Russia's Railway Advance into Central Asia. By George Dobson. (W.
H. Allen and Co.)—Mr. Dobson travelled from St. Petersburg to Samarkand in 1888, when the railway to the latter place was opened. He described what he saw in a series of letters to the Times; and he has now republished these letters, rewritten and amplified, with the addition of as much more new matter. The book contains an exhaustive account of the great railway. It is impossible for us to criticise it—few Englishmen could pre- tend to do that—but we cannot be wrong in saying that it is worth attentive study. It is impossible not to regard the work which it describes as a serious menace to British power in India. On some points, as Mr. Dobson points out, there is much exaggera- tion. It is still a long way from being true that Russia is ousting England and India from Eastern bazaars. As to the political and military aspect of the matter, there is much to be said. Russian officials boast of the possible results of the Trans-Caspian Railway in a way that is somewhat unfriendly, considering that the two nations are nominally at peace. One high official, for instance, speaks of the arrangements which " would carry a conquering army into the heart of India ;" and his report is accepted and published ! And we are being told by a portion of the Press that Russia means no harm !
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