The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-28 00:00:00

THE CAPTURE OF SCHAMYL.

(From the Times.)
Some years ago the capture of Schamyl by the
Russians would have been to the enthusiasts of na-
tional liberty a blow hardly less severe than the
defeat of Charles Albert or the surrender of Georgey.
The Caucasian tribes were admitted to all the sym-
pathies of European Liberals, and the name of their
chief was venerated wherever men admired the ex-
ploits of uncivilised heroism or dreaded the advance
of Russian power. And this sympathy was cer-
tainly not undeserved. The extraordinary man
whose career has now been brought to a close may
well rank with the most famous chieftains of any
age. The mythical Tell never performed more dar-
ing actions ; Abd-el-Kader, in our own day, never
won such victories over disciplined troops and im-
mense resources. Though Schamyl has not suc-
ceeded, like Czerny George, in winning the inde-
pendence of his territory and establishing himself
as an independent Prince, yet there is no doubt
that his military genius has been more elevated, his
courage and endurance more fully proved, and his
ascendancy over, his countrymen more complete,
than that of any similar character in modern times.
Yet those acquainted with the condition of the
Caucasian provinces have been long aware that the
struggle was virtually concluded. The constant
and persevering efforts of the Russian Governors,
supported by the whole strength of the empire,
made the extinction of national resistance merely a
question of time. Of late years Schamyl, grown
old, and perhaps failing in hope, if not in energy,
has seen all the districts on which he could depend
for support slo ,vii; occupied by the enemy, all tb e
tribes who were his allies conquered, or bought, or
driven from their strongholds, He has been grad-
ually confined to his native mountains of Daghestan,
and since the conclusion of the Turkish war the
toils have been drawn about him with a skill
and determination which made his capture
certain. Indeed, it nAay now be said that any
efforts for t 4 destruction of Russian power
in the Caucasian districts must be to late.
The strength of the State, delivered from all
external enemies, and abandoning for the present
any designs on Europa, has been turned to the COD-
salidatipp, of the Asiatic provinces. Not only in
the Caucasus, but in Persia, in Tartary, and on the
borders of the Chinese Empire, will the activity of
St. Petersburg be employed, and perhaps success.
fully, We rutty regret the disappearance from the
scene of so romantic a character as Schamyl, but
we are obliged to exclaim, as probably he exclaims
himself, " It is destiny !" and to accept the domi-
nation of the Czar on the southern slopes of the
great mountain barrier.
Still, the overthrow of the chief Caucasian leader
is an event not without significance. The struggle
has been by no means a mere display of barbarous
virtue without object or meaning or hope of suc-
cess. It has been warfare full of importance to
Europe, and to no country more than to England.
The resistance of the Daghestanees represented the
resistance of Central Asia to that invading march
of the Russians which we are told will take the
place of the designs on Constantinople. The world
had an interest in the success of Schamyl, and, to
do him justice, he gave the Western Powers a
chance, of which they did not think proper to avail
themselves. The Turkish war was, indeed, the
crisis in the life of Schamyl. Such a conflict be-
tween East and West had probably never been ex-
pected by the old warrior, but when it came he
seems to have taken advantage of it to the utmost.
It is difficult, indeed, to speak with any certainty
of the proceedings in that obscure corner of the
earth, and Schamyl has been made almost a fabul-
ous personage by the plans and enterprises falsely
attributed to him. But it is certain that in 1834 the
retreat of the Russians from Moldo-Wallachia and
the threatened attack on Sebastopol stirred up
Schamyl to make a new effort. He advanced into
Georgia, and, though the Russians were strong
enough to drive him back, he carried off no little
plunder, and took several Russians of rank as hos-
tages. Although this may not have been a very bril-
liant exploit, it had at 'Cult the effect of making the
Russians alarmed for the safety of Teflis, and com-
pelled them to detract from the strength of the
forces which were opposed to the Turks in Arme.
nia. About the same time a person representing
himself to be the delegate of Schamyl arrived at
the Porte ; he brought with him a letter from the
chief, and endeavoured to enlist the British and
French Embassies in his master's cause. The Naib,
however, returned without receiving any positive
assurances, and the result proved that the two
Western Governments cared little for the portion
of the earth in which Schamyl lab oured. It may
have been that in London and Paris no one con-
templated a long campaign in the Crimea. The
fall of the Russian fortress and the expulsion of the
enemy from the peninsula were looked upon as a
matter of course, and then, may be, it was thought
that a final blow in Georgia would crush the power
of the Czar. If this was the scheme, the fates
thwarted it. The war in the Crimea lingered on,
and France, wearied with her exertions, was glad
to accept a peace, even while Russian cannon
crowned the heights on the north of Sebastopol.
During the whiter of 1855 the thoughts of both
nations were occupied by a contemplated enter-
prise against Nicholaieff, and we are far from assert
ing that this was not a point worthy of importance.
But it is impossible to look on these events politi-
cally -without feeling that, for English interests
especially, the destruction of Russian power in the
Caucasus and south of it would have been a grand
design ; nor would it at that time have been diffi-
cult of accomplishment. Indeed, the straits to which
the Russians were brought in the matter of commu-
nication would have made Georgia an easy prey to
an invading army. Had the war continued—had
France carried on a campaign in Russia Proper,
and left our own fine army free to operate on thE
east of the Black Sea, the fate of Asia might have
been very different. The army which Mouraviefl
led to Kars would have been swept away by the
continually increasing levies which England, non
warm in her work, would have marched into the
country.
ip But this was not to be, and now the most inde-
pendent of the Caucasian races and the most inde-
fatigable of chiefs have bowed to the strength,
skill, and patience of Muscovite warfare. It is, in
deed, possible that another Schamyl may arise and
continue the contest, but this is very doubtful. The
advances of the Russians are slow, but sure. They
have cut down the forests, made roads, established
cordons round the disaffected tribes, and everything
promises that ere long they will be obedient, if not
loyal, subjects of the Czar. As to the Circassian.
',roper, inhabiting the coasts of the Black Sea, 3
have long been unable to oppose any
the Russian commandants, and must not be
of the
con-
founded with the pertinaciousresistance to
warriorss
of the Russians
eastern districts. The final su
give them
Court of Teheran, as
further authority
in pacifying the will,Caucasutshesuccess
doubt,
hanshi s. Viewed in this
and the other Tartar
.13
well as over the barboavreorkus rulers of Bokkara, Khiva.
light, the capture of Schamyl is an event of interest
even to those who are little enthusiastic for heroes
or nationalities.

(From tie Daily News.)

The fall of Schamyl appears qr,ite as likely to
open a new period of Russian aggression as to dos(
an old one. The Court of St. Petersburg has main-
tained its persevering warfare of a quarter of a cen-
tury with the Chieftain whom it has at last sub-
dued and taken prisoner, not from the mere desire
of possessing the Caucasian range, but from that of
consolidating its power in the provinces which lie
to the southward. Transcaucasia has nominally
been a Russian province ; and the city of Tiflis.
approached from European. Russia through one of
the easier passes of the Caucasus, has been the chief
seat of Russian authority between the Black Seq
and the Caspian. But hitherto this dependence el
Transcaucasia upon Russia has been little more than
nominal. The provinces which Russia has thrown,
as it were, into a sort of political hotch-potch, and
has included under this general name, are six or
seven in number, the principal ones being Ime-
ritia, Abkhasia, Mingrelia, Georgia, and Abasia.
Most of these are governed by their native Christian
princes, and from their being formally included in
,the Turkish Empire when the Caucasus formed
the acknowledged barrier between that empire and
Russia, they took the name, in analogy to the States
on the Lower Danube, of the Christian principali•
ties of Asia. From a Turkish suzerainete these
States passed to a Russian one, and the princes
have all paid heavy tribute to the Czar. The
extent of the Russian dominion differed, indeed.
between the different States, and while intrepid
and unconquered tribes held possession of the chief
ranges of the Caucasus, any consolidation of the
Russian power beyond hat barrier was impossible.
It is supposed that the final defeat and capture ( f
Schamyl have not extinguished the Caucasian
enemies of Russia; but there can be no doubt that,
more particularly in the eastern mountains, and on
the slopes which descend towards the Caspian,
which were Schamy's strongholds, this encroachin:4
power will make a great inroad into Transcaucasit
This event has a very important bearing on the
recent settlement of the East, by the Treaty of Paris
in 1856. So far as Transcaucasia was concerned,
the great result of the Ruasian War had been, ()-
course, the extinctien of the maritime power of
Russia on its emats. This event was of an import-
ance to the Christian Principalities of Asia which r
has commonly been overlooked. 'I he authority o:
Russia, up to the ontbreak of the war, in 1854, had
been maintained in those States much more by sea
than by land ; and the evidence of this truth rest-
in the fact that the sea-board Principalities were
the only ones in which St. Petersburg could be

said to exert any real or considerable power. lu
of her words, Russia could rule maritime Trans-
caucasia from Sevastopol, when she could not rule
inland Transcaucasia through the range of inter-
secting mountains. When, then, the Russian fleet
in the Euxine was destroyed, the Christian Princi-
palities seemed likely to regain a great part of
their independence, though no stipulations it!
their interest were contained in the Treaty or
Peace. Russia could no longer control them
by sea; and there was nothing but the
old disheartening struggle in the Caucasus to trust
to for the re-establishment of her dominion. If the
mountaineers could have but held their own, the
Asiatic effects of the Treaty of Peace would perhaPs
have been greater than the European. It is pro"
hably owing to the blow thus struckin the Crimes
at the progress of Russia in the Transcaucasian
provinces that the late vigorous efforts for
The the su
us-
or
b-
jugation of Schamyl have been made. R
sians saw that they had buried some 300,000
400,000 troops in their efforts to master the pas'e3
of the Caucasian range, and that they had lost also,
their means of assault by sea. It became necessary"
to an ambitious Power, resting
espcially uPgll
prestige, to concentrate all its efforts in one yur!
struggle for Caucasian victory. So far as Scharaii
goes, the result is attained ; how far the other
e
tribes may evince active hostility remains to be set
But one result can hardly be questioned ;
the
Transcaucasian Principalities will henceforward bey
more than ever subjected to the Russian rule.
The Caucasian mountaineers area people
'distinct from the lowlanders on either side orehern.r;
nor is there the slightest resemblance between
language and that of either Turks, Russians,
Per-
sians, or Armenians. It has been calculated that the
Caucasian tongue recognises seventy dialects,
with
just such a difference as to indicate distinct !Jun-
and sympathies, but withal such a, sense of nati°ro
ality in the face of a common enemy as the Eastern
under Schamyl's lead. Their origin is
and Western mountaineers have before this shorn to
supix'sin
be Indo-European ; and what is not less tri,k
is the fact that they are commonly 31ahowe'aus—'
sianuor Armenians, are almost entirely
while the population on either side, whether It
christli
Prince Bariatinski, the captor of Scharalsly, ;ma
now probably inaugurate a new political
throughout the Transcaucasian provinces.
Russia has drawn a revenue of only hitherto
year from these Principalities ; she Will DOW P2l;
bably draw much more. Before, indeed, vo an
precisely estimate the result of this victory 111:11'0
Transcaucasia, we must learn the attitude ef,ta
other mountaineers ; but it can hardly be der, to
that Russia has conquered a dominion were
be be put beside her recent acquisition on the Asal"
X 200,000

AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS

(IRELAND).

4.- • '
A report by Mr. William Do telly, the Regis trust
Genei al, on the agriculture of Ireland, hagl
° I.' v„,..
been published, from which we extract the 0
ing tables : 0 Decrease'
1858. 1.859. rIIerVIS •DA ere,
Acres. Acres. Acres. n-
-81,461
Wheat 546,964 465,497
Oats
BBearreley and
--
1,931,241 1,931,197
..--
-- 13,249
190,768 177,519 --- 3,239
Rye.... 16,472 13,242
Beans and Pease 12,935 14,841 1,906 -

Decrease on cereal ...-, _ ,
—..- • ..._
-- --- ' 97,990
Total
crops in 1859 2,748,380 2,652,296 1,906
96,084 Acres. 0 ne„.osse.
1858. 1859. Increas • cres.
Acres. Acres. Acres.
Potatoes
1,159,707 1,200,144 40,437 16,936
Turnips 338,202 322,266 --
Mangel wurzel & 2,623
beet-root. J,731 2,1 1,651
Cabbage‘ 3,132 ' a
Carrots, parsnips,
& other green
crops .. -
Vetches and rape 33,360 33,207 ---

29,731 27,108 --
33,132 31,580 -

1,343
153
------.----.4
qi,691

Increase on green
Total
crops in 1859 18,830 Acres.
1,617,531 1,636,361 40,437 *"
From these figures may be deduced the - f °IWWIa
general result :

Acre°.
969°54
Decrease on cereal crops
Acres •
Tncrease in green crops 18,380 )
Do. do. on flax 44,683 in do. "
Do. onmeadow and clover 12,185 )

75,696

Total decrease in extent of land under crops in lat'' °'ber
The following table represents the total non
of live stock :

140'
No. No. No. of pi
ci3
of horses. of cattle. of sheep. 1 409, 3
1858 93 1,26%87
1859
n'erease.
Increase. Increase. Increase.
Increase or de- 147,010
crease
The value of the live stock in Relays' '
mated at : Total.
Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Pigs. £
3-p 0,99
5,031,328 24,765,884 3,947,192 1,578,69' ,a-g
INCREASE OR DECREASE FROM 1855 TO looi_:crease.
Increase. Increase. Decrease. Increase. -"i•otal.
Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Pigs. X
£
X £
06 1 586
,3,269,511
£
581,032 1,597,284 15,384 ,
INCREASE OR DECREASE FROM 1858 TO 1819• crease.
Increase. Increase, Increase. Decrease. ei,oto.
Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Pigs. „4
£ 988,1 v"
140,760 928,408 102,700 183,763
The entire number of holdings in
all of which, says Mr. Donelly, returns haveobtained, is nearly 600,000. The number r
merations this year has been about 4,000. They
nd me
have been selected from the constabularY aieus,
tropolitan police, who, as on the former ?e nut' wan-
have discharged their duties in a very effictfellosving
nor. Mr. Donelly adds to his report the ° dition
observations :___.,,As regards the present On ~inue
Irelan,
been
of Irish agriculture, I beg to state that I eulter.
to receive communications from various cust,u,
complaining oP the pernicious growth of W.
_Air
which is unfortunately still permitted so extens_ivi7,
grass is. 4
to prevail, not only upon the tillage and
of the country, 'but also along the sides of pu. °±,
roads, railways, and canals ; and an anxious desire r,
very generally expressed for a legislative measure.v:
protect the industrious and improving farmer, Nitu
cleans his 'land, from the great injury done to his
crops by
bybtyh et
field
wheinwg
ienddseferdoms oftnhoexiou of some negli-
s weeds, which are,
other fruitful sources of contamination above re-
gent and careless neighbour, as well as from the
ferred to. Such a protection is afforded to the 01.1'
tivator of the soil in some of her Majesty's colonies
and also in parts. of Europe. Upon this Ribject the
i
following experiments of that eminent man and
distinguished. agriculturist, the late Sir John Sir
clair,. cannot. be too forcibly impressed upon the
public mind :-1. Seven acres of light grayelif.
land were &Rowed, and sown broadcast with I,,isr eat •
one acre was measured off, and not a weed Was,
pulled out of it ; the other six were carefully
weeded.. The unweeded acre produced 18 bushels;
the six weeded acres 135 bushels, or 224- per aerei
which. is 4,1 bushels, or -1,- more produce in fa"" 0
.weeding. 2. A 6-acre field was sown with barley,
in
.fine tilth, and well-manured. The weedu
per acre. The produce of an unweeded
owing to a great abundance of charlock, cost 120,
..,
acre lit;
only. 13 bushels, of the weeded 28. Difference hji,
favour of. weeding 15 bushels per acre, besides t a
Six acres sown with oats ; one acre ploughed land being so much cleaner for succeeding crops'
b:i
ghedhels
once, and unmanured, produced only 17 bus—rei
Another six acres ploughed three times, ulau..„ll";„,t
and weeded, produced 37 bushels. This exPeriii;bl
proves
.that oats require good management ali—i of
pay for it as well as other crops. Ten bushe's to
the increased produce may be fairly attribute" I
the weeding,. and the other ten to the manure; re-
take this opportunity of again expressing my re_
spectful thanks to the landed proprietors, the tenths
farmers, the clergy of all denominations, to _
public. press for their continued and gener? 7.
assistance in reference to the collection of !liese.lT
portant statistics, the success of which is mainly
due to the good feelin and confidence that no's'
on this subject,g which are so creditable to
the intelligence of all ranks and classes in Ireland.

REMOVAL OF THE GREAT FASTER
TO SOUTHAMPTON WATER.

SOUTHAMPTON, TuEsnAir-
There is no doubt but that in the course of a feW
days the Great Eastern will be removed from her
present position, and anchored in the charming
roadstead known as water.
Every arrangement necessary
theSouthamptonwillatonce
e be
ode
to effect so desirable an object. Captain Harrif4°9'
the commander of the ship, was this day at Sent,";
ampton, and every particular relating to the oils
has been canvassed and discussed. There is Pr°-
bably no port in the United Kingdom possessing 1
sa many advantages in favour of the Great Easterij."
With a fine stream of water, which at low tide '
never less than six fathoms in depth, with ample
room for the ship to swing, being within an eZ
distance from London, possessing a factory ;d
building and repairing of ships which for size
..e 0
,killed workmen is unsurpassed by any between
London and the Clyde, and occupying a pesit_l°,
that would bring great revenues to the coniPot
by the ready access it afforded to visitors fro?'
parts, Southampton has advantages beyonZL
46'..r0e
otetrhneroppp o
orotsiteltthiesinretaetndneadvatlohmosopoitralthneow iGreadte_T-
n
of erection, being about three miles from the WI"