New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-14
RUSSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA.
THE SPREAD OF THE CZARS AUTHORITY
SHOWN IN THE EXHIBITION AT MOSCOW

THE SPREAD OF THE CZARS AUTHORITY
SHOWN IN THE EXHIBITION AT MOSCOW.
| ST Petersburg, May 30.
That Russia has become q great Asiatic Power
is strikingly shown by the Central Asian Exhibl-
ton at Moscow, which Is attracting more ON
| cial md general public interest than any afiair
Of fine kind ever before held in Russia. lts
object seems 70 be TO show TO Russia and the
world how completely the Great White Car has
become the lord Of those regions which only
generation ago were the home Of hundred varl-
| out tribes No circumstance has been omitted
which would lend to this exhibition attraction
| and imprpssivenes. The edifice In which IL IS
held Is significant No modern structure tenn
porarily prepared for the occasion would nave
| been fitting Instead, one Of the most notable
buildings In the Empire was devoted to the pur-
pose. This is the great Historical Museum OF
| Moscow. building which embodies within ITSELF
| the whole record Of the Russian people. Begin
| ming at the earliest times, when Muscovy was the
home Of few wandering heather tribes, TINS
museum tells the story of evolution TO tne
present day; its chronologically arranged halls
relating, one after another the chapters OF the
nations progress. So complete is this record that
t. includes rven q memorial of the late Gar,
| Alexander IL and also various reminders of the
latest phases OF the revolutionary spirit IN Young
| Russia"
| Within the limits of this display may be found
repetition, In epitOme, of all that Russia has
| done in her eastern provinces. Here, for ex-
ample is the record Of General Annenkofs work
| Here are models Of his railroad building across
the desert Of his successful Notifications against
the inroads of the shifting sands. Here are IL
| Illustrations Of the manner In which he bridged
the Oxus and other rivers, when no bridge-build-
| ing materials were at hand Every step in tho
progress Of Russian conquest is thus shown with
marvellous exoctitude in chronological order.
There Is also an elaborate display of the char
| ncter Of the native inhabitants of those regions,
their manners. customs and industries. Here are
numerous nfe-lilte models of specimens OF various
tribes, all the way from the Urals to the Afghan
frontier a generation ago these tribes were all
independent, constantly fighting among themselves,
their principle industry confined to trading in
slaves. Now they all acknowledge the supreme
sovereignty Of the Russian Gar; under the be
nign sway of the l0nout and the bayOnet peace
prevails among them, and the industrial conditions
| of a settled state of society beginning TO APP
pear The display Of their arts and manufactures
comprises both ancient and modern productions.
IL is surprising 10 notice how many arts have
long been known TO the tribes of Turllestan, arts
which civilized Europe might envy. Here, for eX-
ample. the weaving Of rugs and carpets is prac-
tsel with taste and skill scarcely approx
mated elsewhere. The dimensions OF some Of
these excite admiration at the size of the looms
that must have been required for the weaving
Of such fabrics, as we'll as at the artistic ability
of the worllmen that could produce such results
In tint. pattern and texture. Then there are
finer fabrics in wool, cotton and silk. There are
cunninqly wrought articles Of silver gold and
| o,,A fhof nrIf n
the finest work of medieval Europe. There Is
also vast array Of pottery that rivals the choicest
products of Japan.
| The rapid march of civilization in late years
has produced some seemingly incongruous results
Who would dream, in reading Firdausi of the
| wines of Shiraz being put up In glass bottles
stopped with common corks fastened In with wire,
and hearing n printed label? Yet such is now
the case So the ladies of the harems in Central
Asia adorn themselves with cosmetics imported
from London and Paris, bearing the names OF
manufacturers that familiar to every Euro
pean and American eye. How long 1t will be
before other western notions are adopted there
and the wells will De cast aside and the fail
daughters of the East will be seen Of the world
MS are their western sisters, IS matter Of con
lecture. At the present pace il cannot be long.
The organized Government Of the new Trans
supreme command Of General KuropAtkin. lie Is
one of the most distinguished officers in the Ash
attic service of the Gar which he entered in sec
OF the age of eighteen, and in which he has beer
ENGAGED almost ever since. lie first distinguished
himself at the capture Of Samarkand. He was
SSobecff's chief lieutenant IN the Khokand war; IT
which he was seriously wounded. II was he who
led the Russian Embassy TO Kashgar and made
the treaty with Yakoob Beg. In the war witt
Turkey be was Skobeleff's chief of staff, and
greatly distinguished himself at Plevna and else
where At the close of that he was made
head of the Asiatic section Of the general staff
When war with China seemed imminent In Kuldja
he was sent thither TO organize and command al
the Russian forces In 1880 he led q column
across the desert from KbiVa to aid Skobelc1 a
Cock Tepe and personally led the assault upon the
1urkomNn forticati0ns. For his services in Thu
campaign be was made q majOr-general, and h0
matters pertaining to Central Asia, both military
| and civil.
1t must be confessed that the French exhibition
at Moscow Is not altogether success. IL was
unfortunate that IL was arranged % take place
OF the same time as the Central Asian exhibit
ton. And then there was either q most serious
misunderstanding some deliberate misre presenta
tion on the part of the Russian Government
Frenchmen were given to understand that the
| exhibition would he held under Imperial patron
age, and that the Government would not only
officially recognize 1t, but that the Emperor anC
Empress would visit H. In state II is con
fessed that their majestieS never had any sucl
idea, and that there any thought VI
Is believed that Russian agents promoted these
decisions in France for the sake of facilitating
the sale Of Russian securities In the French money
market