Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-05-03
CENTRAL ASIA.
Physical Features OF the Probable
Seat OF War.
To the Editor Of the EAGLE.

region of the world now engaging the at
tention of every intelligent observer of the
progress of events:
Central Asia, the generally affirmed geo
graphical origin Of the human race, Is very
remarkable for the great contrasts in phys
ical features between its different countries
and divisions. It's extremes Of altitude and
depression exceed those of any other por-
ton Of the globe of the same extent, and a
vertical section of the earth's surface. on a
line from the center TO the circumference OF
this region, represented on chart, would
require more perpendicular space than
chart OF any other part of the earth's crust,
except from the high lands of the eastern
Umalaya TO the sea. Central ASIA has been
,ienoninat-d the Roof of the World" but
with equal proprie'y portion of its western
part may be termed the Cellar OF the
World" From the borders Of Tibet, Hast
Turkistan and Western Mongolia, flow all
the prominent rivers of Asia Propria, except
the Lena. Tie great platesus of East Turk
istsn and Tibet range from 5000 to 1900
feet above the sea, and are bordered by
mountain chains and peaks several thou
sand feet higher. Just west of these
two countries and opposite their dividing
line, four mountain ranges converge and, rs
ii were, collide. The country is thereby
broken into towering pillows of land form
ing a scenery of surprising grandeur and
beauty. The Himslayas from the southeast,
the Than Shan FROM the northeast, between
from the west the Hindu kush, all meet
here. Around this geographic focas and
within it, in a region as large as Colorado,
are some of the sublimest peaks on the globe,
dozen or more reaching heights Of 10000
to nearly $4,000 feet above the sea. British
Cashmere, Dardstan. Afghanistan, Bokhara
and Russian Tertiary radiate from this phys
zeal heart OF Asia toward the south and west.
Cashmere occupies the most southern and
axial position, and the Others lie further
north in the order named. From the noun
famous junction Afghanistan stretches to
the west 500 miles on the north side of the
Hindu Kush, but on the south side Of this
range it does not reach 50 far east by 200
miles, the country near the core of eleva-
tions being occupied by independent tribes.
South of the Hindu Kush Afghanistan is
ridged with parallel chains Of mountains
running southwest and northeast, while
north of the Hindu Kush are chains more or
less parallel o il, but lower. The central
tan are eley ted from 1000 TO 10000 feet
above the So while the southwest quarter
ranges from 800 to 5000 feet high. Herat
has an attitu of but 1850 feet, but the
passes in tho mountains leading TO it from
the northern. or Russian side are from 1900
to 1900 feet high From the Afghanstan
mountains TO the Caspian Sea, distance Of
500 TO ZOO miles, there is an ay-
eragc fall of 10000 TO 1900 feet, and
except near the mountains the decline Is
very gradual and almost impefceptble VERY
similar TO the slope of Kansas and Colorado
and the country is part of the Turknmen
stcppes. 1t is largely "A desert region, lily
supplied with water, wells being infrequent
and often the water in them poor and brack-
ish. 1t is subject TO strong hurricanes, sand
storms, flooding rains, fearful hail and sud-
den extremes of temperature. \ torrid day
is often followed by frosty night. In for
mer ages this same sandy and argillaceous
plain was the seat of powerful empire, of
prosperous populations, and of cultivation
and learning. The Oxus then flowed into
the Caspian and the desert was irrigated by
numerous canals.
The country Immediately around the great
Caspian Sea may properly be termed the
Cellar Of the World" for much of its shore
is below the ocean level, and the surface of
the Caspian itself Is ninety feet below it.
This sigmoidal sea has length of nearly
500 miles, width of 200 miles and an area
equal to the united area of all the North
American lakes. II Is surrounded by Rus
sian territory, except Mt its southern end,
which borders on Persia, but at the close of
our civil war Russia had scarcely touched
on the eastern side. Although the eastern
shore is mostly low, sandy and often marshy,
yet towards Its southern part an isolated
group Of mountain peaks appear 1.-THE Great
Balkans), the highest reaching an elevation
of over 5000 feet, and just west Of this
group are The ports of Krasnoyodsk and
opposite Baku on the west
shore, which latter is connected by rail with
Poti, on the Black Sea. From Michselovsk
there is railroad towards Afghanis;an,
along the Persian frontier to Askabat, and
the line is probably beios pushed now to
or Nerve.
The Murgab, or river of Nerve. and the
Herr Rud, or river of Herat, have their
sources opposite each other on the north
and south sides ortheHindukush respectively
and at first run parallel westward along the
flank, but the Murgab soon
turns northwest, gradually, and further on
makes an angle and flows north; the Kushk
rises in the Hindu kush, opposite Herat,
and flows north entering the Murgab at the
angle named. the kushi, and the lower Muir
CAB forming nearly a straight line north.
The Herr Rud flows along the south flank of
the mountain until II reaches the Persian
frontier, WI n it turns north, passing
throrirh a 20 ~ II, the mountains and rims
parallel with he hushk and Murgab, at q
distance Of 81 ogt seventy miles from them.
Al distsu Of 200 miles north Of he
Hindu Hush rest, and 100 miles north Of
its junction " th the kushk, the Murgab.
its waters having been largely drawn upon
for irrigation. loses itself in the sandy
swamps Of the desert The city Of Nerve Is
situated in the delta OF canals just above the
region of lost waters. The Herr Rud is lost
in the sands on the Persian border, not far
north Of the fortificaiions Of Sarakhs. and
not SO far from the Hindu Kush as Nerve.
II is along these rivers and the contiguous
irrigated lands that the Russians are push
ing their WAY. The mountain passes lead
ing 10 Herst are near the headwaters Of the
kushk. in the triangle between the kushk and
The Upper Murgsb. and near the gorges of
he Herr Rud, but these passes are Loo 70
! 800 feet above the sea The Zulfka-.
Robat and the kushan passes are on the
route of the Herr Rud,and near the headwat-
ri. L