New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-13
RUSSIA IN CENTRAL ASIA.

its territorial limits ana the cIiafdctef VI us n""
ence. No nation in history ever attained SINH
lar position in the world rapidly and with so lit
tie actual development. 1t would seem to owe
It's prominence to series of happy accidents, to
the ris inerfie of immense extent and to the alb
sence ofall those influences which usually advance
a people. Its immense population IS manly COM
posed of savage hordes--its vast army is hsrce
hand of slaves. Literature, science and art do not
smile upon it. All the stirring movements OF
great time beat exhausted upon TIE Russian from
tier like the mad pillows of the midsea dying
in faint rippes along an inland cove. Meanwhile
its game is still played, vague rumors die in the
winds that blow from the Caspian, of victories in
Circassis, or farther still, of intrgues in Afghans-
tan but few details are known, few readers are suf
fciently conversant with the condition OF the-Cen-
tral-Asia-queston to comprehend the scope OF the
facts, and the public mind is content with an UNI
easy impression that Russia is growing power
busy now in the East, but ready, when the hour
arrives, to fulfill Napoleon's prediction.
Gurowski, one of the most philosophc and intel
ligent minds that the Scavonc race has given to
our times, long since announced his conviction
that the destiny of Russia was to expand into
Asia and not to overrun Europe. great, fresh
and undeyeloped people, full of energy and ambi-
ton, must find their sphere of activity and growth
in restoring civilization to its prineva seats, and
not in deuging Christendom with barbarsm.
Though not true with respect to Europe, as the
events of recent years demonstrate, yet as far
as Asia is concerned, the thought was wise,
and history is affirming it's truth. Dead since
the Crusades, except in the spasmodlc career
of Mehemet ALL the East must live again in the
life of Russia. But We do not mean to specu-
late, fascinating as the speculation is--but to
state the facts of the present Russian advance
into Central Asia.
The Car has not been uniformly successful in
his Eastern movements. Lord PalmerstOn thwart-
ed Russian intrigue in Afghanistan; the war
against the Province of ChHa was failure, and
the Court of St. Petersburg accepted English me-
diation with the Khan. English influence -four
ishes. Tourists have penetrated Astracan and
crossed into the father interior under protection
of tribes with which they made favorable terms,
and which, Of course, were thus made partial to
England. From the recent history of the Afghan
war, published last year in London, it appears that
an expedition led by William Macnaghten was
preparing to invade Great Buchara, the Province
next north of Afghsnistan. The Provinces of
Afghan, Bucharia, Chiva, Herat, Khokan, &C., are
small, but lie along the eastern Persian frontier,
and between the English power in India and the
Russian upon the Caspian Sea. These are the
two forces that will dispute Central Asia. And
from the researches of the Russian Geographical
Society, we learn the following facts.
Russia seeks to enter Central Asia at three
points-upon the Caspian Sea, upon the Orenburg
frontier in longitude S., and upon tho Siberian
Chinese line. At all these three points travellers
have passed into Asia, forerunners of the Co.'S
sacks, and they bring back reports Of their travel.
Baron Bode visited the southeastern shore Of the
Caspian in Astrabad, the extreme northeastern
corner of Persia, which is designed as post upon
the route toward the Indus. Treaties are
made with the Turcoman tribes upon the road
toward Meshid and Herat, chief cities of the latter
province. NJ. Inanin visited the northeastern
shore and the fortress New etrowsk with the re-
newed settlement there, where Peter the Great
built fort, and which has already regular steam
communication with Astracan and Gurjen. In
New-Petrowsk the Russian traders meet the
caravans from China laden with the goods Of the
further East, and Buchara and Taschkend. This
to the Turcoman, avoid the Engshman; he ia
your worst enemy, for he wishes to stop the traffic
in slaves, which 10 your very existence. Upon the
Mangyschlack, among the Kirgish, fine veins Of
coal have been discovered and Of a good quality.
The inhabitants sadly chagrned that they
should have been such fools as not to know the
value Of the burning stone" until foreigners
taught them. The caravans to New.Petrowsk
number yearly some 500 camels laden with goats
andcamels' hair, skins, carpets and wool. 1t will
be also religious station between Central Asia
and Mecca. The pilgrims come in great crowds
by MesLid, Teheran and Bagdad. A smaller por-
ton pass across Cashmere and the Indus to Bonn
bay. The frst-named return generally through
Egypt to Alexandra, Constantinople, Odessa, or
Taganidy on the Black Sea, and so through As.
tracan and Mangyschlack to Chiya and further.
During the last year the steamers on the Caspian
carried many Mecca-bound pilgrims or Hadji, from
AstTaean to New-Petrowsk. The territories of
the Kirgish and the Turcomans are constantly
oyerrun by swarms Of agents and travellers and
traders. Nessrs. Bolotoff and Chanykow who
have extensively explored the steppes around the
Sea Of Aral, have made valuable maps Of that re-
giou. The sea of Aral s already occupied by
Russia, and many forts have been built along its
shores, and town founded named from the Gar.
Nicolajew. Steamers are brought across the
steppes IN pieces and are put together at the sea-
and there connect tho various stations.
The extreme northern point of tho Chinese
frontier is about SOP 4V north. II then extends
In south-westerly direction as far as the Alsa
Mountains until it reaches the territories of tho
nomadc kirgish. The little fsrtress Tarbagtai. in
latitude ~ North and longitude 3eo West from