The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-30 00:00:00

RUSSIA'S NEW SUBJECTS.

(FILOM TIIE "GLOBE.")
The Sank Turcomans, who have been so success.
fully exploited in the Russian interest, may safely be
considered the most unmitigated scoundrels on tho
face of the earth. For half a century western nations
have been in possession of incomplete accounts of the
regular system of roan-stealing pursued by the Turco-
mans, but it is of comparatively recent date that we
have had laid bare the sickening details of torture
and inhuman barbarity with which their maraudings
were invariably accompanied. Of course, there are
some honourable exceptions, especially among the
tribes in close proximity to the Caspian and Persian
province of Astrabad, but nothing can be urged in
favour of the Sariks. Of a race of robbers and
murderers they are the worst, and, being rather more
favoured by nature than their Tekke brethren, cannot
plead the extreme poverty that often drove otherwise
well-meaning Tekks to take part in the forays.
The Sariks are supposed to have occupied Merv,
in conjunction with the Sabre, at the time of the Arab
conquest, but this seems rather doubtful, if we ac-
cept as true the statement that the Turcomans
formed the vanguard of the army of the Seljuk Turk
princes who crossed the Oxus from the north in 1037,
or nearly 400 years after the first appearance of the
Arabs. At any rate, there seems to be little doubt
that they have occupied the Mery oasis for about
eight centuries, and are quite justified in regarding
the Tekkes as usurpers of their inheritance. During
this time they have formed part of the nations whose
sovereigns possessed authority over Merv, and owned
allegiance to Iranian or Turanian with complete
indifference, so long as border warfare afforded
the opportunity of indulging their preda-
tory instincts. As might be expected, their
tenure of the oasis was not nninterrupted, but they seein
to have enjoyed undisputed ownership from 1790
until 1845, when the struggle with the Tekkes com-
menced. The latter, driven from Oraz-Kala, on the
river Tejend, by the Persians, advanced northwards,
and, after ten years' constant warfare, made them-
selves masters of Merv, where they have since re-
mained. For assisting Sultan Muracl Mirza, governor
of Khortissan, in an expedition undertaken on their
behalf against Merv, the Sariks were set upon by the
Tekkes and decimated. They thereupon withdrew
to their present positions at Yulutan, some forty
miles from Mery and Penjdeh—the scene of General
Komarofi's treacherous massacre of the Afghans.
Change of domicle and loss of power were un-
• acconr.:ipanied by any attempt at emendation of their
evil ways on the part of the Sariks. Their first acts were
the expulsion of the Salors from Yulutan, and of the
Jemshidis and Teimuris from Penjdeh. Since 1857
• they have lived in open enmity with the Tekkes,
plundering small bands when opportunity offered,
and making organised raids on North-west
Afghanistan and the defenceless province of
Khorassan. Their last grand alcanan (raid)
• can iss recorded with grim satisfaction, as it resulted
in a complete fiasco. In 1877, the Sariks swooped
down upon the Persian town Turbat-i-Shaikh-i-
Jami, and carried off 30,000 sheep and
many prisoners. The Shah at once tele-
graphed orders for the collection of a force of two
regiments of infantry, and 2000 cavalry; and, to
ensure seeresy, quietly told the officer in command
that he would lose his head if the order became
• known. In due time, the force set out on its march,
crossed the liferi-rud, and in two days reached the
Sank camping grounds on the slopes of the' Pero-
pamisus, near Gulran. So sudden and unexpected
was the Persian attack, that almost without firing a
shot, 100 shepherds and 100,000 sheep were captured
and driven back to Persia_
The Sariks are divided into five principal clans,
which are further subdivided into 16 families or
branches. At Yulutan and Penjdeh these families
are indiscriminately mixed, and the total population
is about 60,000. The method of computation fol-
lowed is always based upon the number of canals.
The whole community being dependent on the water
supply for existence, the administrative system of all
Turcoman tribes is limited to enforcing the regular
distribution of water, and compulsory labour in con-
nection with the repair and cleansing of the canals.
In each of the two Sank oases there are 18 large,
about ,500 secondary, and 6000 small canals. As it ma
very rarely that more than one family makes use of
a small canal, it is reckoned that there are from
12,000 to 13,000 tents in both oases. If, as is pre-
sumed, the administration establishecVsyGeneral Koma-
roff at Penjdeh be conducted on native principles, the
applause with which Russian papers herald its inuaugu-
ration:is rather out of place. There has been no such
thing as native administration known to either the
Mery Tekkes or Sank Turcomans. True, each
branch appoints a ketk.hoda, or elder, but his power is
exceedingly limited, and, except in rare cases of ab-
normal personal influence, is restricted to the regula-
tion of the water supply. In discussing alamans,
or any other affairs affecting the community,
everyone has a voice in the matter, and joins with the
rest or holds aloof as he thinks fit. Native adminis-
tration as a guarantee of orderly conduct among the
Sariks is, therefore, an obvious sham. They will
refrain from attacking the Afghans on the one hand,
or pillage and murder them on the other, according to
the,orders received from their new masters, General
Komaroff and his crafty lieutenant, the.now notorious
Colonel Al i khanoff.
The insertion of the saving clause in Mr. Glad-
stone's famous "agreement," clearly, shows the
Russian hand. The Sariks have been recognised as
Russian subjects, not from any high ideas of civilising
destiny of the great Northern Power of which we hear
so much, nor yet because the oasis of Penjdeh pos-
sesses any value. The value lies in the villainous
character of die Sariks, who have been the scourge of
North-West Afghanistan for years, and who will
always be found a most willing tool in Russian hands
for the manufacture of disturbances at convenient
seasons. For instance, a Sank raid on Maimeneh,
or the neighbourhood of Herat would create
a disturbance, and would certainly cause the
Afghans to assume a menacing attitude towards
Russian subjects. This, of course, would compel
a further advance of General Komaroff's army,
much to his regret, and when properly " ex-
plained " would be readily swallowed, and another
slice permitted to be cut from Afghan territory,
without protest by our chicken-hearted Govern-
ment. It cannot even be urged that the Sariks were
anxious to become Russian subjects, as we have posi-
tive documentary evidence to the contrary. Of course
in such a community there are always to be found
many who are willing to change their nationality for
a cash consideration, and if M. Lessar resembles
other diplomatists of his country he probably pro-
mised the Sariks many little opportunities of pillaging
the Afghans such as Komaroff helped them to on the
30th of March. If Russia had no ulterior aim, she
would never have burdened herself with such turbu-
lent subjects, but have left them to the tender
mercies of the Afghan ruler, who was just beginning
to show the border thieves that they must submit or
take the consequences. Mr. Gladstone probably
fancies he has staved off the evil days by'giving way
to Russia; but of all the grievous blunders lae has
committed, that of transferring the Sariks to Russia
will certainly be followed by the most deplorable
, ranks.

SCHOOL SAVINGS BANKS IN
FRANCE.
, From a recent report of the French Minister o,f,
üblic Instruction we see that in January last 23,22..,
schools had a schools sayings bank, and that
488,624 schoolboys were depositors in these banks,
and possessed there at that date the sum total
of 11,285,046 f.
These results are very remarkable. The institu-
tion was founded by M. de Malarce in 1874, and
in no ease has any official pressure been used. The
whole scheme was originated by a single person, and
has been carried to a successful issue by the pro-
fessional devotion (quite voluntary) of the local
authorities and schoolmasters.
The official report of 1880 stated: "The first
school savings bank was established in 1834 by M.
Dulac in the municipal school of the city of Le Mans.
It was carried on till 1870. In some localities, as,
for example, Amiens, Perigueux, Grenoble, Lyons,
Paris, and Chatenay, some efforts of the same kind
were made, but they were not so lasting. According
to the inquiry ordered in 1879 by the Minister of
Public Instruction, only seven school savings banks
existed in 1873, situated in the departments of Yonne,
ArsEche, Nord, Seine et Oise, Pas de Calais, and Cal-
vados. M. de Malarce, who was instructed in 1873
by the Minister to inquire during the Universal
Exhibition of -Vienna into the whole question
of savings banks, had given his attention to
establishments of that character, which had
been tried in various countries. Other inquiries
which had been intrusted to him by the Ministers
of Finance and of Agriculture and Commerce had
given him the opportunities of comparing the economy
of other nations with that of France, and he now set
to work to draw up the best rules for the organisation
and operation GI the school savings banks, and to
promote their establishment in France ..... The
central administration had shown much interest in
these banks; but it had been careful not to interfere
by the issue of any direct orders for fear of altering
the character of an institution requiring very delicate
treatment, like all institutions which had more
education for their object. It was necessary, as 91
first condition of efficiency, that the schoolmaster
thould open the savings bank, and the schoolboys
should deposit their money in it entirely of their ova
accord, without any other influence than that of good
example.'
The official report of the 19th of June, 1884, ea
the same subject also emphasised the fact that the
Administration of Public instruction, while showittg
deep interest in the matter, left the initiative to the
schoolmasters, who, according to the report,
only from professional devotion, without any selfish
object. Usually, however, they receive, in most
deserving cases, a special medal, awarded by the
municipaq council of the locality, or by the Council-
General of the department. The schoolboys deposit
freely. The 488,624 depositors of the 23,222 sob:4
sayings banks represent about a third of the puP,i,ls.
The depositors are naturally the elder lads.
average sum deposited by each boy is fifteen centimes
a week. This is the saving that a boy makes from
his pocket-money. Thus the school not only teaches
the boy to work, but it initiates him also in the princi-
ples of economy and arms his moral energies for the
struggle of life."'