New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-05
THE RUSSIAN con nv ASH.


ment appears to have been nvigoratcd by the
renewal OF the Thre Emperors' League. The
structures of the English press upon the aggres-
sive position occupied 10y the garrisons among
the Turcomans are condemned by one of the
semi-oticial organs in ST. Petersburg as inogi-
cal and uuwauantahle. chain of posts has
been established from krasnovodsk on the
Caspian 100 miles to Kizil-Arvat, and thence
100 miles to Cock Tepe, the captured strong
hold. The necessity of protecting this line.
even ut It's remotest point, against foreign in
vasion as well rs tribal intrigue is fully appre-
clated at the Russian capital. The cxpcdicncv
OF permanent occupation of the natural de-
fences of ASkabad has been seriously ,ucs-
toned in England.Wrhc blunt rejolnder is now
made that IA stronghold of such commanding
Importance is point where the defensive
strength of the army of occupation must bc
concentrated
Askabad lies very close to the Persian from
tier ABOUT $50 miles southeast of the main base
of supplies on the Caspian. Khiva is 300
miles distant, almost in direct line north
ward, the desert being travcrscd bv caravan
tracks. New is 200 miles east ON an air line.
but the actual distance by road il 500 miles. a
long detour along the Persian frontier being
required. llcrat in Western Afghanistan lies
321 miles away in the same general direction
ASkabad is virtually halfway point between
krasnovodsb and either Merry or Ilcrat. and is
the terminus of an important caravan route
from khva If the Russians intend to hold
the new ground which they have acquired in
central ASIA, 1t Is an outpost which they must
ne prepared To defend ut all hazards. AS they
nave never been known to rclinquish any of
their conqucsts voluntarily. it is safe to assume
hat HAY NIL al, 81,
success of Skobelclf's operations fl wear ooo
was complete, but il was only achieved
after extraordinary efforts, IA railway having
been constructed good part of the way. ana
10000 camcls being collected from yarious
quarters. The Tanscaspian countrv ans Loou
pacliied, and the caravan routes from Khlva
arc now amply protected yet there are M in
dlcatonS of withdrawal of the l,orrisons
Russian designs in the heart of Asia hnvr an
onward sweep like the rush of n sand -storr,
across the desert. One objective Loint after
another Is reached, but the horizon is olv,ovs
hiting and disclosing another goal further ON.
AFTER Illuminating rcverscs, agoniZing marches
PclllouS Reconnaissance and protractcd sicyc
operations, Askabad has been approached and
already 1t Is looked upon ~ y convenient halt.
ilE-Sfouhd-a stepplng-stone to another and
more conspicuous goal.
II that goal be Merry, the wonder grows that
the approach was made from the Caspiop whom
an easier and more direct road was alreod, oncn
from Bokhara and Samarcand and if rho OH
JectIve point be Balllh or Cabul the old hasa oC
operations from Tashkend was supo rior In tbc
new one. The conversion of Askobod into ,
fortress marks the new limit of the Russion-
PERSIAN frontier. That joint frontier bcpins ot
Mount Ararat, and crossing the Caspion ot ts
southern base, extends $50 miles eastward
more than half the distance to Ucrot Thoeo
constant encroachments in Armenia and the
llanscasplaB region have brought tbc t,v,
countries INTO the closest relations With tbc
Caspian as base Of supplies for an invading
army, Persia lies ut the mercy of the nortbcrn
Power and this fact inspires constant unoosi
ness IN Tchcran. Lord Beaconsticld attcmntod
toward the close of his administration to e1oct
ali alliance with the Shah by suggesting, fine
occupation OF Herat by Persian troops. bnt th.
lear OF Russian resentment and retaliation mar
alyzed all diplomatic action. The Persian
court Is already completely under Russian in
luence If the Car were to invite the Shah to
occupy lierat marching orders would he givep
without moments hesitation and so demon
dent has the weaker monarch become that n
Persian occupation would serve the purposes
OF Russia almost well as q movement of
her own troops. Herat may be, therefore tho
present goal of the Russians in Asia.