The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-03-24 00:00:00

THE RUSSIAN EXPEDITION AGAINST CHIVA.

A Russian officer attached to the expedition against Chiva,
writes to the Breslau Gazette from the camp at Emba, on
January 17, a letter, from which we take the following ex-
tracts :

" Small detachments have been posted on the steppes at
two points, one 315 and the other 428 miles from the Rus-
sian frontier. Each of these is well fortified, and is a dep6t
for provisions and forage. At about 225 miles from the last,
which is called Ak Bulak, rises the plateau of the moun-
tains which separate the Caspian Sea from Lake Aral, and
border the western shore of the lake with a girdle of rocks
700 feet high. nearly perpendicular, and accessible only in a
few places. Springs are to be found only at a distance from
each other of 270. miles •, affording to the traveller and his
camels but a scanty supply of water, and that brackish. It
is from the southern side only that one can descend into the
Oasis of Chive, which is fertile and diversified with habita-
tions and water-courses. The little time we had before us,
and the difficulty of procuring necessaries in this frightful de-
sert admitted of the equipment of only a comparatively in-
considerable corps, and the more so as, on account of the
want of water, the expedition could only be undertaken in
the winter. The troops therefore have been compelled to
provide themselves with numerous articles, besides fuel,
which they might have dispensed with at a different season.
They have requited 10,000 camels for the purpose of enabling
them to transport the provisions and ammunition. Our con
voy, when on its march, occupies a space of 500 paces in
length by 250 in breadth. The infantry and artillery march
at the head, followed by the train. When they reach a de-
file the infantry occupies the most commanding points, while
the cavalry keeps order among the Khirghis, who lead the
camels. It is a singular spectacle to see this mass from a
distance, commencing its march at the first dawn of day. In
general, six or eight camels are attached in a string, each
fastened by the nose.. The treatment of these useful animals
is one of our greatest cares. At two o'clock every afternoon
we make a halt for the purpose of allowing them and our
horses to graze, and notwithstanding the depth of the snow,
they find an abundance of pasture underneath it. After
bringing in the camels the Khirghis clear away the snow around
their huts, and spread blankets for these and the other beasts
of burden to lie upon, for one night passed on the snow would
render them unserviceable. While this is doing, other men
are cutting rushes which make excellent fuel. If they find
none they must make use of the wood supplied for cooking,
or bivouac the night through without fire. Crider all circum-
stances, however, the attention paid to the comforts of the
troops is excellent. Soup is given out to the men morning
and evening, and, when it is extremely cold, a drink made of
honey, seasoned with pepper and other spices ; noris brandy
spared. We make no other halt than that which I have
mentioned ; but the soldiers in turn are allowed to mount
the camels, and when on their backs produce a picturesque
effect. Still, the difficulties we have to overcome are un-
paralleled. Imagine us on this painfnl march, encumbered
with a burdensome mass of clothing, over a trackless waste,
covered with a thick coat of snow. Conceive our feelings
when the reveillee sounds at two in the morning, and our
pain in having to load the camels while our limbs are stiff
with cold. During some days since the thermometer has
been as low as 34 degrees below zero of Reaumur, 45 below
the zero point of Fahrenheit, and never has been higher than
12 below zero, R., or 5 degrees above zero, F. But it is from
the snow-drifts that we suffer most. They come with a vio-
lence unknown in Europe, and seem to be sent to sweep all
intruders from the face of the land. When we reflect that
our men have, for upwards of two months, had no prospect
but an arid and virgin soil, their moral and physical courage
cannot be sufficiently admired. Not only has the number of
our sick been very small, but not one of our men has been
frost-bitten, and, when our tents are pitched, our soldiers
become full of life and gaiety, and sing the joyous airs of their
native country. Whatever may be the issue of this expedi-
tion, its conquest over the unexampled obstacles of such a
march of 900 miles will be cited as one of the most glorious
military feats of ancient and modern times. Our correspon-
dence with Oremburg is carried on by the Khirgis, who tra-
vel between 60 and 80 miles a-day, going singly or at most in
couples, using alternately two or three horses. They traverse
the desert in the most frightful weather, braving the wolves,
and the still more savage brigands. As they can carry no
fuel with them, they make a shelter for themselves at night
by forming cavities in the snow. Their only food is a species
of cheese made of sheep's milk, which is very hard and in
small quantities. The view of the steppes by which we are
surrounded is sombre and monotonous in the extreme. Here
and there, near the streams, are to be seen some mountains
totally bare, and on the plains a few scattered tufts of dwarf-
ish alders or willows. Here it is that we have killed a few
wild boars ; the only other animals to be found on the steppes
are foxes, beavers, badgers, and marmots, or mountain rats,
and whole legions of mice. White partridges, and a non-
descript species of larks are the only birds which people the
air of this inhospitable region."

THE SLAVE TRADE IN THE UNITED STATES.

In the New York papers last received, some particulars,
at once extraordinary and appalling, are given of the extent
to which the trade in slaves has been carried in the state of
Mississippi for several years past, and which in its conse-
quences has been the chief cause of the prostration of
all property, and also, of monetary and commercial dis-
organisation the most unexampled in the state itself, as well
as ultimately of loss or ruin to the nefarious slave breeders,
speculators, and importers from Kentucky, Virginia, Ten-
nessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Missouri, and
Maryland, by whom the detestable traffic and import into
Mississippi was carried on. Towards the close of 1833 seve-
ral thousand slaves taken into that state met with so profit-
able a sale that numbers of other speculators were tempted
to enter into the trade. The effect was that the import next
year was tripled, and large profits still realised in bills on New
Orleans, at fotir months' date. In 1835, the number carried
to Mississippi quadrupled that of any former year, and the
competition of supply being thus greater, the dealers were
glad to give twelve to fifteen months credit, adding ten per
cent. interest ; but prices advanced with credit, from 700 to
1000 dollars per head, and at the close of the sales to 1200
dollars on the average, at which, tempted by the credit,
planters bought liberally for long drafts on New Orleans. So
encouraged, the speculators became more reckless and enter-
prising still. But a fall took place of which this is the de-
scription. " The fall of 1830 is a time long to be remem-
bered. All the highways to Mississippi became lined—yea,
literally crowded with slaves. When they arrived, the im-
mense number (swelling the rise of 40,000), made the callous
hearts of all the traders ache." They " pitched their tents
all over the country," and the winter of 1837 approached
before they could find customers. At length they advertised
sales at one and two years credit on New Orleans, adding 10
per cent interest, and planters again bought largely, at prices
ranging from 1200 to 1800 dollars per bead. Nearly all the
bills of 183$ and 1836 were protested at maturity for non-
mment, and so also those of 1837. The slave population of
Mississippi was thus increased in three years from 70,000 to
160,000, at an average cost of 1000 dollars each. The aggre-
gate debt thus incurred for slaves in three years is stated at
90,000,000 dollars. The high prices of cotton, which have
since acted so disastrously upon the cotton manufacture of
this country, induced the planter to devote all Isis energies,
credit, and capital to the cultivation of that article, and he
ceased to raise his own corn and pork as usual, whilst he had
to " purchase more mules, horses, ploughs, and open more
lands," &c. by which he came under advances to merchants
and bankers. The upshot was, bankers, and merchants, and
the courts of law were so crowded with suits that judgments
were long delayed. At length, however, executions issued;
but little or nothing was to be found to satisfy process. So
merchants failed as wellas planters, and the double fall crush-
ed the banks. In the midst of all this, it is said, " the negro
traders stood by with cold indifference, and beheld towns de-
populated, and large plantation after plantation laid waste,
growing up with thorns and briars, without feeling one pang
of remorse for the ruin and wretchedness they had brought
upon the country, laughing at their own safety and security.'?
They had got mortgages upon the properties upon the plan-
tations, and hugged themselves with being all right amidst
the universal ruin. But the case has been changed by a late
decision of the federal court, held at Jackson. It was ruled
by the judges that, according to the "amended constitution"
of Mississippi, in 1832, all contracts for slaves, since May,
1833, are made null and void, the constitution forbidding
the introduction of slaves for sale." Two thirds of the debts
for slaves have been incurred since 1833. The mortgages to
the negro traders are therefore, now at an end ; and the
scarcely less criminal planters are redeemed by the robbery
of the slave dealers from millions of hopeless " indebtedness,
consoling themselves, doubtless, with the justificatory plea
of rogue against rogue in such cases. The result may be
hailed by the toils of their own infamy, however the co-part-
ners in guilt may have escaped. The position of Mississippi
financially and industrially would, it was anticipated, be great-
ly ameliorated by this unlooked-for decision.