The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-10

forming kind OF oasis between the Deserts OF
koum BLACK Sand on the west. The town OF Khiva
itself, according to him, lies some thirty miles to
the west OF the Oxus and some 200 TO the south OF
its junction with the sea OF Aral, and from what
ever point II may be Approximation the east
rom the northwest, from the southwest-at least
three days march must be made without finding o
drop OF surface water or a tuft of vegetation. To
carry food and water across such region as this
i5Coo mem Se i sapH being s probably
the truer estimate); to march up the al.
81 an from s s to sSg them All
upon the ground at the same time, for the infic-
ton OF swift, sure, crushing blow; to preserve
uninterrupted communications through the very
heart o. the desert, oil this ID no light task; and
all this and more is being done at the present mo-
ment. The hardest share has undoubtedly fallen
to the lot OF Orenburg column; and 1t il fortu
nate TO have fallen into the hands OF sucn master
Ta "a s have been admirable throughout
Even In the very extent OF the sphere OF action
there is something grandiose ana imposing. one
end OF the long chain rests upon the confines OF
busy, bustling, civilized Europe, within sound OF
steam whistle and clicking telegraph; the other ID
gotten Asia, where cames plod through the desert
rs they plOdded IN tile days OF Abraham, and the
the swift, dark stream Of the Syr-Daria. Foot by
foot the fatal coil is rolling up its folds nearer and
nearer and nearer, enclrclng the doomed strong
hoid with grasp that nothing can resist. AND the
stake IL worth playing for.
KHIvA, IN ITSELF, is INSIGNIFICANT
enough; but the most insignificant States are
those which form the milestones OF history A
petty State In the south OF Italy was the c0tsG
teteryfna which embroiled Carthage with Rome.
little Syrian town ha0 the power to preclpltate
Europe upon Asia In an avalanche Of ruin which
lasted we-nigh two centuries. The possession OF
and Francis ]. contended during twenty-eght
years OF bloody and almost uninterrupted warfare.
a a S the o. sn e
stood graphing for nearly half generation; and,
m our own age, the mosquito warrens . OF the
fifty celebrate as 1.-THE devil's earthly paradise'o
have kinded three Of the boodiest and
hardest fought struggles on record. And SO,
which gather round its fan, assumes transcen-
dent importance me securing Of am nnorSk en-
Oxus through it's old channel into the Caspian, the
webelng OF Russian commerce IN the East, the
foundation OF an empire which shall extend from
the mountains OF KhOrassan TO the great wall Of
China-al this and more hangs upon the reduction
exceeding that 81 Schenectady or Utica. Kniva
once taken and the flank of Russian Turkestan Sc
cured once for all against the marauders who have
great province will have tree scope for their de-
velopment. wel!-watered and fertile territory,
Astounding in silk, fruit and various kinds Of metals
Is not likely to remain long Improbable, especially
now That the conquest of KOudja has opened a
safe commercial highway into Western China
cand and Merry, to Teheran-with line of
steamers on the Oxus and Jaxartes-with tele
graph cable under the Caspian from Baku to
krasnovOdsk, and thence across the desert OF
Khiva as far as the Chinese frontier-with
factnre, and the new commercial treaty with
Kashgar pouring caravan alter caravan through
ncult to set bounds to the possible growth OF
Russian commerce in the far East. Already
begin to appreciate the truth of the words spoken
to me five years ago by one Of the ablest among
the new masters OF Central Asia. 'When the
resources of Turkestan come to be properly known
they VIII astound the whole worlds, In the far
future Muscovite statesmen behold the vision OF q
golden age when Pekin shall clasp hands with st.
Petersburg-when the capitalists in Western Europe
fOr IN n q
Tashkent and Teheran Railway, aud all nations
send their merchandise to the Great Industrial
Exhibition OF Samarcand.
Before closing las my friend, the Cossack, is not
ve wec e must s us5 sup IN native oce
ing his sides about an hour ago:-A Russian officer
having done some service to an old peasant Of
some renown as a sorcerer, the latter requlted
him by the gift Of two magic roots, one OF which
would give him unparalleled success in shooting.
ocer, when telling the story, ust let the roots
lie; but one day, when l was going out with my
gun, thought "a take the shooting root with
OF my establishment when on getting into the
wood, couldn't see feather of game, while the
whole ground was Uttered with trout and salmon.
had taken the wrong root"
WHAT WILL THE KHAN Dor
have now got much clearer conception than
heretofore OF the Khva expeditions conception
which may ftly be summed up as folows:-
find that the campaign has commenced thus
early in order to carry the troops the desert
while the weather is still cool, and give the three
columns time to concentrate themselves within
lair striking distance OF the hostile capital; and
them when all Is prepared. the final blow will be
struck. curious story is anoat TO the effect that
the Khivans have obtained fifteen rined cannon OF
English make, supposed to have been brought from
India and that several Englishmen are actually
serving In the Khan's army, one OF whom-a man
OF considerable ability-haS lately received a high
command for the approaching campaign. Start
ling as all this sounds It Is by no means impossible
have myself met with English deserters in far
more unlikely situations; and it was touching to
see how, in the depth Of their misery and
T e the ace q eSeI ss
brighten up with momentary nash OF tn.
old esprit de corps on hearing OF the feats Of
their old comrades in Bengal and Abyssinia. The
prevalent opinion in military circles appears to be
that the Khan will not resist routvd,ne-that he
is merely holding on till the last moment In the
hope OF obtaining help from some quarter, or Of
seeing the expedition once more postponed and
camped within his borders and advancing upon
his capital he Will make tardy submission. The
pOrary measure OF punishment, without any ulte.
rior views OF territorial annexation but this in my
on any terms short OF absolute extinction is ike
expecting an English schoolbOy to abstain from
tarts. or Californian miner from swearing. "De-
leadd est Khiud." ~ would gladly see,n said the
author OF Frederick the Great to me the other
day. when went to take leave OF him the other
every robber in Central Asia pitchforked out Of 1t
by Russian bayonets;' and to that wish can
heartily say Amen nr-n =, nrse,.
And now, q word as to my own immediate sur
roundngs. write from genuine Russian village,
made up OF some scores of little rough hewn log
huts, sOwn broadcast as though a child Titan had
tried to carry OF a lapfu OF houses and kept
dropping them by the way. The interiors are
pretty much alike; the ceiling is q gymnasium OF
spiders, the wall q parade ground OF carvings, the
floor paste of mud, relieved by lining OF cock
reaches. and the whole concern, with its garrison
of dogs pigs, fowls, rats and unwashed human
beings, looks like Noah's first attempt at an ark,
overcrowded by a false alarm OF the Deluge. Just
as write the village is in the full swing OF Renu.
inc country fair, with all Its picturesque minutiB-
grimy artisans III sheepskin, munching tough
pancakes that look like rolled up COPY
books; brawny gendarmes saunterlng about,
with look or fatherly indulgence on their broad,
heavy faces; mufiledup children, waddling about
like rolls Of cloth escaped from the tailor, and de-
v0urng with Unsuitable eyes the indigestible beauty
VI the cakes and sweetmeats on the surrounding
stalls: rOuud-laced women turbaned with scarlet
handkerchieia and Notwithstanding doQs smiling