THE perusal of the latest despatches should convince everyone that Lord Granville is not suitable to be Foreign Secretary in times of difficulty. What has he done? Protested mightily respecting the Penjdeh incident which M. be Giers kept ignoring; and ultimately ventured to suggest an arbitration which, was declared in the House of Commons to have been secured, and to have been one of the greatest of diplomatic and peace triumphs. What will Englishmen think of a victory about which the language of acceptance is as follows : -- "As regards the misunderstandings which may have existed as to the interpretation of the agreement between the two Cabinets, if there remained any doubts or differences of opinion the Emperor would not refuse to refer the question to the judgment of a Foreign Sovereign who inspired confidence in the two Governments." The Emperor "would not refuse" arbitration providing "there remained any doubts or differences!" About what? Not the "regrettable incident" in its most serious phase, but how the dignity of the two Governments can be satisfied in reference to the "agreement" -- which was not an agreement -- of March 16. Arbitration having been "not refused," arbitration will most likely be heard no more of. The "incident" slips out of the despatches, and the Russian Government propose a boundary line which staggers Lord Granville at first, but speedily he resumes his serenity and enters into a discussion of it, quietly forgetting all his past protests, and allowing the Penjdeh incident to do for Russia what Russia meant it to do -- bring forward the boundary line some fifty miles on the plea of possession, and as if no other had ever been suggested or discussed. Do what Lord Granville may he cannot alter Russia's determination to keep the discussion to the toe-line of the Russian advance, and Lord Granville, having no policy but concession and submission, talks and argues with lucidity and force but without any sincerity. It is evident to every reader, as it must have been to M. de Giers, that beyond or behind the argument of Lord Granville there is absolutely nothing, The argument is convincing, but Russia will not be convinced by argument, and Lord Granville has no other weapon besides argument to use. The Government intend to "close the book," have made up their minds to surrender, and this is written in the latest Blue Book as plainly as if it were recorded in the very words we have used. The negotiations are still proceeding, but the upshot is certain. Herat may not now go to Russia, nor even Meruchak, but they will ultimately, unless we have a policy to prevent them. Better far make a bold surrender of the ridiculous policy of protests then to be worsted at intervals by prosecuting it, and take a stand either at Herat, with arms and men and not despatches, or at Cabul and Candahar.
Birmingham Daily Gazette, June 3.
Central Asia 1885
Central Asia 1885
Table of Contents
Miracles of healing - Christian Miracles or Healing
History of Russia: Christian Versus Barbarian
History of Japan: Early Christian Martyrs
The Jesus of History
The Assyrian Origin of Devil Worshippers
The Christ Of Dogma
The early history of Constantinople
