The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-05-18

" hen they are forcsd to i. by superior
armed force.
Russia has in the far east, in
fact, been consistently carrying
out by like measures a policy
which she hes always pursued in
the West. Fer go years she has been
patiently watching her opportunities
near the Pacific, creeping forward when
she dared and stopping when seriously
opposed, lust as she has in Eastern and
Central Asia. The Russians have
known OF the Amoor River aud Man
tchurta, through which it then wholly
flowed since 1889. A dozsn years later
Cossacks We're pushed across the Yah
lonoi Mountains, and built fort upon
the &pper waters OF the AruoOr. They
were driven back aftor "A bloody war
fare, continued for thirty eight years,
though they never relinquished all
thsir ground. In 1850 the Russians
again entered the valley; many expedi-
tiSns were sent up the river. founding
towns upon It's banks; a tlotilla was
secretly built upon the upper waters
which swept the Amoor to its mouth;
and in 1858 Russia wrested from China,
which was then narassed by war with
England, the whole country north OF
the Amoor. Two years later England
and France were pounding at the gates
of Pekin, aud Russia advanced another
step, and sieze I'D the whole coast line OF
Mantchuria south to tho borders Of
Cores ana west to the Ussuri River
shich is a principal tributary of the
Amoor. They have been coYertly en-.
crosching upon the Chinese territory
ever since, on one pretext and another
and as opportunity has offered.
What Russia wants is clear enough.
Her costly efforts in the Amoor pro
vincehave thus far brought little re-
turn. A long sought seaport has been
obtained, at VlSdivostok, 1t is true, but
the Amoor province, as it now stands
is, in the main, cold, desolate and un'
fertile. There are rich mines In the
interior, but the Amoor is frozen up
for half the year. Mantchurir Is also
rich in minerals; it has fertile soil, too,
has varying but hoalthful climate,
and is well inhabited by sturdy people
who have dominated China, given it its
reigning dynasty, and permeated Its
civil and military offices, The possess
ion of Mantchuria would mean wealth
for Russia, and that country means
new, or hereafter, to absorb all that is
possible of 1t, as apparently il means
also TO extend its influence in the Cor
can Peninsula.
Certainly the gigantic railway system
which Russia has projected is meant
no more to END in the frigd country
OF the AMOR River in tho east than
its other branch la intended to stop al
Sarakhs on the Afghan frontier. These
roads will aggregate nearly 1900 miles
in length and cost l,0OO,O0000O rubles.
While the southern branch is being
pushed toward Askabad across the
Caspian, northern and much greater
linei is being trust across Siberia from
lekaterinenberg on the east slope OF
the Ural Mountains, to Toboisk, Nico-
laien, Y enisoisk, and thence by
branches up to Hakutsk and down &c
Kiachta, near the Chinese frontier and
along 10 the AMOR province. When
this line ia completed, China, we may
be sure, will be called upon TO pay tri
but, Meanwhile tho outcome OF the
difficulty with England will largely
shape the present difference with
China, If Russia Is TO flight in Central
Asia she will doubtless patch up an
agreement with China; but IL will be
kept no longer than her hands are tied
elsowhere.-lG Globe Democrat.