Among the Celestials : vol.1 / Page 110 (Color Image)

0110	Among the Celestials : vol.1

84 AMONG THE CELESTIALS. [CHAP. IV.

How, then, are we to preserve our rights ?

No one who has moved about in Asia can

doubt that we and the Russians are in a state

of rivalry. Every year we come closer together

in one part of Asia or the other. It is

supremely important that we should meet in

peace. An honourable understanding between

the two powers, defining their respective in-

terests and the guarantees for maintaining them

would be of incalculable advantage to both.

But such an understanding would be absolutely

worthless if the Russians had any reason to

believe that it was sought for by us merely

through fear of them. It can only be of value

when the Russians on their part have realised

the need of it. This they apparently do not

realise at present, and our recent attempts to

come to an understanding with them proved

futile.

We can therefore either meet their bluff with

bluff on our part, as Beaconsfield did in moving

Indian troops to Malta, or else we can continue

our policy of countermoves. We have declared

ourselves against the policy of bluff as being too

risky. There remains the policy of counter-

moves. The Russian move towards Herat

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