The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-08-06
RUsSIA's ACQUISITIONS.
A R,vieyv of the startling Rapldity ..
MuscOvfte Prog ess.

The extent of the Russian acduisi-
tions of territory in Central Asia IS as
little understood as the curious chap.
ter, half of deliberate policy and half
of accident, which contains the history
of the acquisitions. The general state
ment that in a quarter of q century
Russia has advanced her frontier 700
mile to the south and 900 miles to the
southeast, gives but vague impress
ion of the startling rapidity of Mus
covite progress. Russia Is an empire
of :" magnificent distances and the
mention of its advancing frontier sur-
gests the acquisition of barren stepDes
or frozen deserts. But it must be re-
membered that the parallel Of latitude
under which we live would bat pass
through the canter of the Russian ter
ritory in Western Turkestan. The
three great Khanltes- -Bokhara, Kho-
kand, and Khiva--which Russia has
virtually absorDed during the present
generation, have been the seats of
highly civilized empires, and have
formed the subject of the contest be-
tween dynasties whose names are among
the foremost of Asiatic potentates.
Genghiz Khan, the modern Attill, oace
ruled vast dominion from Samarcand,
which has now become q Russian mu
nicipality, and a successor of Timour,
the Turcoman, founded the Empire of
the Great Mogul in India.
Territories both wealthy and pros
porous had, however, sunk into that
peculiarly hopeless style of barbarism
characteristic of the effete of Mussul-
man rule, long before Russia crossed
the Kirghiz steppe, or began to con
tinue her Siberian forts southwark to-
wards the Jaxartes. At every stage of
her advance she has replaced the most
debased forms of tyranny with a sys-
TEN of administration which, if tainted
with the vices of military arrogance and
civilian rapacity, is at least guaranty
of social security, and an immense
stride toward civilization. The ambi-
ton of her generals, operating at i'm
mense distances from the central au-
thOrity, and nenessarily invested with
very ample discretion In dealing with
semi -barbarous foes, has had rather
more to do with Russia advances in
Asia than any steadfast line of policy
traced at st. Petersburg. Nothing is
more striking than the ridiculous small
ness of the armies with which Russia
has subjugated .Turkestan. Tashkend
was taken with less than two Thousand
of an asssulting force, though the town
contains d so, 600 inhabitants and gar
rison of 10. 900 to 10, 600 men, and SO on
with other celebrated actions of the
last twenty years. The late expedition
against Khiva was planned with more
deliberation and carried ont with
greater display of strength than any
previous advance against the other
Khanates. The causes which led to
that expedition are, however, a fair
sample of the reasons that have COM
PEELED the conquest of the surrounding
States. As the civilized nation ad-
vanced its proteetorate, the tribes which
it cowed became less fitted than before
to resist the attacks of their independ-
ent neiPhbors, and in sheer self defense
the Russian Outposts had to be pushed
further and further into territories
which were used chiefly for the conceal
ment of organized bands of armed rob
bers. Or, the envoya, 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 per-
manent occupation.