LORD PALMERSTON'S OPINION ON RUSSIA.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 5181, 30 May 1885, Page 3

LORD PALMERSTON'S OPINION ON RUSSIA.

The London Times recently published the following extract from a letter, .written by Lord Palmerstoii in 1853 to .Lord Clarendon, the reproduction of which is peculiarly relevant to the preseilt 'lliisWn movement^in Afghanistan . The policy and practice of the Russian Q6vernraent;haß..aJwayß.been;io ward its encroachments lis ,!fast and,, as, far as.the apathy or want of. firmness of other Governments w ou ld allow it to always to stop and rotire when it was;met with decided resistance, .and; then .to .wait for the:: next favourable opportunity to make another spring on : its intended victim. In furtherance of this policy, the Russian Government has always had two strings to its bow,—moderate language and disinterested professions at St.jPeterqburg'and 'at London; active' aggression by its agents on the scene, of operations. .If the aggressions succeed locally, the Petersburg Government adopts them as a /aii accompli, which, it' did not intend; but cannot ,in: i: honour v recede froin.. .If the local agents fail tliey aro ; : disavowed. and recalled, and the language previously held is appealed to as a-proof that the agents have overatepped their, Tliis was exemplified in the Treaty, of- Unkiar Skelessi. and in - the. exploits- .of Simonivitcli in Persia. '"OrlofE "succeeded, in extorting the Treaty of Unkiar Skolessi from the Turks, and it was represented as a sudden thought,- suggested by the 'circumstances of the time and placej and not the;result; o£-'any previous instructiohs; but haying been done, it could not'-be'un-done. On the other hand,V Sim'oiiivitch and yikovitch failed in : getting possession of Herat,.in consequence,, of our vigorous measures of resistance, and, as they failed, and.when they had failed, .they, .werefdisavowed , and recalled, a:d the language previously held at Petorsburg'Was appealed to; as a : proof ■of the ; sincerity ofllhe disavowal, although no human being willi two ideas in bis head could for a "moment doubt that they had acted; under specific instructions.-July 31,1853;; ;- ; ! ; *|W-.