The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-07-23
RUSsIA'S ACQUISITIONS.
Review OF TIE STARTLING RAPIDITY OF
MUSCOVITE PROGRESS. IF

REVIEW OF TIE STARTLING RAPIDITY OF
MUsCovITE PROGRESS.
| The extent of the Russian acquisitions Of
territory in Central Asia is as little under.
stood as the curious chapter, half of delibers
ate policy and half of accident. which con-
tains the history Of these acquisitions. The
general statement that In quarter of q
century Russia has advanced her frontier
700 miles to the south and 900 miles to the
southeast, gives but vague impression OF
the startling rapidity of Muscovite progress.
Russia is an empire Of magnificent dstan-
ces,'' and the mention of It's advancing 'front.'
Ter suggests the acquisition of barren steppes
or frozen deserts. But it must be remem.
bered that the parallel of latitude under
which we live would about pass through the
center of the Russian territories In Western
Bokhara, Khokand, and KhiYa-which Rus
STA has virtually absorbed during the present
generation, have been the seats of highly
civilized empires, and have formed the SUBJ
ject OF contest between dynastes whose
names are among the foremost of Asiatic
protentates: Genghiz Khan, the modern
Attila, once ruled vast dominion from
Samarcand which has now become Russian
municipality, and a successor of Timour. the
Turcoman, founded the Empire of the Great
Mogul in India.
Territories both wealthy and prosperous
had, however, sunk into that peculiarly
hopeless style of barbarism characteristic oil
the effete stages of Mussulman rule, long
before Russia creased the Kirghz steppe, OF
began to continue her Siberian forts south
ward toward the Jaxartes. at every stage
Of her advance she has replaced the most
debased forms of tyranny with system oil
administration which, ii tainted with the
vices of military arrogance and civilian ra-
pacty, Is at least guarantee of social secu-
rity and an immense stride toward civiliza-
tlon. The ambition of her Generals, opera
tirg at immense distances from the central
authority, and necessarily invested with very
ample discretion in dealing with semi-Sar,
barous foes, has had rather more to do with
Russian advances in Asia than any s.ead!ast
line of policy traced at st. Petersburg
Nothing is more striking than the ridiculous
smallness of the armies with which Russia
has subjugated Turkestan. Tashkend was
taken with less than 1000 of an assaulting
force, though the town contained 80, COO in
habitants and garrison of 10000 to 5000
men, and so on with other celebrated actions
of the last twenty years. 1he late expedi..
ton against Khiva was planned with more
deiberation and carried out with a. greater
display of strength than any previous adj
vance against the other Khanates. The
causes which lead to thai expedition are,
however, fair sample Of the reasons that
have compelled The conquest o the surround.
ing States. q S the civilized nation advanced
its protectorate. the tribes which it cowed
became less fitted than before to resist the
attacks OF their independent neIghbors,
and in sheer self-defence the Russian outposts
had to be pushed further and further into
territories which were used chiefly for the
concealment of organized bands of armed
robbers. Or, the Enjoys, the merchants,
the soldiers of the advancing power were
taken prisoners by some of the tribes beyond
the line OF conquest, and expeditions for
their rescue and the punishment of their
captors, led, by natural enough series of
events, to pcrmanet occupa:ion.-N. Y.
Times.