The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-25 00:00:00

THE RUSSIANS IN BOKHARA.

(REUTER'S EXPRESS.)
ST. PETERSBURG, May 20.
Particulars have been received here of the en-
gagement of Major-General Romanovsky with the
troops of the Emir of Bokhara on the sth April.
During the second fortnight in March the Russian
detachment encamped upon the Syr-Daria was con-
stantly kept on the alert by rumours that the Emir
of Bokhara was assembling large masses of troops,
with which he proposed to attack the Russians. The
reconnaissances made from time to time proved,
however, that these rumours were greatly exagge-
rated, or a:t least discovered nothing that could give
rise to any well-founded conjecture respecting the
real intentions of the Emir. Finally, on the 4th
April information was received that the enemy's
forces had appeared in considerable numbers on
the Syr- Dania, beyond Mourza-Rabat, 25 versts
from the Russian camp. A fresh reconnaissance

was consequently decided upon for the sth April,
and was to be made by two sotnias of Cossacks, a
squadron of cavalry, and five companies of infantry,
with four rifled cannon and two pieces of horse
artillery. The column had not left the camp when
the enemy's cavalry, showing themselves before the
Russian troops, charged a small detachment of
lOrenbourg Cossacks. The latter, however, sus-
tained by a company of infantry sent to their as-
' sistance, repulsed this attack, and forced the
enemy to draw back with loss. The column ap-
pointed to make the reconnaissance advanced upon
the traces of the retreating enemy, and at 18 versts
from the camp on the Khodjeut-road met with a
considerable force. From the top of a small eleva-
tion, situate near the road-side, large bands of Bok-
hariau cavalry, headed by several standards, were
seen in the plain stretching before Mourza-Rabat.
This force consisted of the cavalry of the Beys of
Djuzak, Samarcand, and Oura-Tuba. Numerous
flocks belonging to these chiefs followed the horse-
men, and had been partly assembled on account of
the Mussulman feast of Kourban-bairam, which the
Emir proposed to celebrate this year with great
solemnity among his troops at Oura-Tuba.
Having waited until the Russian column was
properly massed, General Romanovsky advanced
his cavalry under aide-de-camp Colonel Vorontzuw-
Daschkow, supporting it by a company of infantry,
and ordered it to charge the enemy's force. At
first the Bokharian cavalry, which nearly doubled
the Russian force, firmly withstood the charge of
the latter, and even made several attempts to re-
gain the offensive. The Cossacks, however, suc-
ceeded in breaking their line, and pursued them,
lance in rest, for more than 20 versts, inflicting
considerable loss and taking 15 prisoners, as well
as the whole of the flocks, numbering 15,000 head.
The Russians, it is added, experienced no loss
whatever.

The International Flower Show and
Botan!c C.;nBress.

Yesterday, the third day since the great flower
show in connection with the International Botanic
Congress was opened, demonstrated in a remark-
able manner the extraordinary attractiveness of the
wonderful exhibition which has been brought
together. Even in the forenoon the pleasant walks
under the great tents were crowded, and as the
afternoon went on the concourse thickened, till,
vast as the place is, it was crowded. The roads
far away round the entrance to the show in the
Cromwell-road were filled with long lines of carriages,
pavements thronged with:visitors coming and going,
omnibuses, diverted slightly from their route, set
down their passengers in unaccustomed places near
the ordinarily-quiet piece of ground which has been
so converted and beautified, and the days of 1862
seemed in these respects restored. In some ways
every day improves the aspect of the display. Cer-
tain collections, such as the rhododendrons, have
been undeniably retarded in their luxuriance by the
cold winds of the season. Every hour they remain
under protection and the favouring conditions of
their present position the blooms are expanding, and
attaining that softness and profusion which is cha-
racteristic of this beautiful class of plants in their
summer perfection. The same may be said of many
other of the flowers which make the miniature valleys
brilliant. Some of the lawns thus decorated have
been more completely arranged than was possible
on the first day, and the aspect of finish about the
whole exhibition is, if possible, more complete.
Most of the cut blooms, where they appear to have
flagged, or to have become overblown, have been
renewed, and the beauty of the whole of the collec-
tions seems to improve with every fresh inspection.
The greatest deterioration which can be noticed
has taken place among the fragile specimens of
wreaths, bouquets, &c., which, although but an
item in the present show, are an exhibition in them-
selves, forming a separate department, which is
located in the Royal Horticultural Society's Gar-
dens. But among these the most attractive feature
perhaps, bright and delicate as the flowers appear,
is not affected by the same influences ; the. blooms
are neither fading nor growing better, nor expand-
ing till the petals fall, for although they seem
so natural as to deceive almost everybody
at first sight they are of wax. This beau-
tiful collection of flowers, numerous and
varied as they are, have been all modelled by
Mrs. Mitchell, of 5, Anglesey-terrace, y-e -terrace, Battersea.