2ffre AND FKEE LANCE. " Let there be Light."

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 337, 23 May 1885, Page 12

2ffre AND FKEE LANCE. " Let there be Light."

Saturday, May 23, 1885,

The Czar has written General Komaroff a letter of thanks, and has sent him a jewelled-hilted sword — Colonel RidgAvay, of the Bengal Army, has been appointed to succeed General Lumsden on the Afghan frontier. The two announcements fit in with wonderful suitability. General Komaroff is thanked and honoured by his Government ; General Lumsden has a successor appointed in his place. It is instructive to follow up the reasoning in each case. It is but a few weeks since the Czar and his Government disowned General Komaroff and all his works. They assured England that his orders were express, and that nothing could be further from the Czar's wishes than that he should infringe the arrangements made between the Governments. There were probably few people who altogether believed it true ; yet, no doubt, some, including the English Government, tried hard to do so. Now that the affair is over there is no further need of disguise, and the General is thanked for disobeying orders, and decorated for being guilty of faithlessly breaking an existing treaty between the Russian and English Governments. The Czar need not perhaps have been in so great a hurry. It would have been more decent had he waited a few weeks ; but you cannot get a Russian to understand these refinements. With him, a diplomatic success is none the worse for resting on a bare-faced falsehood ; and when it has been gained, there is no reason for delaying the expression of satisfaction. This is what the Czar has done, and in a certain sense he has acted wisely. A Government is always well served which is prompt to reward good services and to punish bad. The letter of thanks to General " "Komaroff will ensure equal promptitude on some future occasion, and the jewelled sword. will no doubt act as an incentive to other commanders to deserve well of their country in similar ways. When the first alarm of war arose, we pointed out the danger arising from the aggressive tendencies of Russian generals on frontier stations. This danger Avas fully realised when the Afghans were attacked and slaughtered. Even then it was said that Russia would disown the act and degrade the offender. [Nothing of the sort was done, or even thought of, by the Russian Government. General Komaroff was said to have acted in ignorance, of the arrangements made between Russia and England. This was soon proved to be untrue, It was then said he had acted without authority, and this was. probably literally the fact. But, with or without authority, he had acted as Russia wished him to act. He was in sympathetic accord with the Government in what he did, and he knew it. But for his action, it may be said, tfaere would have been no risk of a Avar Avith England ; but on the other hand, this very risk has been adroitly-used -by Russia to obtain far more than she= could have hoped to : get by any more peaceful solution of the boundary questiou. If things had turned, out badly, indeed, it is more than likely that the General Avould have su|§erecl. He Avould certainly have had no letter of thanks and no jeAA T elled sword in the meantime. Even then he Avould not have been in permanent disgrace. He has only

acted as Russia wished him to act, and temporary bad results would not long have obscured such distinguished merit. We have still the other side of the picture to look at. General Lumsden was appointed to represent England on the Afghan Frontier Commission. He was at his post and waited for the Russian Commissioners, who did not come. He saw and reported to his Government what was done by the Russian commander, and he finally reported the outrage perpetrated by the Russians, upon the Afghan force. In the position which he occupied he was necessarily looked upon by the Afghans as representing the majesty of England. In that capacity he assured them of help and protection, and encouraged them to resist lawless aggression. The action of the Gladstone Cabinet undoubtedly stultified the Commissioner. To the Afghans he must have appeared as an imposter, who had promised to help them when no help was forthcoming, and encouraged resistance which could only lead to destruction. That he should, under the circumstances, have tendered his resignation was only natural ; but that it should be accepted quite as a matter of course reflects no credit on the Cabinet, of which Mr Gladstone is the head. No one denies that Sir Peter Lumsden was a most suitable Commissioner ; no one questions his devotion or his abillity. He has acted throughout as England would wish her sons to act, yet he is readily cast on one side without thanks or reward. Not thus does Russia treat her officers, and as a consequence she is served as she desires to be served. That England is well served does not arise from the treatment which her servants receive in circumstances like these. The position is not a safe one. For the moment, Komaroff has been thanked and the place of General Lumsdeu supplied ; but this is by no means an end of the matter. The conduct for which the Russian is praised is conduct which he will soon repeat. It remains to be seen whether he will be confronted there by a representative of Britain equally able and equally jealous of the honour of his country.