THE AFGHAN BOUNDARY QUESTION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7223, 11 April 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE AFGHAN BOUNDARY QUESTION.

Wo clip the following from recent Efome files;—

The Daily Telegraph's Berlin correspondent wriiiLg ou 17cb .fc'ebruuiy uaya : " I have gooa authority fi>r stating iliac tha utmost, latitude la given by tbo St.fetersturg Government to thegovuruoißof thu Central Aaiun province*, who aie specially seKctuU uoi ouly tor thtii ilitary kuowleago, buc for their skill in diplomatic lutrigue. Jiioh adviincu is lult tu their own Owcretion, the accouipiihhfid fact beiig in variably, eudoistd at bbucquartern einio considerable period attei it took piuse, as was chown in tho case of JVierv ami SaraKus; the occupation of which wsb apparently unknown to M. de Gien at the actual moment of its occurrence. I also learn, an a vary significant fact, that She contract for toe extension of the Transctsspian railway to Sarakhs - haa lately boon granted. Indeed, everything points to too inoreasing activity of the Muscovite officials in the neighbourhood of Herat, ' Millions of roubles are now being spent on the construction of railways and telegraphic communication between the Caspian and the Afghan frontier, an outlay which in any country would be regarded as reckless waste except for absolutely military purposes, No dividend can possibly recur from the investment; and it is hardly necessary to point out that .Russia, in her present bankrupt state, would not throw away her millions without a decided military policy, in hopes of recouping herself by the future acquisition of valuable territory. This is the view entertained in the highest financial circles at St. Petersburg, where such lavish expenditure receives but lukewarm support." The Vienna correspondent of the same journal writes: "I have juat received thu following brief but important communication from St. Petersburg: ' It looks as if we were going to have a ve.ry bad business on band iu Central Asia, The Russians declare that with regard to the Afghan frontier delimitation they will not cave in, Thin is tio mere bluster. The_ Kuasi'an Government resohed from the beginning to carry their point—if possible by pacific means, otherwise by force of arms, and thsy have been makiog military preparations in consequence. The worst of it io that we are not in a position at present to enter apon an armed conflict with .Russia in Central Asia, and this Russia knows full well. VVe ought to havo 70,000 European troops available for war on the Afghan frontier: but we could not at tho present moment count upon anything like that number. Unfortunately, too, the news from E.jypt has had such an effect upon the natives that it is difficult to say how far they could be trusted. In any case, the Russian forces have been permitted to advance witbin Buch oaßy reach of their destination that in case of hostilities British troops could not pcßaibly be despatched in time to prevent them from seizing the ponitions they intend to occupy. The evacuation of Candahar thus proves to be—as many supposed it to be—a blunder. So long as negotiations for tho boundary delimitation shall be pending, the Russian authorities will repudiate through official and other channels all aggressive douigns. But a formal rupture, for which Russia will choose her own time, will most certainly be followed by the order to.advance. The fact that the Russians are already in close proximity to several of those points which they have solemnly pledged themselves not to approach suffices to destroy the last vestige of confidence that, perhaps, some people might have been inducod to place in assurances from St. Petersburg."

Tue Berlin correspondent of the Standard writes on February 20: "I have received a letter from a personage now in Persia stating that in December or January last Russia and Persia came to an understanding by which the former haa permission to establish a military road from Aehurada, a Russian naval station situated at the extreme south of the Caspian, near Aahterabad, to Penj deb, where she will be allowed to quarter aa many troopa aa she thinks necessary. The reason alleged ia tho necessity of joint action by Russia and Persia for suppressing the raids of the robber tribes from Khoraasan ; but a glance at the map will suggest that the Russian advance in Asia is a more probable reason. It is stated that Russia intends to send numerous troops along thiß route in the early spring, and from Penjdeb to advene e gradually in a north-easterly direo tion towarda Bokhara. It is thua clear why Russia does not at once intend to seize Herat, Tho letter adds that Fsraia'a dependence on Russia is steadily increasing." Intelligence received at Calcutta from Afghanistan states that the Dardistan tribes, the Pathans, inhabiting the territory to the south of them, and also the Lalpuria, are making overtures to the British, whom they regard as their only shield against the Russians and Cabulia. The S >ryk and Salar Turcomans preserve a friendly attitude in regard to the Afghan Boundary Commission, but dread the possibility of Afghan domination. There are only 2000 Russian* at present in the Tekke oountry. The Ameer's officials, it 1b added, are preventing the people frsm having intercourse with the Boundary Commission.