The Opelousas courier., 1885-05-16
Herat
eIentiac American.

% N&gJ1
whether the Russian advance
anon the northwestern frontier
II Afghanistan shall be stayed
atsthe mountains or pass on to
Herat the coming summer, re-
mains to be seen. In either
case that ancient city will con-
tinue to be the center of the
most commanding political and
military interest. Sooner OF
later it must be determined, by
skplful diplomacy or mucn
fighting, whether Russia OIL
England shall hold that time
honored key to 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,
and the reasons for it's apparent
Importance from commercial
and military points of view.
The geographical situation OF
Herat, 81 dogs. and % Minis.
north latitude, go dogs. 9 Minis.
east longitude, with an eleva-
lion Of about $500 feet above
the sea, gives it a charming eli
mate. The valley in which it
lies is the granary of Afghanis-
tan, and its surrounding gar
dens yield fruits corresponding
With those of Southern Europe.
Central New Mexico has about
the same latitude and a SINH
lar climate, though less tempe-
and somewhat drier. The plain
of Herat is well watered by
canals from the Herr River, and
ii said to contain fully 400
square miles Of arabic land.
The upper valley Of the Herr is
described as q beautiful rolling
country furnishing the finest of
pasture lands. Three OF four
miles south of Herat the river is
crossed by a magnificent bridge
Of % arches.
The territory tributary TO
Herat extends east and west
from near the sources of the
Herr to the Persian frontier,
about 800 miles /; formerly it ex-
tended north and south 200
miles from the Merv boundary
To the northern limit of Seistan.
The Russian conquest of Mery
has cost Herat all its territory
Oh the plain north of the Para
pomises Mountains, and has
pushed the disputed boundary
to within 40 miles of the city TO
the north, ais the Russians claim,
or about twice that distance ac-
cording TO the English and
Afghan authorities.
The city is in the from Of q
quadrangle, nearly a mile on
each side. On the western,
southern, and eastern faces the
Ines of defense are almost
Straight, and are broken only
0y the great gates and their de-
lenses. The northern line is
broken BY two gigantic earth
works, the old citadel and the
new citadel, built of sun-dried
bricks. The city wall rests on
The summit of Il huge embank-
nent averaging $50 feet wide
iii the base and fifty feet high.
The wall proper which crowns
this vast earthwork is % feet
high aud la feet thick at the
haze It ii surrounded BY o
Itch lis feet wide and is feet
aeen, aud is supported by LOO
nicircular towers.
The colossal character of
lee sarth-works leads Sir
Henry Rawlinson to infer that
the city, as stronghold, must
aate from prehistoric times
from that period of Central
Asian history which preceded
Ehe rise of the AchRmenian
power, and which iii Greek ro-
mance is illustrated BY the
names Of Bacchus, Hercules, and
Semiramis. Its dominant posi-
ton with reference to Central
Asian and Indian affairs is
proved by a military history
nBeqnaled by any other city-a
record of more than fifty sieges,
undertaken, as Vambery has
pointed out, not so much for the
sake ofs the rich soil which sur
rounds Herat, as on account OF
the desire for conquest with
which it has inspired sometimes
India, and sometimes Central
Asia.
The population OF che city
anller these great vicissitudes
fortune has naturally varied