The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-01-10
RUSSIA NEARING HERAT.
Beginning of the Final Struggle for
AsIatAc Supremacy.

Less than a month ago, says the New
York Commercial Advertiser" dis
patch from Cabul announced that three
hundred Russian subjects, under Syed
Yakoob Ali, had entered Herat in the
! guise of merchants. Later information
from Cabul, through London, is that
strong Russian force has reached Sar-
akhs, and detachments are securing the
Badgheis district and the northern from
tier of the province of Herat, collecting
information about the country. These
| dispatches may have no less significance
than to mark the beginning of the final
struggle for Asiatic supremacy between
Russia and England.
Merv is the gate to Herat, and Herat
is the key to India. Nearly four years
ago the Russians took possession OF
! Merv, properly Persian province, and
their method of procedure then was ex-
actly similar to their present advance
upon Herat. The links in the military
chain that NAV result in the Russian
CONQUEST of India are interesting as IL
Illustrative of Muscovite intrigue and
strategy. Askabad is about the same
distance from Merv that Merv Is from
Herat. Having completed their rail-
road from Michaelovosk, on the Caspian,
to Askabad, the Russians built there
fort and opened a bazaar, at which they
encouraged Armenians from Baku and
Tifis to open shops. The Armenian
traders having many acquaintance
among the Tekkes of Merv, thus brought |
the more influential of the Mervls into
contact with the Russians, who did |
everything in their power to create
friendly relations with them.
That was the first step. The next was
to establish Russian bazaars in Merv, a
very difficult and dangerous undertak-
ing This movement was put under
charge of Lieutenant AlikhanOf, a Rus
sianized Daghestani, who spoke the
language of the Mervis like one of them.
Alikhanoff took a caravan to Merv,
which was under the direction Of we'll
known Armenian trader, who had done
business with the Tekkes at the Aska-
bad bazaars The Russian officer acted
as Interpreter for the merchant, and after
a long discussion the caravan was given
an unwilling permission to enter and
trade with the half-civilized Tekkes.
Alikhanoff created a strong pro-Russian
party at Merry, bought Makdum Kuli,
the most powerful of her four chiefs,
who was induced to attend the corona
ton of the Gear of Moscow, and was
tanned by the splendor of
the Kremlin festivities, as Marvin re-
lates Early in 1884 the blow was
struck. Russian forces, which had been
brought out ostensibly for mere recon
noitre of the outskirts of the Merv oasis,
were assembled on the Turkistan and
sides of Merv, and Alikha-
noff gave the people their choice of
asking the protection of Russia, by a
or being compelled to sub
NIT to the forcible occupation of their
city. They chose the former alterna-
tive
Merv is 23O miles from Askabad and
240 miles from Herat. Gen. Sir Charles
who penetrated to within
few miles of Herat in 1875, said that he
would undertake to drive mail coach
from Merv to that city. Hence the
danger to English interests. The Rus
sian merchants who arrived in Herat a
month ago may be there for the same
purpose of opening the way for the army
advancing down the Hari Rud and (
rivers from Merv and Sarakhs,
and England may learn at any time
hat the Russians have occupied Herat, ,
Is unexpectedly as she was informed
our years ago of the occupation of
Merv. Herat is fortified city, and ca
Fable of some resistance, but if Russia |
'nce takes possession of this point, with
he fertile oasis it composes in the AT {
,han desert, she holds the key to India. c