e the countless wealth which it is falsely supposed to
possess; but I have never met or heard of any serious Russian politician
capable of advocating such a hazardous enterprise. Certainly there is no
immediate danger. When the European struggle in which we are now engaged
is brought to an end, the nations who are taking part in it will husband
their resources for many years before launching into any wild
adventures. Moreover, our position in our great Eastern dependency has
never previously been so secure as it is now. The Government has long
been taking precautionary measures against possible troubles on the
frontier, and in the interior of the country the great mass of the
inhabitants are prosperous and contented. Hindus and Mahommedans alike
are learning to appreciate the benefits of British rule, as is shown by
the fact that in the present crisis the native Princes are generously
placing all the available resources of their States at the disposal of
the Central Government.

An additional security against danger in that quarter is afforded by the
character of the present Czar. His natural disposition is not at all of
the adventurous type, and he will doubtless profit by past experience.
He will not soon forget how he inadvertently drifted into the Japanese
conflict because he let himself be persuaded by ill-informed counselors
that a war with Japan was altogether out of the question. We can hardly
suppose that he will listen to such counselors a second time. Moreover,
he showed on one memorable occasion that he was animated with friendly
sentiments toward England. The incident has hitherto been kept secret,
but may now be divulged. During the South African war a hint came to him
from a foreign potentate that the moment had arrived for clipping
England's wings and that Russia might play a useful part in the
operation by making a military demonstration on the Afghan frontier. To
this suggestion the Czar turned a deaf ear. I am well aware that in
semi-official conversation the foreign potentate in question has
represented the incident in a very different light, but recent
experience has taught us to be chary of accepting literally any
diplomatic assurances coming from that quarter.

On this subject of possible future conflicts with Russia and of the best
means of averting them, I have a great deal more to say, but I have now
reached the limits of the space at my disposal, not to mention the
patience of my readers, I c