Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-06-12
A NEW TITLE.
rhe Gar of Russia to Become the EN-
peror of Central Asia.

The Gar of Russia to Become the EN-
peror of Central Asia.
According to La Gazette GeOgraphiqae
of the Geographical Society of Paris,
the rumor that the Gar of Russia will
soon assume the additional title of En-
pcror of Central Asia is confirmed. This
publication asserts that the ceremony OF
coronation will take place with great
pomp at Samarcand, in Turkestan, once
the center of science and commerce in
Asia, and the capital of Tamerlane's
great empire.
Whatever objections England may
have to Russia's rapid advance toward
India, it can not be denied, even by
those who are most Jealous of Russia's
Asiatic enterprises, that her advent into
the countries beyond the Caspian has
greatly benefited them. People can now
move about with some degree of com.
fort and security, and trade can be safely
carried on over the steppeS of the bar
barous Turcomans. Such daring jour.
neys as the ride to Khiva and the trip
to Merry, which made Burnaby and
0'Donovan famous, are found now by
Russian explorers and by travellers like
Lansdell to involve no dangers and to
be comparatively easy and agreeable.
The social changes that Russia is
working out among the most untamable
hordes of Asia are quite remarkable.
Its government influences maintained
by many military posts, its Trans-Cas-
plan railroad now complete between
Krasnovodsk on the Caspian and Bami,
its steamboats, on the Caspian and the
sea of Aral, the schools it has opened
at Tashkend, the explorers it has sent
over the country in every direction, its
vigorous efforts to create demand for
its manufactures, are all helping to
change the conditions of life on the
plateaus of Turkestan. 1t has put its
foot on the infamous TurcOman slave
trade, which has desolated thousands
of homes in eastern Persia, for
the purpose chiefly of filling the
harems of Turkestan. Russia has
closed the slave markets of Khiva
and BOkhara, released 10000 slaves
in Khiva alone and sent them back to
their homes in Persia. This has greatly
increased Russia's influence in the
Shah's dominions.
Political rivalry has not inspired any
other European power to emulate the
untiring energy with which Russia has
for nearly twenty years pushed forward
her work of geographical research and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. 1t is within bounds
to say that no country in recent times
has profted so much rs Russia by geo
graphical exploration, and no country
has been better served by its
explorers. The scientific results
of their wanderings for years in
the wilds of Turkestan and Mongolia,
and the courage, endurance. and
patience they have shown, place Pre-
jevalsky and his comrades in the first
rank among travellers. They have sur.
veyed the eastern shores of the Gasp an
and Aral Seas, the b;.sin Of the OXuS. a
a large part of the elevated steppes OF
Pamir, much of the country bordering
on Afghanistan, and they have made
extensive journeys In lhlOHt Mon
golia, and the Cobb desert. A route 10,
the railroad now completed to Bami
has been surveyed to Herat, in Afghan.
istan, only 600 miles from the present
terminus of the British Indian line al
Quetta. The Car now claims as hi,
dominions all the vast territory between
the Caspian and Afghanistan.
Though political motives may have
been the chief impelling force in carry
ing Russia's flag forward, the CONNER.
cial rewards of her enterprise bid fail
to amply repay the cost. Hue ant
CADET told, forty years ago, of the
quantities of merchandise brought by
caravans from the Russian frontier thai
they found in the markets Of Mongolia
Ihibet and China. Russia is now striv
ing to gain access to her growing Orienta
markets by means of modern facilitie
of transportation, and to increase he
commerce by entering into closer rela
tons with the people of Central Asia
Steam already carries her goods int
Persia and a considerable distance cas-
Of the Caspian Sea.-M. Y. Sun.