Show CENTRAL AS AN EFHL LIt L-it Once More Obscures Pacific f Paci-fic International Affairs BEARS SHADOW MENACING Tn Spito of Denials Russia Has Advanced Ad-vanced a Strong Force Within Striking Distance of Herat I Whether this is Intended as a Distinct Dis-tinct Demonstration Against Afghanistan Af-ghanistan or Merely a Blind to Distract Dis-tract Attention Elsewhere is Merely Mere-ly a Matter of Surmise London Feb i7Spccial London Ca copyrighted 1900 > by the ble Letter Associated PrcsslWhot Is I known In the Central Asian Great Britain as the pacific peril once moro obscures I International aspect of affairs AH ManlntheStreet the viewed by tho shows that in spite of deJInlte news denials Russia has advanced a strong force within striking distance of Herat and whether she Intends this as a dis Afghanistan tinct demonstration against tan or merely as a blind to draw off attention from or ultimately assist her objects in the Persian gulf Is merely I a matter of surmise Whatever all this f really means a large portion of the British public and press Is devoting serious attention to that timeworn bugbear the menacing shadow of the 1 bear VIEW OF OFFICIALS Though Lord Salisbury refused to fllscuss the question in the House of Lords the Associated Press Is able to give the opinions of British Government I Govern-ment ofilclals which In the main are those of Lord Salisbury upon this latest I development But first of all it will action has I be necessary to say that no yot been taken or decided upon by the British Weeks ago the report of a Russian advance was circulated and when questioned upon the subject the Russian Rus-sian Embassador assured his dear frlendo in Downing street that the reports re-ports were exaggerated IL was nothing noth-ing but annual maneuvers he explained ex-plained and least of all was It Intended ns a menace In fact it waG so belittled belit-tled by this diplomat that the British officials had no other alternative but to believe the reports were practically untrue especially as Russia in conjunction con-junction with every other European i t power had a few weeks previous formally for-mally assured Lord Salisbury that she had not the faintest Intention of profiting profit-ing by Great Britains embarrassment In South Africa by pressing outstanding outstand-ing claims interfering in any way MISLED SALISBURY News from Central Asia trickles into England slowly but this week there came from many sources Information showing Russias Embassador had to put It mildly misled Lord Salisbury and the Foreign office on Wednesday last had to bring Itself with a sharp turn to the realization that the Central Cen-tral Asian situation demanded Immediate Imme-diate attention Yet what form such attention vlll take constitutes a dilemma dilem-ma on the horns of which the British Government Is still preched Details of the proceedings on the borders bor-ders of Afghanistan are still lacking and are likely to be for some time to come As a high olllclal said to a representative rep-resentative of the Associated Press If we politely suggest to the Russian Embassador that a further explanation explana-tion is in order we are sure to get the tame friendly assurances that It does not amount to anything If we address a formal stringent protest to St Petersburg Pe-tersburg we deliberately cast doubt on Russias practically spontaneous declaration of friendship and noninterference noninter-ference It Is possible the latter is what the Americans call a bluff MUST BID SURE OF FACTS But we have to be very sure of our facts before proceeding on such a basis The Ameer is not ill In spite of all the alarming reports I suppose he will die some day and there will possibly possi-bly be great disorder But until this occurs I fall to see what Russia can effect If the movement Is as important Import-ant as represented I think It far likelier like-lier that she Intends to make a demonstration demon-stration of the strength that might be brought to bear upon some minor concessions con-cessions to be asked for by Russia hereafter The opinion of this official and those I of the majority of persons accurately Informed Is that Russias move Is merely one of the finer points in tho t diplomatic game and that she has no moro Idea of forcing a war with Great Britain than she has of forcing a war upon the United States So while It appears that international relations are really not threatened with any serious break it also appears that Russia is likely to get whatever she asks for within reasonable diplomacy In the near future Nothing Is more patent from tho conversation of the Cabinet Ministers and officials than the desire to conciliate and not overvalue minor concessions I WILL NOT BE BULLIED I However It must not be Inferred that I Great Britain Intends to allow herself to be bullied into granting anything j asked for and it Is interesting to note In this connection that the channel squadron consisting of eight battleships battle-ships and other craft Is duo in the neighborhood of Gibraltar February 2CthTho Tho renewed naval activity has had almost as much to do with the return of national confidence as Lord Rob ertss evident grasp of the campaign WhHo the nation la still looking askance at the n2W ml Itary programme introduced this week there is i genuine gratification at learning that the reports re-ports that hundreds of thousands of tons of Welsh smokeless coal have been bought for a foreign nation are untrue There Is I no substitute for that breath of empire It is I almost as important as smokeless powder and were the I supply to be seriously diminished It would affect Great Britains power of I defense tremendously The navys activity Is also evidenced I I in its proxies I with win less telegraphy teleg-raphy Experiments will hortly occur to ascertain whether it is possible to I communicate by this means between ships and balloons The Importance of I such a test in ascertaining the whereabouts where-abouts of an enemy ard cjuntKsB other points mated of warfare cannot be overesti I I |