RUSSIA AND INDIA

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4298, 6 March 1901, Page 2

RUSSIA AND INDIA

Supposing Russia prepared to seize Herat or throat on Afghanistan, what would bo her position? V.’hat is the aspect of a Russian invasion of India? What are the groat difficulties' Russia would have to face iu her march toward either tlio Hindu Kush or Suiamau range of mountains, which latter place or position would’command ail tlio passes by which India could be invaded from the, north-west ? The first (says the “Westminster Re-? view ”) would bo the transport of her army, which would necessarily be grer . Lord Roberts experienced groat dill' ties with supplies for Ills 15,000 diiring bis famous march from KabuKaudahar, hardly any food for man or boast being procurable, the resources of that part .of tlio country being exhausted. Russia’s difficulty of maintaining an army of ten times that sine would be great iu either that city or Kabul, wlmso inhabitants are half-starved. The requirements of a Russian army, according to Colonel Hanna, would bo for 100,000 men at least 1,000,000 tons, and it is unlikely that any general would cn. ter on an Indian invasion, defended by British and native troops, witii less thorn three months’ supplies. Skobcloff had two and a half months’ for use against the Turkomans, and wo had six months’ in the Afghan, war. A three mouths' supply would mean “1,000,000 tons to carry, for which something like 000,000 camels would be required, equal to the cargo of forty largo steamers.'’ If she could got all these animals, how would they be fed among the mountains and fruitless deserts which intervene between Afghanistan and British India? Russia has no intention of invading India at present; she is too : much occupied with her railway to Port Arthur through the Gobi desert, that will take years yet. Her invasion of India would be a fish not worth the fly. So the bogey can be dismissed for the present.