New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-08
rHE ROOF OF THE WORLD.
CLAIMS TO A LAND OF DISSOLUTION.

r,,srv day brings new rumors regarding
DAY, .hes. only add to the confusion and I'M
~ - -. IN which il is involved. About all that
;. nositively asserted is that Russia is az
CAV .,..,v uushing forward 10 capture the Pamirs,
that China and England are more or less
..,.lv resisting the movement Stories come
. ~. tbe East Of large Chinese armies that are
w a,r most haste 70 the threatened region, ana
:. nrobab bic that they are in part true but
ss.;,s information cannot be attained. Inc
- 80. coast is thousands of miles from this
- frontier. and it would take long time 10
W., ~. an army over that distance. what armies
- already in the inner provinces, reaoy 10 NC
- At short notice to the Pamirs, Is unknown.
"a the region where they must be, OF through
lin they must pass, Is the very poruon Vi
~ rronire about which least Is known ana from
n,.b foreigners are most jealousy excluded
s,;II from credible reports that have come from
y..b,ar il is inferred that nearly hundred
.aorsand Chinese troops are massed IN Soongaria
"a among the headwater tributaries OF the larlin
p;v.r China is probably putting on much
H. - 'front.' against her Russian foe in Eastern
rr,testan than she did or does on the Amour LOT
- r.asons On the Amour she is alone, but
s.r. she stands by the side OF England mere
~ ,;,,,s love between China and England, it is
,rue but they Woulu ni"he N' ' -
..s. If need, against Russia
r., -,nch more is known of the Pamirs them
-. than of the operations of the army out
- and explorers there. Ever since the days
- W.rco Polo who first visited them, those lofty
..hoJ.nds have been place Of mystery to the
- The very name of the Great Psmir is
,N.-.xsvs and awe-inspiring The natives call
:. D. Duniab. or Roof of the World The title is
y. unmerited. for the plateau lies at
-, AZ 1880 feet above the sea-leveL IL
- Marco Polo twelve days to cross the Pamirs,
"a h. wrote OF the region as ore of GOODNESS ana
..-.I.,on When Benedict Goes, some hundreds
:, r,.rs later visited the country, he gave the
-. occonnt of il: and down TO the present
Az s1plorers have been able to add but little
70 the description
prhsns the most successful explorer was Lieu
....rt Wood Of the British Indian Navy, who
,-.r, nm there with little party in 1888. IL was
r,;ayrint.r and he travelled up the Oxus River
-hicb was frozen solidly. 10 tie lake which he
- lake Victoria. lie supposed that he had
toIlow,d the principal stream and found In that
I.k. the true source of the OXus.
pr. ss all the rivers were frozen, he
oonId not accurately determine their volume, anu
soubtless made mistake. 1t seems certain now
that what is called the Murghab and Ak-su
pivsr is the real headwater of the OXus' lie
rave a vivid description of the desolate scene OF
nidwinter on the Roof of the World, wherever
the eve fell. one dazzling sheet of snow carpeted
The ground. while the SKY overhead was every
where of a dark and angry hue. Clouds would
have been relief to the eye, but they were want
ing Not breath moved along the surface OF
the lake not beast, not even bird was visible
The sound Of the human voice would have been
music TO the ear, but no one az this lnhospltable
season OF the wear thinks of invading these geld
domains
Such is this region for eight months in the
year For four months it enjoys summer sea
SON The lakes and streams are free from Ice.
the ground is covered with amazingly luXuriant
grasses, and wildfowl of many kinds are album
dant AT this season the Pamirs are visited by
many nomadic tribes for the sake of the rich
pasturage afforded 10 their horses and sheep
Besides the countless myriads of wild-fowl, the
PnmiIs abound in game. There are wild horses.
wild goats, deer, mountain sheep leopards wolves
and foxes But in winter most of this animal
life disappears, and then the Pamirs justify their
name Says Colonel Gordon, who explored the
region some years ago. The meaning Of the name
Psmir appears 10 be wilderness--a place depopu-
lated, abandoned, waste, Vet capable of habita-
ton ! obtained this information on the Great
Psnir from one of our intelligent guides, who
said in explanation, In former days, when this
waste was inhabited by Kirghiz, as is shown BY
the ruins of their villages and burial grounds the
valley was not all called Pamir as it is now 1t
was then known by it's village Names as Is the
country beyond Sirikol, which being now occu-
pied by Krghiz is not known by one name, but
rarity as Charlng, Bas Robst, etc. If deserted,
it would be Pamir.'
Without entering into any discussion of the
causes of the dispute between the three great
powers over their boundary lines in the Pamirs,
II may safely be said that Russias object in her
aggressive campaign is not merely to acquire that
urinyirng region, but TO secure it as a stepping
stone to regions that lie beyond. From the Pa
Mrs there is the easiest of progress into Eastern
Turhstan and Tibet, along the valleys at the
northern foot of the Karakorum Mountains.
Even Nepaul and Bhotan are not so far off. Rus
sls would like 10 drive wedge between the Brit
ISL and Chinese empires. threaten the whole north
ern frontier of India, and make a junction with
the French possessions in Tonquin. If England
uses Afghanistan TO shut Russia away from the
Arabian Sea Russia will seek the Bay of Bengal
by the way of Nepaul and Assam. 1t seems pre-
posterous 10 talk Of Russian army invading the
Gauges Valley and attacking Calcutta itself. Yet
more amazing things have happened. And the
advance into the Pamirs is a move exactly in this
direction
The Indian Government seems TO be fully awake
70 the importance Of the situation. Never before
were preparations for defence 80 earnestly or so
systematically pushed as now. The most inter
estlng feature Of these preparations IS the array
log Of native armies under the Imperial banner.
The Nlzam Of Uvdcrahadt for pXample has placed
his military forces at the disposal of the Viceroy.
Sll through the Northern States of India, espe-
tsly, strong native armies are being drilled and
sqripped in the best possible manner The loyal
FunAub States the warlke SikhS, and the Raj
poois the finest Of all the Indian peoples, are espe
ealy forward in this work; and Cashmere, which
Low SENS the point most exposed to attack, has
e1's'ed the largest force Of all