There, it seems that the English and Russian Commissioners can
by no means come to terms as to the boundary at Khoja Saleh, the question being as to a small portion of territory included in a bend of the Oxus at that place, which the Afghans claim as from time immemorial their own, while the Russians say that it is not, under the terms under which the Boundary Commission was appointed, within the Afghan claim. The matter must, of course, be determined by England and Russia, and not by the Frontier Commission, which has done all the surveying necessary to the geographical settlement of the question ; but it seems to be admitted,—(1), that the disputed territory will not be ceded by Afghanistan without war; and (2), that Russia has got some technical advantage over us, arising out of the terms on which the Commission was drawn. However this may be, Russia will prove reasonable or unreasonable just in proportion as she wishes to press on England in the East, and that, again, may depend on whether she is or is not con- templating a breach with Germany and Austria. The situation is not an inviting one.
