The Calcutta correspondent of the Times informs us that the
Envoy despatched from Khiva to the Government of India to pray for assistance has been received by Lord Northbrook, and has been told in unmistakable language that his master has earned his downfall and must submit. India will not assist a slave-stealer. We have explained elsewhere the new, and as we think, the wise policy which Lord Northbrook is interpreting, but we may add here that we doubt if a grand plan of the Russian engineers for turning the Oxus into its ancient channel, and making it debonch once more into the Caspian has been given up. If that could be effected, a steam launch could travel by water from St. Petersburg almost to Balkh, and resistance to Russia North of the Hindoo Koosh would be a physical impossi- bility, unless, indeed, we made the struggle European. We see no motive for an effort so gigantic, when success would only confirm the power of a million and a half of fanatical Tartars over some of the finest regions in the world. Let us divide with Russia, instead of fighting her.
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