Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-08-01
RUSSIA'S ACQUISITIONS.
Htyiew of the Startling Rapidly Of
MusCOVite Progress.

4 Review of the Startling RapidIty Of
MuscOvite Progress.
The extent Of the Russian acquisi.
tions OF territory in Central Asia i9 as
little understood as the curious chap,
ter, half OF deliberate policy and hall
OF accident, which contains the history
Of the acquisitions. The general state.
ment that in a quarter of century
Russia has advanced her frontier roo
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 sug-
gests the acquisition of barren steppes
/ or fiu2en deserts. But it must be re-
membered that the parallel Of latitude
under which we live would but pass
through the center Of the Russian ter
ritory in Western Turkestan. The
three great Khanites-Bokhara, Kho-
kand, and Kfiva-which Russia has
virtually absorbed 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, once
ruled vast dominion from SRmarcand,
which has now become a Russian mu
nicipality, and a successor of Timour,
the Turcoman, founded the Empire Of
the Great MOcul in India,
Territories both wealthy and pros
porous bad, however, sunk into that
: ~ptsu@iarly 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 torts southwark to-
wards the JaXartes. At every stage Of
her advance she has replaced the most
debased forms Of tyranny with q sys
tenn of administration which, if tainted
with the vices Of military arrogance aud
civilian rapacity, is a. least guaranty
of social security, and an immense
stride toward civilization. The ambi-
tion of her generals, operating Mt i'm
mensc distances from the central au-
thority, and nenessarily invested with
very ample discretion in dealing with
semi-bmbarous 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 Turke.tan Iashkend
was taken with less than two thousand
of an assaulting force, though the town
contain $4,000 inhabitants aud gar
rison of 10, 900 to 5000 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 a
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 adj
vanced its protectorate, the tribes which
it cowed became less fitted than before
to resist the attacks Of their independ-
ent neiahbors, aud 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 ENJOYS, the merchants,
the soldiers Of the advancing power
were taken prisoners by some OF the
tribes beyond the line of conquest, and