'Russia and India in 1903' [‎12v] (24/68)

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RUSSIA AND INDIA IN 1903.
Upon caravan days, and still more for the passage of a
single traveller, every height has to be guarded by a
picket, and to look from the last hill on the British
side, into the rugged “ sea ” of Afghanistan, necessitates
advanced scouts, flanking parties, and outward signs of
preparedness for fight, or there might be no return.
Well, it is beyond all question that between Northern
India and Russia there are 200 miles of barren land,
bristling with natural obstacles, and peopled by fierce
races, who know that their only chance of freedom lies
in friendship with the British, who have no further
ambitions in conquest .—Sheffield Telegraph.
The 18th of the 20 remarkable letters from the special
correspondent of The Times 1 (Mr. Victor Chirrol) upon
“The Middle Eastern Question,” appearing in the
issue of March 30th, 1903, referring to Afghanistan,
is of especial importance. Two paragraphs from this
article demand particular attention :
“ The policy laid down by Lord Curzon will, it may
be hoped, fortify the confidence of the tribes. If we
can once convince them that we have no wish to annex
their territory and are quite ready to entrust to
garrisons drawn from amongst themselves the defence
of their native valleys and hills, so long as they can be
trusted to discharge those duties loyally and efficiently,
one of the chief opportunities of the mischief-maker,
both on the borderland and at Kabul, will be gone.”
“ The fluctuations of British policy, largely due to, and
perhaps inseparable from, our institutions and system
of government, have repeatedly shaken the confidence
of the Afghans both in the sincerity of our friendship
and in our power to give practical effect to it. This
is certainly not the moment when we can afford to
raise doubts as to either. Afghanistan is still, and
1 It is probable that these letters will be republished in book
form. They merit the most earnest consideration.