The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-10

Her Progress Across the Deserts and Over
the Great Gases OF Turksstaa.


The PAmir, or the Roof OF the world. This
woi deriul plateau, furro ged by deep valleys
through which flow the head streams OF
great rivers. ~ the Hottest In the world aud
stretches away for some hundreds of miles
from 10000 TO 10 600 feet above the sea. IL
is an elevated islhmuss connecting those al.
most i'm pastahle mountain systems OF Asia
the Than Shan aud Altsi on the north, with
the Hindoo k1osh and Hinalsyas on the
south. Here history places the cradle of the
European races Here lived our Arvsn fore.
fathers, who leaving the Pamir slopes, fol-
lowed great rivers westward, and finally pas
turtd their herds in Europe Hither are re-
tuning their descendants, the Slavs and
Anglo-Ss xons, sooner or later TO contend for
The supremacy OF Asia upon this his oric
ground from which their primitive progenl-
tors are believed to have migrated.
The Pamir sent its waters west to fertilizs
the Turkestan desert, gave the nation q pas
ssgeway through the mountain barriers,
along Its streams that pourd eastward into
the Tarim and southwark into the Ganges
and the Indus, nurtured the civilization that
GeDghis Khan and Tamerlane founded in
Tufkestan, 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-
plan, il was not greed of conquest or con-
merce, but the need OF defending herself
against barbarous neighbors across the Ural
that first turned Russia toward Central Asia.
Ivan III. put an end TO the terrible Tartar
invesions that for centuries wasted half of
Russia and laid it's chief cities In ashes. But
his SUCCESSORS did not free Russia fron; the
meet of pillagiug Kirghiz and Turkoman
tribes until they established the MuscoyIie
power IN the large territory between the
UIal River and the Aral Sea. They sank
wells IN the Ust Urt plateau TO facilitate the
operations OF their army. marched against
the turbulent KiYghiz, and after several hard
can paigns they subdued these 100000 no.
macs, who, for over twenty years have paid
their copquerors without murmar their
annual tax of three roublss q tent.
Beyond the Kirghiz steppes that bordered
Russia stretched far eastward across the des
ert two belts of verdure, through which dow
two great rivers, the ancient Oxus and the
Jaxsrtes, now known as the Amu-Daria and
the Syr DaIia. The one rising on the south
err and the other on the northern slopes OF
the Pamjr, had for ages distributed over
their banks alluvium borne on rapid tides
from their headwaters, creating long and
continuous GASES in the midst of the most
oesulaie Cesert of the world. Here were rich
lands and populous and half civilized ma.
tons Here were the routes to inner Asia
caravan roads that led to China the high
ways over which great camel trains from
Bokhsrs had for many years borne 10 Ocen-
burg and Astrakhan their loads of cotton,
SILK. skins and shagreen leather to exchange
fof Russian hardware, chlntz and guns. Here
was chsnce for vast expansion OF Musco.
vite power and commerce. Russia's motive
was no longer sef- protectien, but tina suoju-
CATION OF the khanates of Turkestsn and the
extension of trade.
Her expedition against aivs in 1882 was
disastrous. The bitter cold of the Ust Urt
plateau ruided Perowskfs army. Russia, re-
pkieed In her attempt 20 acquire the Oxus
turned TO the Syr- Daria Alter she planted
her foot upon that river. her forward march
was slow, steady and persistent. Her line of
forts along the left bank of the river length.
ened year by year. Sue made the river her
ally IN her warfare uoon the khsnatss.
Twelve years after the INST Russian gan was
ieveled at The walls of the rst town III Kno-
Band. this rich khanate, including its nue.
tTopolis, Tsshkeud, became the Russi.n
province Of Ferghapa Then Bokhsra, after
bitter struggle, lost its independence. Two
OF the three Khanates of Turkestan were
now gained, the Syr Daria, from its mouth
TO its sources, was Russian stream, and the
Muscovite arms were once more turned to-
ward the Oxus. General kaufman's attack
upon khiva was crowned with success. The
kbanate was added to the Russian conquests
in Turkestan, and the Oxus passed into Rus
sias control.
What are the countries and the peoples
whom Russia has conquered, at terrible cost
and after many wears of bitter warfare? The
three kahnstes are estimated to contain from
5000 GOO to {, 200 900 people. Vambery SAYS
that In the richness of their soil and in the
variety OF their productions it would be diff
hcult to find in Europe q territory that
would surpass tbs oasis countries of Turk
estan. Bokhara, ancient seat of Mohamms-
dan learning still attracts thousands of stu
dents from India, Afghaiistan, Cashmere
and China. The town has 175 mosques, and
when Vambery visited il 600 students were
studying theology, logic and philosophy in
its eighty colleges. The chief cities of the
Khokand oasis. Tashkend, Tchsmkent,
khodJend ard others. are scat
tered along the rich valley of the Syr.Daria.
Several thousand Russian and Oossack peas
ants have, with governmental assistance, bs.
come til lers OF the soil near Tashkend aud
Samarcand. Tashkend has 10000 popula.
lion, thirteen inns, sixteen colleges and
mspy mosques and its ports and imports
in 1873 amour ted to S24 600, 900. The Kniysn
casis though kept within narrow limits by
the surrounding desert Ia large and rich
enough to support a populace of about l. 000,-
coo people. Since Russia conquered Knox
and she / az placed upon the Syr Dsria feet
OF steamers that ply up the river for q dis
lance of 600 miles from the Aral Sea- Sand
bars in the lower OxGs impede navigation,
but Russian boats have assembled the greater
part OF its course as far as Chojs Salem, nov
well known as the point on the river where.
the Afghans assert. their frontier ,oirs that
OF Russia. Botn these great rivers are valid
able arteries of trade but the Oxus. though
the fertile lands along its banks are not so
extensive nor SO populous as those a,sng the
Syr-Daris, is destined to be commercially
the more importsnt stream. While the SIR
Daria leads only toward the conpa aiveIy
barta'ous countries of Esst Turkessan aud
Tbibe,, tie Oxus will carry the freightsge OF
Russia a most 10 the gases OF India Ii IS
evident to all students of her progress in Gen.
tai Asia that Russia s'comme.c;al aims in
clude not orly a vast augms o ation of her
overland trace with China bat the ope 1ing
n N n "a A ho AID hor
long and, as vet, lily requited sacrifices 10
Turkes'sn. The evenues from her new pos
sessions az yet, er badly laird OF the
annual expeDdi. ures.
The ktanatA OF khokand has been Sd com-
ple'ey absorbed OF the Rusaian military
M hat haa -aH