The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-11-24
RUSSIAN ACKNOWLEDGMENT IN
CENTRAL ASIA.
Campaign Against Dzounsaria-Surrende
of the Sultan and Annexation of His Ter
rif

After keeping quiet in Central Asia
this summer Russia has resumed her
career OF conquest, and again annexed
an extensive territory. This time
DZeungaria has been subdued by her
arms. Dzoungaria, or, as the Chinese
call it, Than Chan pe-bo, is situated on
the northern slopes of the Than Chan
mountains. Till 1864 it belonged to
China. In that year the Mongols, who
are the indigenous population of the
country, being infected with the spirit
of mutiny long rife among their country
men further south, rose against the
Chinese authorities, massacred the gar
rsons, and achieved independence.
The Chinese Government made no
attempt to reassert their sway over
the outlying province. Having to
quench rebellion in so many other parts
of the empire, they could not afford to
/ pay any very particular attention to the
Mongols
The Chinese thus disposed of the
Dzoungaria Dungens proceeded to elect
native ruler. Abel Oghlan, the new
sovereign, has since resided in the town
of Kuidsha, in the Valley of the Iii,
and being universally acknowledged by
his subjects, seems to have had pleas
ant time of it for a pretty long spell.
Quite recently he took it into his head
to fall out with the Russians, and came
to grief The Dungeons had interrupted
the Russian trade with China, and de-
stroyed Russian factory but the inn
! mediate cause of the quarrel was the
refusal of Abel Oghlan to surrender
Kirghese, who had fled into Dzoungaria
to escape. paying 1.-THE to the Russians.
On this account Russia declared war.
Hostilites began in last June, and, after
a series OF successful encounters, the
Russian forces, under General Kolpa-
kovski, advanced to the fortress of
Tchin-ha-tcho-d
On June 3d. they dislodged the Dun
gems from their position in front of the
works, took three guns, and stormed
the town. This decisive success, to
achieve which two full hours were re-
quired, cost the triumphant army only
fourteen men. The first of July wit
messed the surrender OF another fort
ress, Snidum, with 5000 inhabitants.
This time the victors did not have the
trouble of discharging a shot. The ma
tive mind already recognized the impos-
sibility of coping with the invaders, and
gave it up as a bad job. Proceeding
further west, General Kolpakoyski on
the 4th of July had the pleasure Of see
ing the unfortunate Abel in his camp
The defeated Sultan had come Of his
own accord to deliver himself up us q
prisoner. I" lie had trusted he said
in formal address not devoid OF natu.
raj dignity, sin the justice of his cause
and the assistance of God. Having
been vanquished, he bowed to the de
cree OF the Almighty, and entreated the
conquerer to spare his people. If there
were any crime in what had been done
let the General punish him, but
pardon his innocent subjects In re-
ply, the Russian General enlightened
the hapless chieftain on the differences
between Christian and Dungen morals
and promised protection to all who
would lay down their arms After this
gratifying announcement the 1000 men
who formed the remnant of the native
army were disbanded by the order Of
their sovereign, and went home re
joicing. All danger of further resist
ance being thus removed, General Kol
pakovski entered Kuldsha at the heao
of his gallant troops on July 5. This
closed a campaign which, reckoning
from the day when the various depart
ments united, lasted exactly one week
Considering the many engagements anC
the distance between Kuldsha and the
point on the Borochudsir frontier from
which the Russians started, 90 miles, the
progress was rapid enough. Much booty
was taken. On the walls and in the
arsenal of the capital alone $50 heavy
guns, 81 field guns, l3 falconets, = NOR
tars, l,G8l matchbox rifles, 675 lances
fell into the hands Of the Russians. AZ
formal acknowledgment of the fac
that the sovereignty of the land hac
passed TO the White Gar, the regalia o.
the late sovereign, consisting of hi:
sword, seal, and standard, were solemnly
handed over to General Kolpakovski
Two hours after the occupation the city
bore its usual aspect, the shops beinl
open and the artisans carrying on theil
several handicratts in the streets Ii
Central Asia people are used to beinl
conquered, and cannot afford to get ex
cited on each successive repetition of the
procedure.
The extensive territory which ha
thus been added to the Russian posses
tile valleys thanking the wild declivity o
of the hills It's about twice as large as Ire
land the native inhabitants being esti
mated at 100000, and the Chinese anc
other Bhuddist settlers at 100000 more
The country abounds in coal, cattle
and horses, has gold, silver, and copper
and is capable of producing large qran
titles of corn and fruit. Its minera
wealth is believed to be very great, bu
owing TO the inertness Of the previous
governments has never been exactly as
certained. Industrial activity there il
none, excepting the preparation o
leather for clothing and many othe
purposes. The occupation of Dzoun
garia makes Russia next door neighbo
to Yakoob Bey, the Atalik Gazee O
Kashgar. Like the dethroned Abel
this Prince rules Tartar territory re
Gently emancipated from Chinese do
minion. To protect him against tn
fate of his late neighbor and ally he ha