The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-27

UO PuOAbA III oAotaCl OOAhAAh AuAA $500
highly interesting dispatches from the pen OF
Mr.. j. A. MacGahan, the HERALD special cor
respondent with the Khivan expedition. We
congratulate our readers on our ability to
place before them this morning correspond
ence SO graphic and complete, so accurate in
detail, comprehensive in outline and deeply
fascinating in its subject matter. Until the
present age of journalism it has been left to
the hardy explorer and scientific traveller to
journey through remote and unknown lands,
and upon his return to publish tardy and
painfully minute descriptions of the results OF
his travels. For faithful accounts of the great
scientific and military expeditions which have
been sent into the gloomy quarters Of the
world we have long sighed in vain. What
journalistic record is extant Of the Wilkes
exploring expedition to the Antarctic ?--of the
great enterprise of Mohammed Ali when he
moved la large military force along the valley Of
the Nile and arrived within few leagues Of
the sources of that mighty river? What bold
newspaper correspondent was venturesome
enough to attach himself to the staff of Gen
eral Peroffsky when, in1S4O, he undertook the
reduction Of Khiva, but was thwarted by the
Asiatic frosts and SHOWS? But the golden
age of journalism has dawned. The splendid
success of Mr. Stanley in Africa has brought
journalism to its meridian story, ana there we
purpose to fortify it, as our correspondence from
Mr.. MacGahan will prove this morning. Al
though the rich material collected by our cor
respondent is exclusively printed in this jour
nal, and although he is the only journalist
who has yet succeeded in reaching the scene
of operations in Central Asia, we do not take
the victory entirely to the HERALD. 1t sheds
lustre on the entire American press, when we
remember that on the eve of the Khivan expe-
dition the great newspapers of England and
the Continent began to feel the reflex action
of American journalistic enterprise and con-
cluded that they would hazard any expense to
obtain early and faithful accounts of
the operations. Gentlemen believed to
be competent were therefore despatched to
Trans Caucasia, and had there been no inter-
vening barriers the Khan might have capitu-
lated to the quill brigade. But there was one
gallant, determined correspondent among all
those who hurried away from the capitals of
Europe as on errands Of pleasure who had
measured the difficulties Of his undertaking,
and instead of meekly surrendering when in
formed that he would not be allowed to pro-
coed with the army boldly set to work to
surmount all obstacles. Accompanied 'by
two Kirgheese, one Turcoman and q diction-
ary" Mr. MacGahan proceeded to Uralsk, and,
journeying by way Of Orenburg and Orsk, at
last arrived at Fort No. /, where he wrote the
interesting letter printed in the HERALD of the
18th inst, ending with II am now within less
than five hundred miles from Khiva, and the
hardest part OF my journey is yet to come"
Under the dates of April 81, % and 80 he
supplies full details of the military operations,
together with happy view Of the populations
of Trans-Caucasia, their POLITICAL commercial
and social condition. Situated beyond the
confines Of civilization, where no newspaper
correspondent has ever been before, the jour-
nalist enjoys a rare opportunity to instruct as
well as to furnish reports of current events. It
is doubtful if Khiva, as Khanate placed in
the most desolate region of the EARTH would
ever have attracted even the casual attention
of the general reader had there been no such
enterprise as the Russian expedition and we
are sure that, even with the dry official de-
spatches announcing the naked results of
battles along the line of march and the final
capitulation, that the steppes of Asia would
have been dismissed into forgetfulness on the
morrow. The journalist on the spot, how
ever, joins the event to its causes and conse-
quences, and, if he takes brief retrospect Of
the history of that mysterious land, he is also
able to forecast future which enlists
the keenest interest among all thinking classes.
What grander theme can occupy the attention
of any mind than the contemplation Of desert
wastes about to feel the quickening influence
of civilization? Of roaming and dispersed
peoples about to be grouped into common
nationality? Of Incidence yielding to thrift,
and fanaticism to toleration? In every
quarter of the globe visited by HERALD cor
respondent it is not only his duty to record
what has been, what is, but also what can be
and what should be. It is because Mr..
MacGahan has happily fulfilled his mission
in this regard that we recommend his corre-
spondence to the thoughtful perusal of our
readers. Beginning with description of
Fort No. lone of those Russian outposts
which signify permanent occupation-he gives
a view of its military strength, and then
passes to q description of the rising town
of Kazala. After picturing the distinguishing
traits of the people, we are invited to inspect
the Aral fotilla, which reveals navy
almost in Central Asia but which was con-
structed in Liverpool and London. Passing
to the Khiva expedition he details its admira-
bic condition and the movements Of the
advance guard, led by His Imperial Highness
the Grand Duke Nicholas Constantinovitch.
Severe storms, irksome marches and fresh