The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-05-27
Russia in Asia.

The reported capture of Khiva by the
Russian expeditionary force, and the TAX
ing of the Khan as a prisoner, with the
fall of the city, was one of those unauthor-
lied and fatty incorrect pieces of news that
the special cable dispatches so often
give us-specimens of enterprise run mad
and care more for sensationalsm than
correctness. Khiva is not only not capt
ured, but the Russians appear to have met
very formidable obstacles in their approach
to it. Heavy snow storms have delayed
their progress. the different columns have
been unable to make their appointed rem
devious, and the short season in which the
operations could be carried on was coming
to an end. Not only has mishaps occurred.
but other difficulties were springing up in
hostility of the surrounding tribes, whose
common quarrels had been subdued by the
more intense fears and hatred of the Rus
sian domination. The people of Bokhara
are in strong sympathy with the Khivans,
and under the suspicion that the Ameer
was acting in collision with the Khan, one
corps of the Russian forces had been or
dered to make detour along the northern
border of Bokahara, instead of marching
direct on Khiva by road two hundred
miles shorter. Troops had also been moved
from Samarcand toward the Ameer CAPT
tai, and disturbances had occurred among
the Kirghis in the neighborhood of Fort
Pevoost. These evidences of the difficult
les that had sprung up in the way are rend-
cred significant by the fact that the latest
mail advces from st. Petersburg announc-
ed the government had forbidden the pap
ers to publish news from Khiva.
We may take it for granted. however,
that if not interfered with by any other
powers, and England alone, is interested
in such interference, that Russia will pur-
sue her projects and finally make the SYM
patty and aid which may he given to the
Khivans her justification for the subjuga-
ton of Bokhara and Kholand, as well as
Khiva. The check she has met with, and
the possible necessity, of deferring oper-
ations to next season, is principally of
Importance in the opportunity it will give
for the maturing and expression of British
sentiment on the subject. England which
so often used the argument of commercial
necessity for the justification of her own
conquests in India, does not admit its force
when Russia brings it forward. On the
contrary, she looks on with jealousy and
anger, while at the same time endeavoring
to show that the Car is eXpending treas
ure and blood for what will be but bur-
densome possession. The London 1'ele-
graph says:
England, India, Persia and Turkey,
may well ask what is the aim of power
which has advanced thousand miles to
become the master of an oasis in the OXus.
We have an imperial promise that the oc-
cupation shall not be prolonged but
Prince Gortchakotf has already dwelt on
the extreme difficulty of retreating from
any point when possessed. Except on the
Pruth and Danube, under the restraint,
there is no instance of Russian retrogress-
ion The Emperor may find that he can
not keep his promise in the face military,
| political and commercial pressue What
then, is sought by the men who control
| Russian policy by the dint of fats accom-
| phsy Here we have an advance which
may end in doubling the charge upon the
exchequer; project for conquest useless
save for Interior ends an enterprise which
if it stops short at Khiva, will be costly
and burdensome. What is there asks Sir
Henry Rawlnson, TO compensate Russia
for throwing away million year, not to
| speak of the sacrifice of soldiers lives, "
The less angry and therefore wiser dis
cussions of the subject by continental jour
nalists, give Russia the credit for more in
telligent motives than the mere love of con-
quest. Nambery, who in the disguise of a
| deryish, by routes unknown to Europeans
passed through the deserts of OXus to Xiii
va and thence by Bokhara to Samarcand,
and whose knowledge of Central Asia gives
authority to his opinions, in a recent arti-
Gle in the Altgemaine Zeitung, attributes
the movements of Russia to an intention to
become mistress of the road to Merry.
She began by taking possession of fash
Arvat-Kole in 1870, finally pushed Gin
1870 as far as Kizil-Arvat in the country
of the Tekhe Turkomans, thus tracing
road by which she may penetrate to Merry,
| (ohnut thrap hundred miles sOuth Of KhiXa)