The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-05-13
russia ~ cxsrsaL. ASIA.
Her Progress Across the Deserts and Over
the Great Gases of Turksstau.


A little east of the marrow tract now in dis
pute between Russia and Afghanie,aa is that
extensive protu bersnce called by the natives
The Psmir, or the Roof OF the world This
wonderful pIsteau ,furrowed by deep valleys
through which flow the head streams OF
great rivers. is the Hottest in the world, g1d
stretches away for some hundreds of miles
from 10000 TO Is, 900 feet above the sea. 1t
is an elevated isihmuss connecting those al.
most impossible mountain SYSTEMS of Asia
the THAN Shan and Altai on the north, with
the Hindoo Keosh and Himalayas on the
south. Here history places the cradle of the
European races. Here lived our Aryan FORE
fathers, who, leaving the Psrnir Slopes, fol-
lowed great rivers westward, and finally pas
tured tEeir herds in Europs. Hitber are re-
turning their descendants, the Slavs and
Anglo-Saxons, sooner or later to contend FIR
the supremacy of Asia upon this historic
ground from which their primitive ProgsnI-
tors are believed to have migrated.
The Pamir sent it's waters west to fertiize
the Turkestan desert, gave the nation 8 pas
ssge-wav through the mountain barriers
along its streams that pourd eastward into
the Tarim and eouthward INTO the Gsnges
and the Indus. nurtured the civilization that
GeDghis Khan and TameTlsne founded in
Turkestan. and made possible the advance of
Russia INTO Central Asia.
Though Peter the Great dreamed OF ex-
tending Russia's power far beyond the Cas-
merce, but the need of defending hersalf
against barbareus neighbors across the Ural
that first turned Russia toward Central Asia,
Ivan III. put an end TO the terrible Tartar
invasioDs that for centuries wasted half of
Russia and laid its chief cities In ashes. But
his Successors did OF free Russia from the
neet of pi1aging kirghiz and Turkoman
tribes until they established the Muscovits
power ia the large territory between the
Uial River and the ATal Sea. They sank
wells in the Ust Urt plateau to facilitate the
operations of their army, marched against
the turbulent Kirghiz, and after several hard
cam paigDs they subdued these ., 100000 no.
msds, who, for over twenty years have paid
their conquerors without mUrmur their
annual tax of three roubles tent.
Beyond the knghiz sieppes that bordered
Russia stretched far eastward across toe dss-
ert two belts OF yerd0Te. through which tiOW
two great rivers, the ancient Oxus and the
JBxartes, now known as the AmQ-Deria aud
the Syr Daria. The one rising on the south
ern and the other on the northern slopes OF
the Pamir, had for ages distributed over
their banks ailuvium borne on rapid tides
from their headWaters, creating long aud
| continuous GASES in the midst of the most
desolate desert of the world. Here were rich
lands and populous and half civilized ns.
tioDs Here were the routes to inner Asia,
caravan roads that led to China, the high
ways over which great camel trains from
B0ghsrs had for many years bor0e to Ofen.
burg and Astrakhsn their loads OF cotton,
silk, ekins and shagreen leather to exchange
for Russian hardware chIntz and guns. Here
YVES chance for vast expansion OF Musco-
vite power aud commerce. Ruseie's motive
was no longer self protection, bat the suoju
CATION of the khanates of Turkestan aud Ine
extension of trade.
Her expedition against KhiYa in 1899 was
disastrous. The bitter cold OF the Ust Urt
plateau ruided Perowskis army. Russis, 70
pslsed IN her attempt to acquire the Oxus.
turned to the Syr-Daria. After she planted
her foot upon that river, her forward march
was slow, steady and persistent. Her lins of
forts along the left bank of the river length
ened year by year. She made the river her
ally IN her warfare uDoD the Khanates.
Twelve years after the fist Ru: sian gun was
leveied at the walls of the first town in kho-
band, this rich Khanate, including its nus
tropolis, TashkeDd, became the Russian
province of FerghAna Then Bokhara. after
bitter struggle, lost its indeDendsnce. Two
of the three Khenates of Turkestan were
now gained, the Syr Daria, from it's mouth
TO its sources, was Russian stream, aud the
Muscovite arms were once more turned to-
ward the Oxus. General kaufmans attack
upon khiva was crowned with success. The
Kbsnate was added to the Russian conquests
ia Turkestan, and the Oxus passed into Rus.
sia's control.
What are the countries and the peoples
whom Rnssis has conquered, at terrible cost
and after many wears of bitter warfare2 The
three Kahnates are estimated to contain from
5000. 600 to 5000, 900 people. Vambery says
that in the richness of their soil and in the
variety OF their productions it would bs diff
6cult to find in Europe territory hat
would surpass the oasis countries of Turk.
es!an. Bokhara ancient seat of Mona IN me-
dan learning. still attracts thousands of SUI
dents from India, Afghahistsn, Cashm arc
and China. The town mas Us mosques, an
when Vambery visited il 900 students wer
studying theology, logic aud philoso Jhy in
its elghty colleges. The chief cities of the
Khokend oasis. Tashkend, Tchemkent,
khoajend and others, are scat
tered along the rich valley of the Syr-DAris.
Several thousand Russian and Cosssck peas
ants have, with governmental assistance, be-
come tilleJs of the soil near Tashkend aud
Samarcand. Tashkend has 100000 popula-
ton, thirteen inns, sixteen colleges aud
msDv mosques, and its exports and imports
in 1873 amounted to $24 .000, 900. The Knivan
oasis though kept within narrow limits by
the surrounding desert, is large and rich
enough to support populacs of about 1,00J,-
600 people. Since Russia conquered khok-
and she has placed upon the Syr-Dsria feet
of steamers that ply up the river for dis
lance of LOCO miles from the Aral Sea. Sand
bars in the lower Oxus impede navigation,
but Russian boats have assembled the greater
part of its course as far as Chojs Salem no
well known as the point on the river where,
the Afghans assert, their frontier Joins that
of Russia. Both these great rivers are vsla-
able arteries of trade, but the 0xus, though
the fertile lands along its banks are not 50
extensive nor SO populous as those along IN,
| Syr-Daris, is destined to be commercially
| the more important stream While the Syr-
Daria leads only toward the comparatively
bsrbaIous countries of East Turkestan and
Thibet. tie Oxus will carry the freightsge OF
Russia almost to the gates OF India. 1t Is
evident to all students of her progress in &c Il.
| tJal Asia that Russia's commercial aims in-
| clude not only vast augmentation of her
| overland trade with China, bat the opening
| of India to her products as the reward of her
| long and, as yet, lily requlted sacrifices in
| Turkesisn. The evenues from her nsw pos
sessions as yet, Jer hardly third OF the
| annual expendII uJee.
The Khanats of Khokand has been so 0 INA
| pletely absorbed by the Rusaian military
government that its name has disappeared
] from recent msps Bokhara and Khiva are
still neminally ruled by their old sovereigos,
| but thew are merely dependencies of Russia,
| and paw heavy tribute for the privilege Of
| retaining q semblenoe OF authority. The
Khan or Khiva is not permitted to have an
armo, and his subjects have been stripped OF
| their weapons. He Is so far q more com
| pletey subjected prince than the Amer OF
Bokhsra: who is permitted to MAINTAIN a
| n Aa hoe ed oI