New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-04-05

set out from Siberia and take a less
painful though rather longer route
Tashkend does not seem yet TO be in Rus
sian possession, but as the line Of forts is
on the river below it, and comes within
some seventy miles or so, it cannot fail Of
being soon annexed; indeed, as q center of
commerce it is doubtless chief object OF
Russian ambition. 1t contains about four
thousand houses, built in Asiatic fashion
with the close clay walls of their court
yards on the streets, which thus wear
most dreary appearance. The houses are
in the rear, and generally have gardens
attached to them. There being no pave
ment, in the Spring the mud is as deep as
on Michigan causeway, and is impossible
by vehicles, mounted horses even sinking
to the knee. The streets are also very
crooked and so narrow that two wagons
cannot pass each other. The people live
in a manner which is savage rather than
barbarous. Glazed windows, tables and
chairs are unknown luxuries, and for beds
they use coarse carpets spread on the floor.
The government is absolutely despotic, and
its head, whose title is the Bek, can seize
the property of his subjects without giving
any other reason than that it is his plea
sure. This popularity will render the
Russian rule welcome to the inhabitants
because it will give greater degree of Sc
curity to property. From Tashkend cara.
vans start every week for Cashgar, Bu-
chara, Chiva, and other places, taking
cloths, plush, cottons, aud iron articles of
Russian manufacture and distributing them
to the most remote regions. In fact, the
commerce of Central Asia is already in the
hands of Russia. Into Chinese Tartary
her traders have opened new routes, now
traversed by their caravans to China. AT
ghanistan already buys Russian wares in
stead of English. Persia, as is we'll known,
has long been merely q Russian province;
and unless England wakes from her sleep
and bestir7 herself more effectuallY than
ever, it cannot be long before the Musco-
vite, peerless alike for cunning and per-
sistence, obtains complete possession of the
Oxus, has Chiva and Bucharia perfectly
under his control and may establish his
frontier posts in the Businesses of the Hin
doc. Coosh and Paropamesan Mountains.
The length of time through which Rus
STA has pursued the objects she has now so
nearly gained, and is so sure of gaining
completely, justi6es our admiration for her
tenacity. 1t is near fifteen years since she
first put the Shah of Persia up to the futile
attempt to seize Herat in northwestern
Afghanistan with view to render it
center of Russian influence. Then an at
tempt was made by Russian expedition
under Gen. Perowski to open a passage
and take possession of the country be-
tween the Caspian Sea and the Aral, but this
failed. And now finally the end is gained
by taking the route east of the Aral and
following the path of the old Mongol and
Tartar Conquerors. On that path wen
forth Ghengis- Khan, Tamerlane and Babur;
under them and their descendants, the
Tartars seeking for universal dominion,
conquered China, India and the Byzantine
Empire, and threatened to overwhelm Eu-
rope with their hordes. Christendom
alone they were unable to conquer.
Russia too, aims at universal dominion.
Her armies are larger, her courage es des
perate and fanatical, her resources greater,
her faith in her destiny more deeply root
ed, her wisdom thousand times shrewder
than that of her predecessors in this career,
and her commerce a means they did not
possess.
Will she succeed where they did, and
succeed, too, where they failed That ques-
tion the future will answer. For our part
we have no anxiety as to the result.
Silver Grayism illustrated.