Russia's Advance Toward India in the 1880s and Britain's Alarm

Boulger, Demetrius Charles - "England and Russia in Central Asia", 2 vols (London, 1879). Hostile to Russia. Id., - "Central Asian Portraits" (London, 1880), covers leading political figures of Russian Turkestan, Bukhara, Kokand, Khiva, the Kazakh Steppe, Transcaspia, Afghanistan [Liechtenstein: Kraus Reprints, 1978]. Id. - "Central Asian Questions; Essays on Afghanistan, China, and Central Asia" (London, 1885), contains articles originally published 1878-84. Vambery, Arminius - "The Coming Struggle for India, Being an Account of the Encroachments of Russia in Central Asia, and of the Difficulties Sure to Arise Therefrom to England" (London, 1885). One chapter compares unfavourably Russia's civilizing influence in the East with Britain's. O'Donovan, Edmond - "The Merv Oasis: Travels and Adventures East of the Caspian during the Years 1879-80-81", 2 vols (London, 1882) ["Russia Observed" series, NY: Arno Press, 1970]. Lansdell, Henry - "Russian Central Asia, Including Kuldja, Bokhara, Khiva and Merv", 2 vols (London, 1885). An English clergyman's travels in 1882 ["Russia Observed" series, NY: Arno Press, 1970]. Omit material on Kuldja and use as #D.10. Marvin, Charles - "The Russian Advance towards India; Conversations with Skobeleff, Ignatieff, and Other Distinguished Russian Generals and Statesmen, on the Central Asian Question" (London, 1882) is by a British journalist, long resident in Russia and well-connected, a British imperialist but not a Russophobe [Peshawar, 1984]. Id. - "The Russians at Merv and Herat, and Their Power of Invading India" (London, 1883), covers the plans of the Russian military, recent Russian explorations, the Russian military build-up in the Caucasus and in Transcaspia. Id. - "The Russian Annexation of Merv, What It Means and What It Must Lead to" (London, 1884), urges the need for Britain to complete the railway to Quetta and extend it to Kandahar, to establish a political resident at Herat, and to warn Russia to keep hands off Afghan Turkestan. Id. - "The Russians at the Gates of Herat" (London, 1885), covers recent Russian advances in Transcaspia, Russian designs on Afghan Turkestan, the possible extension of the Russian railway to Herat and Kandahar; criticizes the British evacuation of Kandahar in 1881, urges the need for Britain to garrison Herat and for Russia to withdraw from Merv. Malleson, Col. George Bruce - "The Russo-Afghan Question and the Invasion of India" (London, 1885). Alarmed about the threat to Herat and India, Malleson urges Britain to expel the Russians from Penjdeh and Merv. Edwards, Henry Sutherland - "Russian Projects against India, from the Czar Peter to General Skobeleff" (London, 1885). Only chapters XI and XII (50 pages) are worth republishing: 'The Good and the Evil done by Russia in Central Asia' and 'Projects for the Invasion of India'. Yate, Lieut. Arthur Campbell - "England and Russia Face to Face in Asia: Travels with the Afghan Boundary Commission" (Edinburgh, 1887) contains letters to British journals, 1885-86; author sees a Russian threat to Afghan Turkestan and Herat but not to Kandahar and India. Curzon, George N. - "Russia in Central Asia in 1889 and the Anglo-Russian Question" (London, 1889) is based on a visit in fall 1888 [London: Cass, 1967].