The New York herald., 1873-07-11

Another Triumph for American Jour-
nalism-Mr. MacGahan's Dispatches
from Central Asia.
Again we congratulate our readers on the
full and graphic dispatches of Mr.. Mac
Gahan, the HERALD correspondent in Central
Asia. The last letters which we published
from our courageous correspondent were
dated at Fort No. l, but from telegram from
the HERALD London Bureau we were able to
fix his subsequent advance as far south as
Fort Peroffsky, on the Sir Daria River. To
| day the cable tells us from London that Mr..
MacGahan has gained the military station
of Sheikh-Arik, on the River Oxus.
We rejoice at this intelligence, and
| we would consider it one of the
greatest triumphs of journalism in itself,
even if the HERALD correspondent were not
able to send us from the dreary deserts of Cen
trail Asia the remarkable despatch which we
publish this morning. Few Journalistic. few of
the most tried travellers, we may add, are
aware Of the perils which surround the man
who ventures into those far-off regions of the
earth. Vambery alone has penetrated to
| Khiva and the other Khanates of Central Asia,
| and returned to furnish the world with an
account of his travels and with essays on the
manners and customs of the people. Yet we
have to-day the simple HERALD correspondent
ordered away from London with instruc-
tions to follow the Russian expedition,
report the military operations and enter
the doomed capital, not only writing
brilliant letters, which have attracted the
admiration of the American and Euro
pean press, but by line of faithful couriers
sending his dispatches to remote towns by
the Ural Mountains, thence wiring them to
London and thence to this city. We wish to
emphasize the fact that few can appreciate
| either the difficulties of the undertaking or
the magnifcence of the success. Trans-Cau-
casia is a land which has been barbaric
wilderness the to Russians Her subjects have
been defantly held as slaves during many
years, and several expeditions to conquer it
have been driven back by the terrible Sc
verify of the climate. The English race, that
is daunted by no mountain peaks, ''eternal
SHOWS" Everlasting DESERTS" far-reaching
valleys, have planted their banners just
below the Hindoo Koosh, and yet Khiva
has been to them as Hades Do
we, then, say too much when we
point to the successful march of Mr.. Mac
Gahan as great journalistic victory? Do we
indulge in vain boasting when we recall the
fact that it was he alone of all newspaper cor
respondents who without writ or permission
of any kind, boldly pushed on to the Oxus,
and is to-day the author of sour despatch
from Central Asia? 1t is not Mr.. MacGahan
solely that we wish to honor, neither is it the
enterprise of the HERALD; but we wish to
place before every young journalist this noble
example of devotion to duty, and to duty
which has neither narrow scope nor selfish
ambition.
While we regret that this important tele-
gram was delayed at Orenburg because of
the inability of the operators to trans
late it. we are yet furnished with
the very latest information from the
scene of operations. General Kaufman, it
appears, crossed the Oxus on June and i'm
mediately marched on Khiva with ten pieces
of artillery, two mitrailleuses, fifteen hundred
infantry and six hundred cavalry. Water now.
became scarce and camels had to replenish
their skins before approaching the fertile
oasis of the Khanate; and it is here that the
reader may appreciate the hardships of Gen.
trail Asian warfare. The Russians the
meanwhile had plenty to do. They re-
pulsed an attack by the Khivans, al
though they had already become reduced
to terrible want. General Kaufman, how
ever, pushed forward, reaching Dock -Ookak,
on the Oxus, after running fight
during the last twenty miles of the
march Water was then at hand. The troops
were refreshed; they charged, and their spoil
was eleven boats On the 28th of May, it
seems, the Russian force arrived at Sheikh
Ark, the point from which Mr. MacGahan
forwards his despatch. Then ensued fierce
bombardment and the Khivan guns were
in time to witness this bloody encounter, as
he did on the 4th of April, 1871, arrive be-
meath the guns of Mont Valeren, just in time
to see Bergeret and his 10000 Communists
cut to pieces by the gunners of the queen of
fortresses. Though he lost two horses hard by
the Oxus it did not prevent him from observ-
ing the last and decisive hours of the battle
Then came humiliation to the Khvans. They
begged for terms; they offered submission and
sweetened their overtures with apricots,
mulberries and other fruits of the
oasis, and all this while 10000
tired, faInished and thirsty Russians were do
manding entrance to the capital Mr.
MacGahan closes his despatch by foreshadow-
ing what has already happened-the fall of
Khiva.
Can any campaign be more brilliant than
this-the campaign of Kaufman and Mac
Gahan-a twin enterprise of civilization
and iournaliam2 Vet had n not ho,,,