'Russia, India and the Persian Gulf' [‎20r] (39/46)

Proceedings of the East India Association, 35
subject of the Western Frontiers of India. What were those Western
Frontiers ? The true frontier was the line they took from the Sikhs.
Beyond that it was entirely foreign territory.
Major Pemberton thought the effect of the discussion would be educa
tional throughout the country, and Mr. Rees would be doing a public
service if he could see his way to deliver this lecture in other places in the
United Kingdom. As the British people would have to pay the cost, they
would claim through their representatives in the House of Commons a
voice in the line of policy to be adopted. When the democracy was
educated in this matter the British Cabinet could be trusted to bring
forward adequate and proper measures, and the House of Commons
trusted to vote the necessary supplies; but we must bear in mind that
until the general public was aroused to a sense of the momentous issues
involved, and possessed some acquaintance with the subject, the Govern
ment would not have behind it a sufficient body of informed public
opinion to enable it to grapple with this grave question in an adequate
manner. Mr. Lynch's remarks had been most interesting, and he was
able to agree with a great deal of what he had said, though he feared the
words “Too late” must almost be the verdict on the policy outlined by
him. A few years ago, as was well known, we had thrown away a great
and unique opportunity of strengthening our position at Teheran, and it
was doubtful whether the opportunity had not gone for ever. Should the
speaker, however, be considered too pessimistic in thinking the die already
cast, he would be the first to welcome a thorough discussion of the line of
policy advocated so ably by Mr. Lynch. Such a discussion would clear
the air, and enable the country to come to a decision after weighing the
cost. Mr. Lynch, in his opinion, had made somewhat light of the cost of
improving the existing means of access from the Persian Ports into the
interior of the country. Major Pemberton feared that the development of
the hinterland, by the construction of roads and railways, would prove a
costly affair. He mentioned the expense because money entered largely
into the question of policy, especially in a democratic community like
ours ; that was a fact that had to be faced, and it would be no use
ignoring it, but at the same time let the policy advocated be judged
on its merits and not condemned solely because of its assumed costliness.
Leaving Persia, however, for the moment, and reverting to the North-West
Frontier of India, Major Pemberton thought there was too great a tendency
to look at the problem of the defence of India as it presents itself in its
main features at the present day; in consequence, the conclusion come to
by many was that the invasion of India by Russia was a practical impossi
bility—a chimera, in fact! He submitted, however, that the proper way
to deal with the question was to forecast the future, and to consider the
condition of things as it is likely to be some fifteen or twenty years hence,
when lines of railways traversing Afghanistan will probably either have been
made or will be in course of construction. Then matters would assuredly
wear a different aspect, and it was to deal with that state of things that we
as a nation should now commence our preparations. Surely no sane man
should comfort himself with the thought that armies could not march