The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-05-28
From the New York Tribune.
THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RUSSIA


the progress of Russia towards universal
dominion, as manifested in Europe. The
skill, patience, irmness and success ol
Russian diplomacy in that quarter of the
world, and in fact that the Gear alone, OF
all the powers, great or little, has really
proilted by the last revolution, and that he
now virtually rules in Italy and Germany,
on the Rhine as well as on the Danube, is
repeated and commented on till it is almost
wearisome. The universe of Editors. even
an California, Oregon and the Sandwich
Islands, finds in it standing subject of
discussion.
But the growth of Russian power in
Asia is topic which has not yet occupied
public attention to any considerable extent,
Tor The reason that the facts have been lit
ue known, except to the Government of St.
petersburg ITSELF OF course that Govern
ment, always jealous of publicity, and care
ful to conceal lis movements as far and as
long as possible from the world, has taken
care to envelope its march in Central Asia
In double obscurity, design which cir
cumstances have favored. Inhabited, as
that vast region is, by nomadic tribes, that
have no fixed government, no well-defned
territory, and no intercourse with civilized
nations, 1t has not been difficult for Mus.
covlte craft gradually 10 extend the impe-
rial boundaries into the deserts ranged by
these savages, and without waking their
Jealousy or provoking them into hoslilties,
to make sure the preparations for still fur.
ther aggrandizement
Whether tho oahinot ~ H. A.,
judges the work sufficiently advanced to
cast off the mask, or whether the secret is
revealed by accident, we do not know, but
we have now before us some documents
which cast clear light on the process Of
annexation and extension, political and
commercial, which has been going on for
years, in the country known in our geog.
raPhies as Independent Tartary. These
documents of letters from Polish geolo-
gist, whom we Judge to be an officer in the
Imperial Engines, employed in seeking
for coal beds on the shores on the Sea OF
Aral, and in the vicinity of the Caspian,
and of an account furnished to Russian
periodical by Russian merchant, OF his
Journey, on business, from Petropavlosk,
IN the Siberian Department of Omsk, to
Iashkend, an important city about mid
way between the former southern bounda.
ry OF Siberia and the northern limit of
Afghanistan, and between the sea of Aral
and the Chinese dominions.
Take any recent and reliable atlas, and
turning to the map of Asia, you will find
the river Ural laid down as the dividing
line between Russia and Tartary, the
towns on that river being Guriew at its
mouth, and Uralsk, and Orenburg further
up, where the stream issues from the Ura
Mountains, with Orskaia also lying on the
river, but still farther to the east among the
mountains. All these are frontier towns.
From Orskaia the line-on maps sufficient
ly definite-runs north nearly to 55 deg,
and then to the northwest along the Tobal
river till that river forks and the frontier of
Siberia begins. Thence it goes south.
east to the point (Which is disputed, } where
at meets the northwestern province of
Chinese Tartary. Now draw line from
the mouth of the Ural across to the head
of the Sea of Aral, then down to The mouth
Of the Sir-Deria or Sir-Sihon (the ancient
laXartes) the western aflluent of that sea,
then from its mouth TO the point where its
line bends from the south, and thence west
to the Chinese frontier, and you have the
boundary Of the Russian Empire in Asia,
as we know that it actually was a year
ago. The addition includes the entire
territory of the Kirghis or Kirgius, tribe
of warlike Tartars some 200 900 strong,
who have long been partly in Russian pay,
and who doubtless saw no reason TO object
to the building of the line of forts which
now extends through their deserts-and
about half Of Kokand. district occupied
by some three millions of Usbecks, Tad
sinks and Kirgius together. The whole
territory annexed is about thousand miles
long by four hundred broad, and is little !
known TO Europeans. Ii contains large
proportion Of sandy wastes but great
deal Of it must be valuable for grazing
The wealth of the Kirgius consists in herds
.of camels, horses, sheep and goats, for
which they find pasturage by moving from
place to place. Streams and lakes not yet
known to geographers. are frequent, and
game of a new species is found in abun-
dance. IL is matter Of course, that
among such population as these Tartars.
when living without restraint, feuds and
robberies should constantly be going on.
But since the building of the Russian forts
these have disappeared, and the country is
now more safe and peaceful than it has
been for three centuries. The forts are
garrisoned by Cossacks, and the trading
caravans which 60 regularly through the
region pass in perfect security. The Nir-
Cus find their account in this, for they get
their chief income by hiring out their CAM
els to the merchant caravans, which are
now larger and more frequent than before.
Thus is civilization, or rather the begin.
ming of it, penetrating among the ancient
seats of these races, which have more than