Show THE BELATIONS of England with Afghanistan constitute a very difficult problem for ito former to Eolve Yet solve it she must for the cannot give it up with cither credit or safety To withdraw her forces now from Afghanistan would result in an immense im-mense shock to her prestige and would very likely involve other parts ol India in war by inducing insurrection insur-rection Dost Mohammed when he was down in Calcutta wondered why the English with the fertile plains of lower India in their possession should covet such a mountainous rocky and comparatively poor and unproductive country as Afghanistan It is act manifested that the English do covet that country or muth of it anyway More than once have they been in possession and have vacated it Their presence there in force I I now is duo entirely to Afghan treachery I treach-ery and cruelty If that country would remain neutral ground or I friendly to the English or not inimical in-imical to them we ore inclined to think they would be very well pleased to let Afghanistan alone The difficulties diffi-culties between tho English and tne Afghans during the last two or three year arose from an apparent ap-parent necessity to vindicate English Eng-lish dignity and prevent probable disastrous effects to British rule throughout India as tho Afghans had violated treaty stipulation by according to Russia diplomatic favors which were refused to England It is plain enougn to be seen hai in the course of a few years if English influence in-fluence should subside in Afghanistan Afghanis-tan Russian influence would not be eo backward but would be pushed there would be followed by Russian domination and would eventuate in Russian conquest This England could not aflord to allow It would be a suicidal policy to her For Russia is the most persistently aggressive ag-gressive power in Europe or Asia and every libertyloving man would preter the rule of England to that ol Russia in any part of the world if he bad to choose to live under one rule or the other England must look well to the safety of her Indian empire em-pire and to the border countries that possess military advantages especially those of a topographical nature It is this which necessitate the presence of the English in Afghanistan thu in connection with Afghan treachery and gross violation of treaty stipulations stipula-tions For if tho Afghans had roo epected the last treaty instead of murdering Major Oavagnari and his retmuetho English would not now be in force in Afghanistan and if f the Afghans had repeeled former treaty tho English would not have gone to that country in force in 1878 The late reverse to General Burrows command will necessitate not the evacuation of Afghanistan but another military vindication and bow the business will end is difficult to I say Tho English will not annex Afghanistan if they can see any other feasible way out of the difficulty away a-way that will not tend to weaken their influence in India The Afghans are vigorous prcnd restless aspiring warlike fanatical treacherous turbulent tur-bulent fierce and cruel It is not an ea y thing to get along peaceably with such a people Overshadowing force is the only means of keeping them long in subjection A ruler of their own stock must be a man of decided de-cided force of character or he can do little with them and at beet will sink into a mere puppet and rule by sufferance suf-ferance perhaps arising out of mutual mu-tual jealousies of rival aspirants to power If the English are to rule in Afghanistan it seems that they must do it in one of three Iysby maintaining main-taining a large force there sufficient to dominate the country and overawe opposition which would be very expensive I ex-pensive or by securing the friendship of a native ruler who is able to sue tain himself in power which would be a very good way but most difficult to bring about or to establish a series of strong and well garrisoned forts in commanding milit ry positions so as to ensure a well defended frontier but which again would also bean expensive method of solving solv-ing the problem Nevertheless this I last appears in the present state 01 things to be the mqat probable and satisfactory way out of tho present difficulties this with perhaps Borne I U6 made also of the second method mentioned Any way we may look for lively news from India for eoma week perhaps months to come perhaps years For the Afghans have this peculiaritythey let a strong force enter and apparently conquet their country in a comparatively easy manner but after a while theyrise up in hostility and harass it in every way possible to them so that it is extremely difficult for even an overpowering over-powering force to mike a lasting peace with them unless it remains in the country and maintains its power by force and vigilance unrelated Intrigues and cabals and wars in tsEtine wars are chronio affections nith the Afghan |