PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2007, 11 August 1892, Page 40

PATER'S CHATS WITH THE BOYS.

Russia, Afghanistan, and the Pamir. Daring the past month several telegrams have appeared drawing attention to Afghan politics and to Russian intrigues on the Pamir. Three or four months ago I was struck by an article that appeared, I think, in the Edinburgh Review, and having for some years past watched with some interest the coarse o£ events in Central Asia, I give a few notes I made when reading it, because I think them interesting at the present moment as showing Russia's probable intentions. Russia works more by assimilation than by absorption. The Russian advanco has been compared to the opening of three parallels against a besieged city : (a) The Caspian and Orenburg frontier more for observation than offence, (6) Along the Persian and Afghan frontiers to the headquarters of the Oxus, a line of menace. («) The parallel along the north-east of the Afghan frontier and along the north of the Indian Empire, which will cut off Indian communication with Afghanistan and prevent sallies of Indian garrisons. At present Russia's energies are concentrated on the Pamir. Russia aims at Kashgar, or Eastern Turkestan, or YarkandKashgar, as it is variously called. (rr) Because the English wish to draw the countries to their side to form part of the neutral zone to separate Russia from India, and (&) to acquire a fresh market foi 1 manufactures. The present friction (referring to the expulsion of officers on the Pamir last year) is due to the putting-off policy of the British Government. Nearly 20 years ago the Indian Government wauted the north and west frontiers of Eastern Turkestan defined, but the responsibility was shirked by the British Government, with the result that Russia has been practically uncontrolled in her explorations and subtle influences. The chiefs of Chitrab, Gilgit, Baltistan, Hausa, and Nagar are, however, all friendly with the British Government, and the south passes of the Pamir — those that directly command India — are in safe keeping. RUSSIA'S BOUNDARY. The source of the Oxus is Russia's boundary. But which stream is the source 7 Bonvaldt, a gentleman well acquainted with the region, says the Ak-sa-Bartang (I give the geographical names nob because they are of any interest at present, but because they may eventually crop up) is the longest of the Pamir rivers, but there is another, the Panjah, which will suit the Russians better. It has two sources — one in Lake Victoria in the Pamir, the other in Kunjut to the east of the Baroghil Pass. But it Britain allows the last to be the boundary, it will cancel a previous agreement by which Russia gave up half of Badakshan, Wakhan, Sbugnan, Rosohan, and Darwaz, which were acknowledged as Afghan territory, though divided by the stream. Ii Russia be allowed to annex the territories in the valleys mentioned, three results will follow : («) It will extend the military frontier of Afghanistan, and to the extent that it extends it, will weaken it. (6) It will give easier access to Cabool than can be got from Herat. (c) As the frontier abounds in lawless tribes, Russia will have a good "excuse to interfere in their quarrels and to conquer them. CHINA'S POSITION. China stands in danger of losing not only Eastern Turkestan, but Thibet, and China is aware that Russia is only waiting for some internal commotion or some difficulty with the Treaty Powers to make herself mistress of them. ABDURRAHMAN. The Ameer of Afghanistan is an enigma. We hardly know whether he is loyal to Britain or not, nor do we know the circumstances that led to the recent outbreak in the north-east of his dominions, and to the direct CDnflict wittt Russian troops. At best an Afghan amaer iss only rnler as f-xr as his strength of arms is made felt. Has Russian intrigue been at the bottom of the rebellion ? — the writer of the article I have been referring to says Russian intriguers have been doing their best on the frontier to foment rebellions, but have failed owing to the Amee's vigilance and severity — or is it the result of scheming on the part of some powerful chief who expects soon to step into the Ameer's shoes, for the Ameer is now getting up in years 1 The career of Abdurrahman has been rather a chequered one. He was born in 1830, and in a civil war in 18G4 successfully fought against his uncle Shere Ali, who was then reigning, only, however, to bo defeated in turn in 18G8 by Yakoub Khan, Shere Ali's son, who fought for his father. He fled for protection to Russian territory, and taking up his residence in Samarkand, got a pension from the Rassian Government. In 1879 Yakoub Khan, having just ascended the throne, welcomed Sir Louis Cavagnari and a British escort, but teacherously surrounded, overpowered, and murdered the whole envoy. He was forced to abdicate, and was deported to India. Yakoub Khan's younger brother, Ayub Khan, then claimed the throne, but Abdur Rahman, as the name, I believe, is more properly written, appeared on the scene and was recognised as Ameer by the British Government, and has had his foreign policy watched and controlled by a British Embassy in continual attendance on him. receiving in return a yearly pension of LIGO.OOO. An article lately published in the Melbourne Arefus says that he can render a greater service to England than any other potentate on the face of the earth, and that though Russia has done her utmost to win him over, he has expressed his intention to adhere to England, saying that if he sold himself to Russia, he knows perfectly well that in time the Afghans would be disarmed and made as weak and helpless as females. Some of the telegrams would seem to indicate, however, that he ia playing a double game. I think I have now written sufficiently full to enable you to understand what is going on on the north-west frontier of India. The Isle of Man. * A telegram in this week's Witness tells us that quite a commotion has been caused on the Isle of Man because Mr Gladstone contemplates taking away its Parliament. At

present it has a little Parliament of its own, called tho House of Keys, meeting in the town of Douglas, and if I remember rightly all laws passed are recited at an open-air meeting of all the inhabitants who choose to attend, before they can be really said to become law. The coat of arms bears three running legs, to symbolise the fact that it is equidistant from England, Scotland, and Ireland, and independent of all three. The population of the island is only about some 60,000, but in the summer season thousands visit its quaint towns for a change. The industries of the island are lead mining, fishing, and agriculture. Prohibition. I have received several letters on this question, but my correspondents, to my mind, have not sufficiently thought the subject out. I shall, however, publish two or three. I give one this sreek annotated to show my young correspondent that he hasn't looked all round the subject. Next week I'll publish "A B O's," though he hasn't sent his name, simply because he criticises me rather adversely, and I have no wish to shirk adverse criticism : — Deab_ Pater, — I always find great pleasure in reading your interesting and instructive articles in the Witness, and on seeing your article re compensation to the hotelkeepers, and the accounts in the papers of many of the meetings held in Dunedin and other towns, I now take advantage of your kind permission to state my opinion on the subject. I am 16 years of age, and have never touched a drop of intoxicating liquor in my life, and I do not see why I, who have no interest in the drink traffic, should be called upon to pay compensation. I have been brought up on a farm, and judging from my father's and neighbouring settlers conditions, I do not know one who can afford the luxury of spirits, but when I go to the townships I see the tradespeople and the wages-earning class filling tho hotels. If my father engages a man in the busy season, when he gets his cheque he nearly always goes and gets on the spree. Now, I cannot see why the farming class should be taxed to pay compensation when they do not care whether the hotels are there or not. (') Very few farmers ever travel past the country town, therefore accommodation houses are of no use to them. So I think it is the people who are interested in the sale of alcoholic liquors, and those men who are daily and hourly crying out against the evjls of drink who should pay compensation if it is to be paid. Let every man of tho many •who would say to-morrow that drink is the curse of the country gay so much to sweep it from the land. (2)( 2 ) There is one thing Ido not think right : In a town where there are several hotels some will be closed and others kept open, though all may be equally well conducted. Quite as much drinking goes on as before, for a man who wants drink does not care which side of the street he goes for it. The only difference it makes is to the other hotelkeepers, who reap a much larger harvest. (3)( 3 ) I think these should be made to share the profits with the man who has been forced to close. If all the hotels are to be closed and no one will compensate the owners, the only fair thing I can see left is that the hotelkeepers should be given a certain number of years to prepare for closing, and they would then have time to look around and procure other means of earning a livelihood, (4)( 4 ) The present licensing law seems to me very unsatisfactory. If there should be two or three men on the licensing bench extreme prohibitionists, ( 6 )orif the policeman is prejudiced against the hotelkeeper, his license can be taken from him, (c)( c ) and he may be ruined in an hour, no matter how good a man he is, while another who does not conduct his house half so well may be allowed to retain his license. I often go to the Catlins district for my holidays. Last year the hotels in the district were closed, but in spite of there being no hotel nearer than Balclutha, at the sports on New Year's Day there were many men the worse of drink, and the local paper remarked that if anything it was worse than usual. — Yours truly, B. JFilius. 1 Do you "mean they don't use them, or that they are indifferent on the matter ? Shouldn't they be taxed for indifference ? A Why Prohibitionists who gain nothing arid see the evils of the traffic, more than farmers who are indifferent ? Again, why pay at all to abolish an evil ? 3 Many hotelkeepers won't allow much drinking to be carried on ; if the traffic were in their hands I imagine there wouldn't be as much sold as at present, because they do not tempt drinkers. 4 Hasn't public opinion been warning the publicans since 1880 and given them a chance to sell out gradually ? 6 If they represent a majority, what then ? G Very improbable that the report of a policeman, not backed up by public opinion will take away a man's license. INDOOR WORK. An American physician declares that indoor workers suffer more from kidney and liver disease than any other class of workers. He says "A man goes to his office and sits there all day, and never thinks of relieving the tension on the muscles of the back, the result is that the muscles of the kidneys becomes soft and flabby and lose their vitality, the kidneys themselves become weak and debilitated, and the final result is confirmed Bright's disease, probably ending with extreme nervous prostration." The signs of the onset of such diseases are well known, the appetite becomes fickle, the eyesight fails, palpitation ensues, a weak feeling is experienced, and a slight ache in the small of the back. Now when these first appear the case is only beginning, and proper treatment always results in a permanent cure, but if neglected the complaints pass into the chronic stage, and then require very protracted attention, and the cases sometimes become so complicated that even the most careful treatment fails. If ever any medicine earned the praise of thousands for its undisputed and proved merit, Clements* Tonic has done so, even those most conservative men, the doctors, all acknowledge its genuine character, it has made its way into every house, even against great opposition, for the people of this * country have been so imposed upon with useless catchpenny nostrums, that they were at first sceptical about the merits of this remedy, but it has lived down all doubt, and has positively proved itself so universally successful that it is used with confidence now in every house, and no one has so far had to regret the confidence placed in Clements' Tonic. W. H. Rothery, Esq., Victorian Inspector of Factories, writes from The Parade, Ascot Vale, " I have much pleasure in stating that I have taken Clements' Tonic, with good results. I had the influenza, and a racking cough, clammy sweats, which caused great weakness and nervousness. After taking three bottles, the cough and clammy sweats left me, my appetite improved and the pains in my chest have been removed. To all who suffer, I would strongly recommend Clements' Tonic." Mr Rothery's case* would undoubtedly have ended in consumption had it i not been for the timely use of this remedy.