The elevator., 1888-09-08
RUSSIA IN ASIA.
The Trans-Caspian Railway and Its Far
Reaching Political Effects.

The TFanS-CaSp1an Halfway anu Ats 1t ar
Reaching Political Effects.
A report is in circulation that the |
Czar of Russia is about to be crowned
Emperor of Central Asia, at Samar-
cand, that mysterious and ancient city
of the Thousand and one nights.
Russian rule. regarded among Western
nations as the most despotic and semi
barbarous system of government IN
the world, is considered on the eastern
side of the Ural range blessing to the
unenlightened people of the struggling
series of oases and towns separated by
wide expanses of desert. Free trade
is the policy of Russia in Asia, although
in Europe she clings to protection.
The completion of the trans-Casplan
railway to Samarcand will inaugurate
! a new era in Asia, and before the loco
motive headlight the lingering shades
isof ignorance and superstition OF the
dark ages will vanish. The building
of this line makes US think OF the
favorite idea of Peter the Great. which
was to secure forever commercial
intercourse between Russia and Central
Asia, and thus open a wide market for
Russian industries. Before the build
ing of this railroad, the merchant
caravans took about six months to go
from Bokhara to OrenbOorg, while now
If takes onlv fifteen days to transport
the chief products of Bokhara, silk
goods and cotton, from TchaordJal at
Amoo-Darva, to Moscow. The trans
Caspian railroad is of the greatest I'M
portance to cultivatOrs OF cotton IN
Asia. and not less so to Russian manu-
, facturers, who now must get all their
, cotton from England and America,
, while from one colony alone in Central
! Asia, there is yearly product OF from
two hundred and fifty to three hundred
, million pounds. at the least value OF
: some thirty-fve or forty million dol
e lars. The soil and climate OF the
I oases at Murghab and Tedzen, as wei
, as at the Khanat of Bokhara, are high
2 lv favorable to the cultivation OF cot
ton. AS for the rolling-stock OF the
I railroad, it has of late been much eX
+ aggerated in various European jour
I nails The carriages are naturally
t built as airy as possible for the climate
G of Central Asia, and each passengel
p train has saloon car with kitchen
n and buffet, for there are very few
n stopping places crossing the desert
d There are no special harem carriage
n for ladies, but they are hardly neces
|. sary, for the ''true believer" Will no
g permit their wives to travel on rail
S road. The ''ship of the desert, vul
h gate, camel serves the Nomad fam
e lies, and long journeys do not occu
e in the life of noble MOhamedan lady
q and Russian ladies will not care t
d travel so far to see so little; for Mer
i and Askabad are little boundary cities
n which only owe their existence to tn
" Russian troops garrisoned there. how
70 over, the inhabitants who until latel
n never went out of their plaster hui
,e unless armed to the teeth, now devot
themselves more and more to con
D. merce and agriculture; the Turcoma
a children are taught by the Russian
re tablishment in elementary school
n. and order, work and prosperity ha7
1e taken the place of rapine, slavery al
I'd recklessness. No wonder the 'Whi
MT Czarn is revered by the Central A
k. atics. If the Chinese markets CT
ad now be opened to Russian trader
yn Asian commerce and industry will
de still more benefited. = DenloreS