ussian Central Asia and
British India.

Fortunately for the peace of the world, the two spheres of expansion
long lay wide apart. The Russians, as a continental nation hemmed in by
no natural frontiers, naturally overflowed into adjacent thinly peopled
territory and spread out very much as a drop of oil spreads out on soft
paper; while we, being islanders with an adventurous seafaring
population, chose our fields of colonization and conquest in various
distant regions of the globe. Thus, until comparatively recent times, we
had no occasion to come into conflict with our rivals, or, to speak more
accurately, the two nations were not rivals at all. Now, it is true, we
have approached within striking distance of each other, and there is
some danger of our coming into hostile contact. Of this danger and the
possibility of averting it I shall speak presently, but meanwhile I must
make a little digression in order to anticipate an objection that may be
made to the foregoing remarks.

Some conscientious inquirer, while admitting that there is a certain
resemblance between British and Russian territorial expansion, may
reasonably point to some important differences in the results. The
expansion of England, he may say, has resulted in spreading over the
world the benefits of civilization and freedom; her more important
colonies have grown into self-governing sister nations, who are showing
their loyalty and affection for the mother country by rushing to her
assistance in the present crisis; at the same time her great Indian
dependency and her Crown Colonies, which do not yet enjoy complete
self-government, are likewise showing their sympathetic appreciation of
the blessings conferred on them by the central power.

In comparison with all this, what has Russia to show? Not so much, I
confess, but she has effected considerable improvements in the annexed
territories. The great plains to the north of the Black Sea, which were
formerly the home of nomadic, predatory tribes, have been brought under
cultivation; the tents of the nomads have been replaced by thriving
villages, flaming blast furnaces, great foundries, and fine towns, such
as Odessa, Taganrog and Rostoff; the Crimea, whose inhabitants once
lived mainly by marauding expeditions and the slave trade, is now a
peaceful and prosperous province; in the Caucasus, which was long the
scene of constant tribal warfare and where the well-to-do inhabitants
were not ashamed to sell