New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-25
THE LAND OF EXILES.
ALECTURE BY GEORGE KEENAN,.

George KEENAN, delivered lecture on Siberia at
meeting Of the American Geographical Society.
last night. at Chckering Hall. The hall was well
filed. and the audience contained many well-known
persons. Chief Justice Charles 7. DAILY, the presi-
dent of the Society, who has just returned
from a long visit abroad, was present,
but did not act chairman. Among
those in the audience Judge Charles II. Pea
body. the Rev. DR.. Forsyth. of West Point General
Egbert L. Viele. William Remsen, Commander Cor
ringe Thomas c. Acton, Professor Theodore w.
Dwight, Harlon NJ. Hoyt, Professor o. ?.
Hubbard, General j. l.. Grahame, Elal T.
Hall and John F.. Body. General George
W. Culum. the vice president of the Society, pre-
sided and read series of resolutions which had
been approved by the council Of the society. In
introducing the resolutions General Cullum said:
The importance OF the selection OF n definite prime
meridian har been long FELT The use Of dtereni nerl
dldhs 10y Inherent countries mas caused huc cohuion
TO obviate this difficulty the geographers have OFTEN
brought before the different Governments the necessity
% eoheer!ed acon, nuI snc4 ac1ion H5 IN a.
prime NERD an This meridian would pass
near Behrug strait and would hns aay the preudces
of all In connection with this rs the qlcs oh
Of standard me 1t is proposed that. starting fromhe
prime meridian, there should pe stand rd merdans ana
each Of these should have is own time These neI a7
twcntyfour in all, might BE- d,sguaed b' ne letters OF
tho alphabet. The plan OF having standard uILe II
adopted by England and Italy and IN SOM
from the true time. BY the method proposed
!
The hours should also be- numbered from to - s'tau
OF IN double series OF L.
The resolutions advocated the selection Of prime
meridian and suggested that special International
Commission should be held in Washington to con
slider the subject On the motion of Judge Peabody,
Chef-J ustice Charles P. Daily and Generals G W.
Culun, Horatio g. Wright, W. b. Hazen and Ben
iamin Alv0rd were appOn ed a committee TO pre-
sent TO the Government the views of the society
Thirty-six Fellows of the Society were elected,
among them heinz the Rev. DR.. c, +. Deems and the
Rev. Dr. MyttOn-MOwry. General Column then IN
| tTOduced Mr.. KEENAN,, saying:
1t unnecessary say 10 the older members OF the
Society that We have twice before had the
! pleasure OF listening to the speaker OF tMs
| evening. In 1873 no gave lis mos
aincers Of the Caucasus Again. in 1870, ne told Us of
| sIeig ride through kamehat' and IBERIA Io-lISAss
hr will tell Of siberia the abode Of the eNllrs ana pI
The suferngs and probable fate Of the crew OF the
When Mr.. KEENAN, stepped forward be was re-
| ceived with hearty applause He read his lecture
| distinctly, and with pleasant voice ana manner
| He said. IN substance:
have been asked since my return from Asiarc
! Russia "Waat kind OF q country is Sl.eia EINe
Climate. topography aud people" have. no
| doubt that TINS seemed 20 ny lIIoHt -
a very natural and REASONABLE question, nuI IL
few words as II would nave Desn 10 answer the
| question, "Nbat sort OF history mas inc the
human race had -nce its appearance on ne ZloPr '5
Us. in ZEN words, general iIes a. NE d 'T zoe
society The details are 700 III iIl To-
HETEROGENEOUS TO be grouped IN single
5 amat f from ta5 Of the Y5rh hanc state
are most as heterogeneous ia origin and character
| those of the entire Western hemisphere taken
| the country. II we We're making "a mana
.ca adopted by Cotton in his alas AZ the United states,
Tor New j rsey should have increase The wdtI OF
mr. mn re 10 III v-.ix feet Or IN other words 10 have
book which when spread oui open would cover nearly
| Tie country may be roughly divided into three
| parts. The mort tern tundra consists OF tree
| less. barren succession OF stcppcs, extending
i'm that II has below it impenctrahl. mass ~
nevermeng ice. IL is covered III summer T1t growth
OF moss often tnee-lcep The portion " tAe country
sorth of this is an almost unbOkeu forest Tile southern
part of the country is fertile and milo in climate In the
/ summer months this part uf siberia - several
! degrees warmer than England The winter
one we're taken biudfoded that country 10 June ana
placed he the trees in full leaf and heard the
ner NJ would be hard 10 believe that lac in Arctic
country. It is TO this part OF the country h-t tle ezies
TIE HISTORY OF THE 5UNrBY.
The history OF Siberia is, its earlier chapters and it,
main outlines. q history OF the siberian C0ssacks. The
| country was first invaded by Cossacks and the
descendants of this brave, hardy and adventurous
people now form Of the largest ana most valuable
| parts Of It's population In 1903 YeFnak Timotayif
Cossac marauder from The lower Volga, al the head ~
few hundred men, crossed he Ura Mountains and fought
win the rartars first Of the long series Of battles
and ir1nishcs which ended in the conquest Of Siberia.
\
pushed on steaiiy to the eastward through Northern
Asia and before the close of the century a esdb sed
themselves securely the banks OF thr rt-l near tne
ste of the present CRY Of Tobo.sk From
that time forward the march Of exploration and
conquest went on with unfXinIgi rap lIu
In 1904 the Russian advance reached the yer on DO
1921 exploring parties u t0ssacks crossed thc lche
and i'm 1923 tie flag NJ Russia planted on the banks
OF o Ine l t3 td tho sea ~ OFbofek and d.
covered the AmOor River, and I'm l~Gs simeon Dosnu
fI rhc noun of The Koylna River aon the coast Of
/ mo ArPfl -
passed through the strait called Behng, and en-
tered the Pacf ocean rom me norin. ,.,.-.
pourng into siberia across the Ural Noun aims, ami
themselves rude canoes and h0ated thousands OF
miles down the great Arctic rivers, building forts
and found ng settlements AZ the{ went; SOM plunged
on setback into the great tangled prlmeyl wilderness
Of the central forest wandered with dog and rein
deer sedges over the SNOWY desert OF luc h"rlheIh
tundra, and some crossed the mountain range
double healed eagles Of Russia on tie coast OF the Pa
cc 200 miles east OF Moscow. Fighting. starving
siberia In less tLan eighty years they
country which extended over thirty degrees Of latitude
and I30 srees Of longitude ana aade1 ne dominion
n5So5 the sf. q fRaa 5o ssF1 has aad
comprises representatives, of more than thirty different
tribes and naionalties. This entire population may be
divided mode OF ife into two great ella
-nomadc and settled. The nOmads live, for the most
part in fur tents and wander winter and summer over
The great Northern tundra. OF the settled
tribes two, the Ostiaks and YakOots, fish
ermen iuhahiting the central forest region,
along the rivers and Lena. The Tartars
are mainly herdsInen and hOrs-hreeders living in that
part OF the fertile region eweeu Oreuburg and Omsk
and the Euras thrifty tribe Of farmers and team
sters, living around and in the neighbOrhu cd
81 Lake Baike- The Russianse scattered
more less the whole country but nnc-tenths Of
them live he fertile II south Siberia The Cos
sacks. largely the descendants OF the first
qucrors, number POI 81 and -ettl,G al stations
and villages mostly south siberia. They
nOminaly soldiers, liable at any lime 10
be Gale o. military duty but practically they fam
ers, fishermen, fur hunters ami teamsiers, Ike the
RES OF the settled population, and q compensation FOR
their liability 10 military service they granted bv the
| Government certain special privileges. such a.