Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-05-24
HERAT.

w helher the Russian advance upon
the northwestern frontier of Afghan
istan shall be stayed at the mountains
or pass on TO Herat the coming sum-
mer, remains to be seen. Sooner OF
later it must be Determined, by
skillfdl diplomacy or much fighting,
whether Russia or England shall hold
that time-honoTed key of Central
Asia. Meantime all readers OF tele-
graphic news from that quarter are
asking for information touching the
present condition Of the city and its
surroundings, aud The reasens for its
apparent importance from CONNER
cial and military points of view.
The geographical situation of
Herat, "a deg. % min n. lat. 50 deg.
y min. Il long, with its elevation of
shout 2 500 feet above the sea. gives
it charming climate. The valley 10
which Il lies is the granary OF AT
ghanistan, and its surrounding gar
dens yield fruits corresponding with
those of Southern Europe. Central
New Mexico has about the same lali-
lude and q similar climate, though
less temperate and somewhat drier.
The plain of Herat is watered by
canals from the Hertz River, and is
said to contain fully 400 square miles
of arabic land. The upper valley of
the Herit is described as beautiful
rolling country furnishing the finest
of pasture lands, Three or four
miles south of Herat the river is cross
ed by a magnificent bridge of %
arches.
The territory tributary to Herat ex-
tends east and west from near the
sources of the Herr to the Persian
frontier, about 800 miles; formerly IL
extended north and south 200 miles
from the Merv boundary to the north
ern limit of Seistan. The Russian
conquest of Merv has cost Herat all
its territory on the plain north of the
Parapomisus Mountains, and has
pushed the disputed boundary TO
within 40 miles of the city to the
north, as the Russians claim, or about
twice that distance according to the
English and Russian authorities.
The city is in the form of quad
rangle, nearly mile on each side.
On the western, southern, and east
ern faces the lines of defence are
almost straight, and are broken only
by the great gates and their defences
The northern line is broken by two
gigantic earthwofkrs, the old citadel
and the new citadel, bailt of sun-dried
bricks. The city wall rests on the
summit of huge enbankment aveFag-
ing $50 feet wide at the base and fifty
feet high. The wall proper, which
crowns this vast earthwork, Is 25 feet
high aud IA feet thick at the base. 1t
is surrounded by ditch 20 feet wide
and 10 feet deep, and is supported by
$50 semicircular towers.
The colossal character OF these
earthworks leads Sir Henry Rawlin-
son TO infer that the city, as a strong.
hold, must date from prehistoric
times-from that period of Central
Asian history which preceded the rise
of the Ach2menian power. and
which In Greek romance is lllustraied
by the names of Baechus, Hereales,
and Semiramis. Its dominant posi-
ton with reference TO Central Asian
and Indian affai.s Ia proved by mil.
iiary history unequaled by any other
city-a record Of more than fifty
sieges, undertaken, as Vam0ury has
pointed out, not so much for the sake
Of the rich soil which surrounds
Herat. as on account Of the desire for
conquest with which it has inspired
sometimes India. Sometimes Central
Asia.
The population Of the city under
these great vicissitudes Of fortune has
naturally varied greatly. Ia times of
great prosperity and peace u has
Numbered = million or more; at other
times IL has dwindled 10 q few thous-
and; now. il Is vsfiously estimated
from %, 900 TO sc. 600 or more. Il IL
believed that the present city com
prises only the citadel Of the city that
once covered the surrounding plains
for many miles. --scientifie Ameri-
can