The Waipawa Mail WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1878.

Waipawa Mail, Volume I, Issue 22, 27 November 1878, Page 2

The Waipawa Mail WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1878.

The first conflict between the forces of tile Ameer of Afghanistan and those of the Empress of India has resulted in a victory for the British arms. Thirty-six years ago an English army was annihilated in the passes of the Indian frontier. The exSerienee of that fearful catastrophe as not been lost upon those entrusted with the G-overnment of India, and it may be expected that the war with the Ameer will have a speedy termination. The ill-dis-ciplined and badly-led Afghans can for no time withstand the welloflicered and well-trained troops which have been sent against them by Great Britain. Most of our readers are doubtless acquainted with the circumstances which led to the present war. Russia, chagrined at the Eastern policy of England, despatched a mission to the Ameer of Afghanistan. The object of that mission was beyond doubt to stir up strife on the India frontier. To counteract tlje machinations of the Russians the Government or India determmed'also to send a mission. The Ameer, however, refused to admit the British envoys into his territory. Russian influence had been, at work, and Shere Ali, who a few years ago implored the English Government to check the Russian advance in Central Asia, has foolishly become an ally of the Czar. His action will in all probability result in his dethronement, foras far as material aid is concerned Russia will lend him no helping hand. There is no desirec i the part of England to extend the Indian frontier, and the war with the Ameor will not add materially to our Eastern

possessions. A few positions doubtless will be retained for stategic purposes; for there is an uneasy feeling at Home that this war 3 is only the beginning of com- ’ plications in the East, in which f Russia will be the prime mover. 5 Through every phase of the negotiations on the late Russo-Turkish war, - Lord Beaconsfield has made it appear 1 that the interests of England and Russia in the East are antagonistic, ■ and it is quite natural that the latter power should take every opportunity of weakening British influence. It may be that Russia has only a temporary object in view, to divert the attention of Great Britain from the neighborhood of the Black Sea. If such is actually the object of the Muscovite statesmen, they may find that they have made a very unsafe calculation. There is a feeling in England that a war with Russia is inevitable, and the Afghan war—brought about as it has been by the emissaries of the Czar—has intensified that feeling. If war takes place between the two countries, there will be fighting along the whole line, and the strength of England will be levelled at a more vital point than Cabul. The Black Sea will become an English lake for the time being. To use the words of the London Standard, such a war might result in crumpling up Russia forever and a day of the design of foreign coy quest. Russia does not stand well in the graces of any civilised Power. At the beginning of the century, Napoleon the First expressed the belief that in fifty years Europe would be either Cossack or Republican. Sixtv years have elapsed, and the words of the “ great soldier but poor philosopher” are not realised. Europe is neither Republican nor Cossack, but, nevertheless, the nations of the Old World view with alarm the growth of Russian power. It is true that England is not regarded with favor on the Continent, but this feeling arises solely through envy. There is no mixture of dread in the ill-feeling to- 1 wards England. It is different with ! regard to Russia, The earth hunger of the Muscovite is looked upon as a ‘ source of danger in the future. He J who rules at Constantinople rules the 1 world was the maxim firmly believed a

by the rulers of Russia, and their greatest ambition was to obtain a foothold on the shores of the Bosphorus. The idea of universal empire has been set at rest by the immense growth of the British race in America and Australia. For all time to come English-speaking communities will overshadow those of every other race. However, the East still lies open to Russia, There is only one nation which has the power to put a curb on her ambition in this direction. Hence, a conflict is regarded as inevitable. Still, such, a war may not take place for a generation ; unless the “ Jingo ” party actually forces it upon Russia. The power of England is not declining, and she will be as able to cope with Russia twenty years hence as to-day. There is no country in the world which has less occasion to fear a great national disaster than England. Russia is like an immense volcano at present. Witness the outbreaks of socialism from St. Petersburg and Moscow to Odessa. A social convulsion may at any time split the mighty empire into fragments. It would be wiser for Great Britain to trust to the chapter of accidents than to rush into war, even if its victories were to shed a halo of glory round the head of Benjamin Disraeli in his old age. The world is rapidly becoming educated, and before many years elapse, even a Don Cossack may object to be led to slaughter to satisfy the lust for territory which has characterised the House Romanof from Peter the Great down to the present monarch. For the present, it will be sufficient for England to chastise the semi-civilised ruler of Afghanistan for the insult in refusing to receive the envoys. It -will be necessary to do this to preserve British prestige in India,