What is really happening in Central Asia this summer ?
Ac- cording to the Indian telegrams, Herat has just gone through another siege, and has been captured by Yakoob Khan,which Indiana believe to be a very alarming business. Yakoob Khan is a rival of the Shore Ali to whom Lord Mayo gives an annual grant, with the understanding that it will help him to keep order among his turbulent subjects, that he is to be himself a good neighbour, and. that he will give no ear to Russian intrigues. Yakoob Khan's success is, therefore, in some way a misfortune for the policy of the Indian Government, and is the more irritating because Shere All was on his way to relieve Herat, and his rival just got in before him. Then the Russian spectre is brought on the stage. At this very time the Russians are getting ready an expedition against Khiva, which is the political neighbour of Herat on the Bide away from India, and they are supposed to be assisting Yakoob Khan in order to prevent any help to Khiva from Affghan- istan. It is clear that there will be a Central Asian row this summer, but we doubt whether anything will come of it. The Rus- sians went back last year after an advance into the most southern province of Bokhara, and they may go back from Khiva too, and. we do not believe in the least that Yakoob Khan is bribed by them. There would have been no necessity, and the Russians in that quarter have not too much cash. The-Indian Government is quite right in watching all that goes on, and perhaps should send a quiet word to St. Petersburg that Khiva is not to be held ; but there is no reason for a sensation about it, when we have got used to the new aspect of Central Asian politics which was introduced. by the Russian occupation of Samarcand.
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