The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-05-14
RUssLA,s DESIGNS.

NJ SO1A0 O6O1OH0s
TIE NEWS has frequently spoken Of
the importance Of our readers being
thoroughly acquainted with the eastern
question, and every day this importance
becomes mere and more evident. The
question of the final settlement Of Asiatic
boundaries becomes daily more compli-
Gated, and not only is England and Rus
STA interested, but other European and
Asiatic nGtions- The Globe-Democrat
has the following interesting article on
the trouble now existing between the
Celestial Empire and Russia:
The dispute between Russia and China
regarding the boundary between Mant-
churia and the AMOR province is strik-
ingIy like that with England IN Afghan
istan. In each case Russia agreed 70
leave the matter TO a delimitation commit
Tee. CHINA, like England, has had q CON-
missioner on the ground for months; but
IN each case the Russian commissioner
has strangely fallen i'll, while Cossacks
have been steadily pushing forward to
gain possession of the points in dispute,
and if they succeed in their designs, they
will, we may be sure, only retire when
they are forced to it by superior armed
force.
Russia has n the far east, in tact, been
consistently carrying out by like meas
ures q policy which she has always pur-
sued In the west. For $50 years she has
been patiently watching her opportuni-
ties near the Pacific, creeping forward
when she dared and stopping when
seriously opposed, Just a. she has in
eastern and central Asia. The Russians
l. L. - NfA A ID nd
Mantchuria, through which it then
wholly flowed, since 1889. A dozen
years later Cossacks were pushed across
the Yablonoi mountains, and built
q fort upon the upper waters Of the
Amoor. They were driven back after q
bloody warfare, continued for thirty
| eight years, though they never relin-
| pushed ell their ground. In 1850 the
Russians again entered the valley; many
| expeditions were sent up the river,
founding towns upon Its banks, f1otills
was secretly built upon the upper waters
which swept the Amoor TO its mouth
and In 1858 Russia Wrested from China
which was then harassed by war with
| England, the whole country north of the
| Amoor. Two years later England anC
France were pounding at the gates o
| Pekin, and Russia advanced another
/
Mantchuria south to the borden
of Cores and west TO the Ussur
river, which is q pricipal tribu
tary of the AmoOr. They have beer
covertly encroaching upon the ChrnesC
territory ever since, on one pretext anC
another and as opportunity has offered
What Russia wants is clear enough
Her costly efforts in the Amoor provinces
have thus far brought little return. a
loDg-sought seaport has been obtained
at VladiVostok, Il is true, but the AMOR
province, as it now stands, is, In thu
main, Geld, desolate and unfertlle
There are rich mines in the interior, bu
the Amoor is frozen up for half thu
year. Mantchuria IL also rich In min
erals; il has q fertile soil, too, has
varying but healthful climate, and i
well Inhabited by a sturdy people
who have dominated China, giYeI
1t its reigniDg dynasty, and permeateC
its civil and military offices. The pos
session of Mantchuria would meal
wealth for Russia, and that country
means now, or hear alter, to absorb al
that is possible of ii, as apparently
means also to extend its influence in tn
Corean Peninsula.
Certainly the gigantic railway system
which Russia has projected is meant n,
more to end in the friRid country of tn,
Amoor river In the east than its othe
branch is intended to stop at Sarakhs OIL
the Afghan frontier. These roads viii
aggregate nearly $4,000 miles in length
and cost 1,0OO,0OOOO0 rubles. Will
the southern branch is being pushes
towards Askabad across the Caspian,
northern and much greater line is beinJ
thrust across Siberia from Iekaterinen
burg on the east slope of the IRA
mountains, to Tobolsk, Nicolajen, Teni
seisk, and thence by branches up to Yak
utsk and down To KiAchta. near thu
Chinese frontier and along the Amoo
province. When this line is completed
China. we may be sure, will be calle'
upon TO pay tribute. Meanwhile tn,
outcome of the difficulty with Englan,
will largely shape the present differsnc
with China. If Russia is to fight ii
Central Asia she will doubtless patch VI
an agreement with China but It will b
kept no longer than her hands are tie
elsewhere.