‘The strategic importance of the Euphrates valley railway’ [‎61] (142/204)

( 61 )
England may, with equal propriety, ask how the
late Russian moves should afreet her present poliey,
and how may the coming moves affect the future
peace and security of her Indian empire ?
Each of these is literally a " question." The
two together, and, it may be, many more ambigui
ties combined, make up the general question.
So far as England has moved in the matter, she
has drawn out a line of frontier north of Afghani
stan, which Eussia has agreed to respect. This
frontier takes within the territories of the Amir
Shir Ali,—
1st, Badakhshan and Wakhan, from the Sari
Kul on the east, to the junctions of the Gokcha and
Oxus. 2nd, Kunduz, Khulm, and Balkh, defined
by the line of the Oxus prolonged to Khojah Saleh
on the Bokhara road. 3rd, The districts of Akcha,
Saripul, Mainianeh, Shibberghan, and Andkuhi,
defined by a line abandoning the left bank of the
Oxus, and taking a south-westerly direction till it
joins the already recognized Perso-Afghan frontier
west of Herat.
And she has, by her officers employed during
the last two years and a half, drawn out a line of
demarcation between Persia and Afghanistan, in
continuation of the Herat frontier line, as also a
line of demarcation between Persia and Kelat, for
future understanding of boundaries in Baluchistan;
which two settlements should supply one continuous