events of recent history that this move or projected movo on the part of the "Government" of Turkestan is inspired by the influence of liussia. It only seems the other day that stray rumors used to reach us about the advance of Kussia on Merv, a puint only .second iv strategic importance on the .Russians' road for India to Herat, aud the possession of which greatly lessens the strength of Herat itself. But the contradiction would speedily follow, and if a little excitement were now and then occasioned by the publication of warnings such as those contained in Burnaby's book, people soon ceased to think of such things. Meantime the march of the Muscovite went steadily on, and Merv was one fine day occupied by General Komaroff on behalf of his Imperial master. Now Herat has lonjr been recognised and described as "the gate of India"; and in 1873 Colonel Valentine Baker, whose authority cannot be questioned, thus emphatically expressed his opinion of Merv in connection with Herat. " There can be no doubt that Merv is the natural outwork of Herat, wi'b. the advantage of water supply all the way between the two cities. Strategically, the ltussiau occupation of Merv would be, so to say, the formation of a lodgment on the glacis of Herat. It would place Herat completely at her meiVf." But no sooner was he comfortably installed in Merv than Komaroff. true to tradition continued to push on. Then the Afghans began to be uneasy at the advance of their big neighbor. It is a curious fact that all the nationalities, or tribes more properly speaking, first oppose the advance of Kussia, but finding opposition useless make the best terms they can, and then become instruments in her hands for assailing their neighbors who stand in tlie line of march. Wheu the Afghans demurred to their territory oeinw absorbed, England interfered, and so arose the negotiations for the delimitation of the frontier and the troubles culminating in the Penjeh '• incident " (as it it, euphoniously termed, though "massacre" would better describe it), which brought England and Russia to the very verge of war. Bnt no sooner had tho excitement of the Penjeh affair cooled down than the Russian advance was continued. Komaroff no longer affected concealrnenfc, but pushed his Cossacks rapidly Forward, and c/ccuyted in swift succession the Zulfikan Pass, Ak Robat, and other avenues to Herat, Ak Robat being a point only 80 miles iroin Herat, making: an advance by Russia before the year had expired of 160 miles from the oasis and fortress of Merv, which she had acquired in the previous March, directly on ' the Eoy of India !' Then there was more excitement. England issued an ultimatum, setting forth that Russia must go back ; but, instead vi going back, she sent Lessar to London to explain that things were quite right as they were. The English Government practically withdrew the ultimatum by agreeing to the lvnewal of the boundaiy negotiations. Sir Pi- tor Lumsden, who bad acted so firmly in British interests, was recalled, and another commissioner appointed in his place ; aud the boundaries were finally adjusted, without, however, dust,i\i relinquishing a single foot of her newly acquired territory. The Cossack is'installed a bare HO miles from Herat waiting for the next move, while between the British outpos/s and this all impoAnjA ulraiegtcii) yo'iab, 4(jQ miies intervene. It 111:13' be, and very probably w, the case that the " next move" has been taken in the action spoken of in the cable message. It may further be that this move is made to divert the attention of England from Bulgaria.

[In another column appears a special cable message, which has come* to hand since the foregoing was written, and is confirmatory of the telegram on »'L;cL our ntl'icie is based. ~]