The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-13 00:00:00

RUSSIA IN 0111127 AL ASIA.

(From the Chronicle.)

Turkestan, the name generally used to designate
the plateau of Central Asia between the Kirghiz hordes,
Siberia, China, India, and Persia, is a geographical idea or
somewhat vague extent. Eastern Turkestan bees itself in
the least known regions of the Chinese empire, while the
general character of Western Turkestan is determined by
two considerable rivers, the Syr-Ditria (Jaxartes) and the
Syr-Amoo (Oxus), which, swollen by a number of streams
from the mountains of China, bring their waters by • north- I
westernly curve into the Sea of Aral. To the south of the
Kirghiz hordes lie the three countries of Bokbars, Khios,
and Khokand. against which Russia commenced her ad-
vance. These countries about cover the geographical ides
of Western Turkestan. Bothers, with its ancient capita.
Samarkand, forms the centre of communication between
the peoples of Turkestan and their neighbours. In the
bazaar of Samarkand a motley group of Chinese, Persians,
Armenians, Tartan, and Kirghiz Cossacks expose their
stores of cotton and silk for sale, while the dty of
Rokhara is not only the residence of the Khan, but
also the Mecca of the sect of Islam in Central Asia,
resorted to every year by thousands of faithful pilgrims.
To the south-west of Bukhara, along the Amoo-Daria, lies
the far more fruitful and prosperous country of the Khan
of Khiva. Russia hadfor more than a century aid lonpng
looks in this direction, and had again and again tried to
pin • supremacy over the Khan by commercial or diplo-
matic negotiations. For 'Chive commands the high road
to Persia and Afghanistan, which it is absolutely necessary
to bold in order to secure a firm footing in Central Asia.
Aftir the faders. however of Bekovitch's expedition
against Khios., in the reign o Peter 1., Russia bad aban-
doned any warlike demonstration against a country pro-
tected by the deserts of the Kinghis hordes ; and it was
only when these hordes themselves, encouraged by the im-
punity with which the Khivans attacked and plundered
Russian caravans, began to refuse obedience to the Czar,
whose tributaries they were, that it was considered ne-
cessary to set a terrible example. In 1839 the celebrated
winter campaign of General Perovaki, Governor of
Eastern Siberia, was organised, being intended at
the same tiiiiesa a demonstration against Lord Altaic-
.

land's expedition against Afghanistan. Before It had
even reached the borders of Khiva, Perovski's army was
destroyed by the severe weather of the steppes, and Pe-
rovski himself barely escaped to lead the remains of his
expedition back to Orenburg. But even this did not turn
the policy of Russia from its purpose.. While Perovski
was drawing lines of wells across the Kirghiz steppes, and
protecting each one of them with a fort, to serve at the
same time as a mrgazine, appnntly peaceable exploring
parties under Nikiforov, Blanmberg, Daailevski, and
others were roaming over the southern shores of the Sea
of Aral, and the regions of the Lyr-Daria and Amoo-Dacia ;
and Welikanov the son of • Kirghiz prince, forced his
way into the hitherto unknown country of Chinese Tar-
tary, as far as Ksechger, its capital, • town of the same
importance for the commerce of Control Asia as Kiachta is
for Siberia, or Shanghai for Eastern China.
These geographical expeditions, as they were called,
seemed undertaken only in the cause of science ; but the
peaceful savants were always accompanied by officers, who
explored and surveyed the ground, and the results of whose
labours were carefully compared, revised, and connected
by staff officers at Orenburg. An accurate sketch of the
country which it was proposed to annex was thus obtained.
Meanwhile the wells and forts along the Kirghiz roads be-
came more and more numerous ; a small fleet ap ..tred on
the Sea of Are' ; and the islanns which were discovered
in it were occupied by Russian colonists. Soon after
the year 1850 these preparations were completed, end
Perovski was invested with unlimited powers, 22 Go-
vernor-General of Orenburg and Samara. Of the three
Khanates mentioned as included in Western Turkestan,
that of Khokand had always stood in the most peaceable
relationship to its Russian neighbours. Khokand lies to
the north of Bokhara, to the south of the Kirghiz hordes,
and west of Chinese Tartary. It is traversed by the Syr-
Darla, and its high state of cultivation, its prosperous
cities of Taschkend, Khokand, and Khemkand, which
transact the business of Khiva and Orenburg, as well as
the less warlike disposition of its inhabitants, have made
it wealthy, but at the same time an object of envy to its
neighbours. It had often had to defend itself against the
attacks of marauders from Bokhars, Khiva, and Tartary,
and now its vicinity to Russia was to complete its ruin.
The staff at Orenburg knew most about Khokand, because
they had had opportunities of exploring it at leisure, in
every direction.
An excellent pretext for opening the expedition which
had been got ready against the Manatee of Turkestan
offered itself to General Perovski. In the year 1852 the
Kirghizes, at the mouth of the Syr-Darla, complained to
the commandante of the nearest Russian forts that their
agricultural families were oppressed and their caravans
exorbitantly taxed by the IJsbetka of Khokand. While
the people of Khokand, having heard reports of Russia's
warlike preparations, were allying themselves with the
people of Khiva to avert the threatened danger, Perovski
started from Orenburg in the spring of 1853. This time
his army crossed the steppes rapidly and safely ; and
Aralsk, on the Sea of Aral, was made the basis of opera-
tions, which in August resulted in the fall of the Kho.
kand fortress of Ak Meedjid after a brave rundown. A
pause was now made, while the country between Aralak
and Ak Meadjid, • distance of about 20 or 25 geogranhical
mile*, was securely occupied by Ruins. Ak Mesdjsd be-
came Fort Perovski and the Syr.Haria, from its mouth
up to this point, beCame the southern frontier of Russia,
whose territory was thus pushed as far as 45 deg. N. lat.
It must at least be admitted that the Russians
pursued their vast schemes with extraordinary tenacity.
No reveries could make them depart a single step
from the way. they had marked out for themselves.
It wu in vain that the people of Khokand at-
tacked Fort Perovski in the following winter, and
that, when beaten beck from here, they roused large
numbers of the Kirghiz Hordes in the rear of the
Russians, to make common cause for the freedom of Turan.
Relying upon the strategic unit of their plans, the
Russians allowed the rising of the Kirghiz Hordes, among
whose leaders the Emir Ist Kutebar was conspicuous, to
assume such large proportions, that the caravan roads
became impracticable, the Russian transports were cut off,
and many of the desert fortresses were destroyed. The
fleet on the Sea of Aral carried provisions from the
Russian colonist' upon its islands up the Syr-Daria as far
as Fort Perovski, which still remained the basis of opera-
tions. In 1854 the operations were directed with all
possible vigour against Khiva. A battle was unnecessary.
When the Khan of Khiva saw the Russian army of 17,000
men advancing under the command of Perovski, he eon.
eluded • treaty of submission, in which be recognised the
"Almighty
,Crar" as his lord and master, and acknow-
ledged his ' perpetual right to make peace or war, to
legislate over life and death, and to regulate the commer-
cial highways and commercial tariffs.. Thus Khiva, the
immediate neighbour of Persia and Afghanistan, became
completely dependent upon Russia, and the Khan in point
of fact became • Russian governor, under the special con.
trol of a consul resident at his court.

Meanwhile, the important highways between Khokand
and Kulia, and between Kasagar and Semipalatinsk,
had been placed completely in the power of Russia by
the erection of Fort Wernoye, and by the transplantation
of several thousand colonists from Oreuburg. Kbokand
could thus be left to herself, especially as the Khan of
Bokhara was endeavouring to take advantage of her
being engaged in • perpetual struggle against the
advance of Russia, for the purpose of extending
his own borders. At the same time • party of
Khokand Usbeks, who bad been driven from
their homes by the Russian conquests on the right
bank of the Syr-Daria, threw themselves into Chinese
Tartary, in order to get possession of the most important
commercial points. In this they succeeded, and, in all
probability, the are to this day in possession. These
events o during the Outman war, and, simul-
taneously, Khokand was exposed to the dangers of a civil
war excited by various pretenders to the Khanate. With-
out this additional circumstance Khokand would hardly

hare been brought so soon to the brink of destruction.
For with Bokhara peace had been restored, and even the
armies of the various pretenders were willing to co-
operate against the assaults of Russia, and generally did
so with success. The Crimean war, too, prevented
Perovski's army from being supported, and as the Rus-
sians had to expect that England would make a hostile
demonstration from India against their occupation
of the right batik of the Syr-Daria, they were
forced to confine themselves to taking care of what
they already held. Then it happened that Kudayar,
the most formidable to Russia of all the preten-
den, was deposed by an Enuute among his followers
after an unsuccessful attack upon Fort Perovski, and
applied for aid to Mar:afar, Khan of Bokhara, who ac-
cepted the invitation with all the more readiness because
he bad been for some time looking out for an opportunity
to turn the difficulties in Khokand to his own account.
Ina very short time all the towns of Khokand were in his
hands ; Kudajar had to be satiafied with a small pro-
perty ; and a boy, who bad not yet reached his majority,
was made Khan of Kbokand, under the protectorate of
)(nastier. The Russians, with great skill took advantage
of this moment to excite the people of Khiva against
Bandar ; and, while a trilling war between Khiva and
Bokhara was engaging his attention, one after another of
the forts on the line between Perovski and Viernoye fell
into the hands of Ramie.

General Perovski had thus, after 20 years' activity,
secured for Rorie an impregnable position in Western
Turkestan. Worn out by his Herculean labours, he now
entrusted the secret of his plans, and the means of carry-
ing them out, to his successor Katinin, while General I
Tobernsiev was charged with the conduct of military
operations. But it was not till 1863 that any offensive
movement up the Syr-Dacia was undertaken from Fort Pe-
rovski. Khemkand, Turkestan, and the rich lands of
Khokand were soon in the hands of the Russians, and
the supremacy of Bokhara over Khokand was questioned.
By proclaiming themselves to the people of Khokand as
their liberators from the yoke of Bokhara, the Russians
managed to draw a portion of the population directly over
to their side. Muusfer's heroic operations succeeded so far
as to throw back westwards an advanced division of the
Russians, and thus to plus in his hands, not only the forti-
fied town of Cbooyend, but also Taachkend, the most im-
portant basis of the Russians in the Khokand districts
of the Syr-Daria. But in May 111814 the Khokand com-
mander, Alim-Kul, was driven back as far as Thechkend,
after being defeated by General Tcliernaiev. In Tuck-
kend Mos:afar commanded in pww , but in vain.
Whether in cosooquaire of treaslesy or owing to the

strategic superiority of the it s, is Jape tLep possession of the town, and Mausdar Mil forced telei:al
towards the borders of Bokbara.
like Khios, now ceased to be an indepeud,,,t
state.Kkand
o ,
tbeboy Khsa was emu ed by the repot awhas
the empire, sillm-Kul, in the eastern part of the «num,
the inhabitants of Tsachkend became reconciled to
supremacy of Russia. The example of the capital iafc
enced the surrounding country, and before longTcherw,
was able to report to St. Petersburg that the town Lt.l
province of Tsachkend bad demanded complete incorpott.
lion into the empire of Russia. The deputation from lilw
kand which appeared in Moscow and St. Petersburg, in
spring of the present year, to do homage to the Czar,
it
still( resit in remembrance.

Mtuzafar of Bokhata had been able to retain the rem,
part of his wannest* in Kbokend, even after the fidl
Tasehkend, because it was not for the moment the °bite;
of the Russians to extend themselves farther, but rath,t
to secure their new possessions. Been in the u,
tumn of 180 Tolternsaev sent anibasaadon with sp.
patently favourable proposals to Bothers ; but Mazza,
far, who bad assumed the title of " Ruler of the Faith.
ful," had succeeded, in the meantime, in giving a eah.
glens character to the war against Russia, and had this
gathered together under his stszsdard a great etude
of the Khokami Umbels', and several Kirghu Emirs, 11,
therefore ordered the Russian diplomatists to be arrestol,
and conveyed to Samarkand, where he had fixed ha
residenoe. This imprudent violation of the prietk,,,
of sa embassy which are reepected even by eastern Wu.
battens, did not remain unavenged. Without any ftutt,,
declaration of war, the Russians sent an expedition
January, 1866, againstMusaafar, whose troops and all:
not pmared for an attack, were in May disastrously
deleted and mattered. But the Russians, unable to
trust the prepllie of Kkokand, took care not to teak,.
further esatward. They contented themselves with esta-
blishing a frontier fortress between Kkokand Ist
Bokhars ; and, as Mursafar had not yet mimed ilea
embassy, Kbodiend was taken by storm. Maude
was now ready to release his prisoners, but it mass
too late. The operations of the Bastian army
tinned to be directed uninterruptedly town&
Bokhara ; and in the early pert of last Minn
the frontier of that country was emend. Maui.
far's conquests in Yhokand had moon to be entirely slim.
dosed ; one feet in Bokhars fell after =oilier, and eveSamorksad was seriously threatened. Under these .
ounsatanoseMussafar sent the Emir of Bukhara to Or:
burg in June to conclude peace upon any coaditioaa
governor-general was prudent, at least no far as cse
gathered from the Russian reports ; and peace was es..
eluded upon the principle of Uri poffideris. The Rasmus
had pushed their advanced guard to within ten geogr.
phical miles of Samarkand, while the army of Bolthit:,
after the loss of its fortified camp, bad become completely
disorganized. This temporary peace cannot keep keel
out of Western Turkestan. Indeed, there is so myth
confidence upon this point in St. Petersburg, that a
" General Government of Turkestan " has been mule ,At
of the three Khanates, and has been entrusted to Cetera
Kauffmaisn, notorious for his reign of terror in the lemem
provinces of Russia.

MARKETS.

LONDON WPOSKLY DOCK 1
limport4.l

llooon—W. L lab& &Oct 8,130
Do. bro. it bop 2,112
lbouitlus ..... ...bop 4,091
Lai Lodi&
b = 365
libus
Maaltio bop 0,556
Swum bona! 1,430
Irmallhooorodo oaks
poekogb:. 850
Boot Root .. ...... nolo
Do. bop 100
Corns—W. I...pactapo
Do Orb. .2
a=
Ceylon
Do. ....brb. at 2,318
Mocha packages 183
Other IL Doha wimps 8,565
Brazil tt Coda Lai top 8,280
00005. top 826
Foreign
a=
Rum
Do. blorla
RT.= lad Das boo 221
8612312211 10011 71

MTURNS.AOGCs
D.lher,
pr—.Bsock.it 10.
iii.

TALLOW.-yOIMAT_ 61,1111110.-n

3.&96
2,221
3,963
3,092

4,487
3,20
392
420
170
170
184

UN
1,40
Ile
1,81!
3,166
I,oll{

1,5d7

40144 , 4,336
14,677 ' 11,54
16,1141 171,19
186,131 51,411
6 !
817,06 113.511
AIN 44,5 s
14,03, I 11,14
13,661 i VAS
1.713 • 1.114
6.341 4.7,91
;NV ;a
14011 I lt4g
511,143 I 40.:v1
1.70 1 Its
64,612 35,114
46.104 47,13
34306 14313
61,643 XXI
I _
6,807 ILIA
8,162 6,33

that tia

advice& from fft. Pabenburg today to hand indicate greeted
unusual difficulties Di bringing down goods from the inter4r -
difficulties arising from the effects of the exceptional 'event)
the weather last winter—the tallow market has been very ems
to-day, and prices have ruled rather more favourable to buyer
than last week. The shipments off are 8000 against 16000 Ise
year. Prices In Petersham firm at 49 sr. Exchange, Sid. he
close without animation. Spot, Cis ; new Ukraine. 451 9d. to
44a. ; old 43a. Pl. to 445. ; likstalme to December, 46/. SL
to 46a ; town tallow, 1144. PL, net cash. No WINS or /auto.
Dan offering. South American, 414., fast pipes. Cocoanut sl
Arm : Cochin, 675 ; Ceylon, 605.; Sydney. 49a. 6d. to 01, • 0.-1
pale, tror ed. ; middling, 45.6., mixed and Inferior. Paha .5
Cy : 46.. fine Lagoa—(Per circular of Messrs. Soak
and arles.)

COTTON.—LTVIRPOoL, Atocs? It —We have had a lane
attendance of the trade today, who have bought to a erxirre4
extent , on the part of holders there has been leee desire o .dl.
Amerksa deeorlptlona are Id. to ed per lb. dearer thin the
quotations of Yet week, whilst all other kinds resale need) u
Twice. The Gabe are 16,000 bales, of which 4,600 are for export
and spoulatios.

WOOL AND WOBSTED.—DIUDFOID, Acorvr Is. —Staplers
have again shewn more firmness, sad buyers seem lee indis-
posed to replenish their stocks of wool. The decline in prices n
apparently checked for the present, and the flee •eathor, at
favourable to the harvest, causes a much better feeling to pre-
vail throughout the market. In worsted yarns the demand by
the home trade has slightly Improved, but the export hoyers xru
still adopting extreme caution in their transactions. Prim, tan.
not be quoted higher than last week. In pieces the oat iota
which has characterised the market for some nine cocustpx
without much alteration. Both home, continental, and mone
can merchants are operating very sparingly. The marat i
sluggish as far as regards fresh business, and trade has as,
been less speculative than It is at present.

CATIIL—LITIItrOOL, Avatar 12.—The supply of rank ,ng
much larger, of sheep and lambs Lou, than on Last Mood., The
demand very slow for cattle at lower mice'. Sheep dull. •al, of
much change In price. lambs lower. Beef, eld. to 70
mutton, 6d. to Tid, ; lambs, bd. to 6fd. per lb. Cattiest marl,l,
2,636 ; sheep, 13,487.

COALS.—LOwnoi, Aram 12.—Holywell Main, 171.: wr.
165.; Walls End Harlon, 18s. ed.; Eden Maln, 19s. 9.1.
End Framwellgate, ltat 9d. • Walls End Haswell, Ile;
End Helton, 21s. ; Walls End Helton Lyons, lea. dd.: uslls
End Tanetall, 18a 6d. • Walls Rod Caradoe, 201 • Ws& Lo 4
CHTZ:plo2:l_,_. 9d. ; Walls
..linaflaEgcr Ve19:190.k. rWlft.dlll:l4
End Tees. 206 6d..• Walls End Trlindon Orange, Ist
tell Cannel Oas. 19s. ; Edmund's Main, 19s. dd. —nips at DAP
kat. 55 ; sold, 46.