The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-08
Russia's Southwark March In Asia.

proportionately more interesting.
Russia's Southwark March In Asia.
As the Russian and the Afghan outposts
now confront one another on tho debatable
southern border of Turkestan. and as a skir-
mish in that quarter might severely strain.
IL not completely rupture, the relations be-
tween the Governments of London and st.
Petersburg. 1t may be useful to recall the
successive steps by which during the last
thirty years the troops OF the White Car
have steadily advanced toward the frontier
OF India. 1t will be seen that the situation
revealed by recent kilograms, and which ex-
cites so much anxiety at London and Calcutta,
Is the inevitable outcome Of a deliberately
planned and firmly prosecuted movement.
After the disastrous failure lin 1S39-4O) O?
their attempt to reach and punish the Xiii
vans In their almost inaccessible oasis the
Russians desisted from their projects Of ag-
gression in central Asia for about a quarter
Of n century. The resumption OF activity
was sisnalizcd by simultaneous advance
along the Syr Darya and from the region
of Lake Balkhash, which in 1865 resulted
in the capture Of Tashkend. year later
khojent. to the eastward, was occupied, and
n virtual rrotec,orate was established over
the whole khanate of Khokand, though a
tlative ruler was permitted to carry out the
forms of government as vassal OF the Car.
Then the Russian commander turned his
attention to the west. and in 1868 took Sa-
marcand. the most celebrated seat of Mosem
civilization in central Asia. and which, until
1t was visited by VAMBERY, disguised as O
dervish. had been long deemed impenetrabIe
~ 81 4 ba .h,,la
ritory OF the Ameer OF Bokhara was reduced
to relation of vassalage. The fall OF
Samarcand was followed in 1871 by the occu-
patton of Kulia in the extreme east OF Tur-
kestan; but that province, which had revolted
from China has since, for the most part, been
retroceded to that power.
The times at last seemed ripe for wreaking
the long-deferred retrbuton upon Khiva,
which lay wedgewise between the Russian
posts at Tashkend and on the Caspian and
whose khans for generations had played the
same destructive part in the Turcoman DIES.
ert for which the Deys Of Agiers were for
merly notorious in the Mediterranean In
the spring Of 1873 Gen. KAUFMAN. at the
head OF some $4,000 men. traversed the
wastes encompassing the Khivan oasis.
and. entering the capital, transformed
the kbanate, like the emirate OF
Bokhara, into a vassal State. in which the
Russians enjoy exclusive privileges of trade
ami whose political action is dictated from
Tashkend. Three years subsequently the
Khan OF Khokand was deposed and that
country was regularly Incorporated with the
Russian empire. Since 1876 a number of
semi-military, semi-scicntiilc expeditions
have been despatched southwark from fash
kend. and have explored the region in the
ne!ghborhood OF Baikh. but the main current
of aggression has followed another channel
About seven years ago tho Russian au-
thorlties in central Asia seem to have be-
come convinced that the easiest as we'll as by
far the shortest route to India was from the
southeast angle of the Caspian directly to
Herat. A railway was begun from st.
Michael's Gulf and carried forward for some
distance along the proposed line, but the
road to Herat was barred first, by the Tekke
Turcomans, who were concentrated at Geek
Tepe. and, secondly, by the Turcomans
OF the Merry oasis, which lies about
three hundred miles east land little
SOUTH Of the last-named point. The
first attempt to conquer the Tekkcs was a
failure, Gen. LAzAREFF. the commander OF
the so-called "punitory" army of &c, 900 men,
having died on the march, and his successor,
LoMAKIN being defeated and compelled to
retreat upon the Caspian. Blu. by the second
expedition, which set out in 1880 under Gen.
SKoBELEFF, the Tekkes were completely
beaten and both Geek Tepe and Askabad
were taken. 1t Is said that the railway from
st. Mchaes Gulf is now in operation as far
as the latter place, and is being pushed for
ward rapidly.
With the capture OF the Tckke stronghold
the subsection of the southern and so-called
independent Turcomans was practically
finished, for the Mcrv!i chiefs have since
voluntarily submitted to the Car. The
annexation of Merry was speedily followed
by Pcrsias cession Of Sarakhs. A glance at
tho map will show that by these two Access
sionS of territory Russia was enabled to
approach Herat either bv the valley of the
Murgab River, which flows through the
Merry oasis, or by the valley OF the Hari
Rud River, on which Sarakhs Is situated.
Penjdeh. now the subject OF contention, is
on the Murgab, but considerably further up
the river than Merv, and some miles south
OF the boundary claimed by AfShanstan. or
the other strategic points now disputed, the
most important are on the Hari Rud, some
distance south If Sarakhs. In brief, the
Russian forces, with their advanced bases OF
supplies at Merv and Sarakhs, are, while the
British Foreign Office is amused with nego-
tiations only intended to gain time. being
steadily pushed onward by two distinct
routes, which converge at Herat
New YOrk's Theatres.
The announcement made some timo since
by Mr. LAWRENCE BARRETT that he designed