The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-08-04
RUSSIA OCCUPIES PAMIR.
The Gar Resumes the March to India,
Cninterrupted Last Year.

SIMLA, Aug. SIT is reported that three de-
tachments OF Russian troops have occupied the
Pamirs, as far the Hindu Kush mountains,
thus holding the country from which Captain
Yanoff, who commanded the Russian expedi-
ton to the Pamirs in 1891, retired in the latter
part OF that year.
lin 1891 England sent Captain Younghus5and
10 survey the Pamir region. He was summoned
70 England as soon as bis so-called survey OF
tne famif plateau was interru pied by the hostile
attitude OF the Russian counter exploring
expedition and the pro- Russian tribeSmen iii
December OF 1891 the government evidently be-
Ing anxious 10 secure the captains advice in the
matter OF taking action to secure that region.
Ii Was also ;umored at the time that the captain
would De appointed member OF a special com
mission 10 delimltate the Pamirs. to which the
subject of Engiand's rights in that re zion woulc
tc referred, and that upon the report of the
commission the future attitude OF the govern
ment toward the other claimants, Russia and
China, would hinge. The government has
always stTenuously denied authorizing expedf-
tioaS in imitation OF Russia's deniais that the
expeditions OF Gromstchevsky and Nanotf were
authorized. It has been the fashion both
sides To ailege that every armed band found III
the Sputed region was there on a little private
excursion or for some unofficial scientific pur-
nose. The Russians, however, established
garrison within 400 miles of the Pamirs while
the nearest British forces were 90 miles away,
and while England has been considering what
Its next movement would be. Russia has taken
possession OF the region aud English fears have
been realized.
The Pamirs have long been a cause for conteu-
ton, as they are the strategic points in Asia.
They are known as Little and Great Painir, or
"tEe root OF the world III tae poetic phrase Of
the Asistics, forming the geographic center of
the continent and the conveTgiug point OF the
Angto-indsan, Russian aud Chinese empires, the
gateway TO in1ia- The area o. Pamtr is placed
by the best authorities a. 20 by 10 miles. Ii is
the most northern extremity OF the elevated
mountain plateau. situated about the 1Sd
meridian east. and 50 degrees north latitude. IL
is limited 10 the north by the snowy Hindu
kush or Indian Caucasus. Here the plateau,
ahs.A- D.. & ,.
globe, exceeds in altitude the lofties. Pyrenean
c:ests. aud from il converge the passages that
have mt ali times, from the reEotest periods,
been the most irequented between the Turse-
stan depression ana the Indus valley. Through
these passes came the Argans IN past ages, of
which there Is no record save in the customs
which they apparently transmitted 10 the peo-
pie OF the "seyen rivers OF India. Through
these passes came the conquering hoTdes of
Alexander, following the oxus from its source
on the Famirs plateau 10 the westward.
Through these passes the Buddhist missionaries
travelled to spread the tenets OF their faith. The
colossal images carved many centuries ago
the rocks at Bamiau have been witnesses of
many II warlike, religious or commercial expe-
dition, by which the course OF human events
has been largely influenced. Through these
passes have come and goue the Mongols, Turks
aud Persians. And all these myriad travellers
have traversed the Painirs plateau. The plateau
has all the characteristics of the highest region
of Tibet and so lar fifty receives the Russian
designation OF steppe. out it seems To have no
special peculiartIes. and the reason OF IL hav-
lug boeu SO long regarded a geographical
enigma Is not obvious From IL the Oxus, or
Anu, flows off to the west. and the Jaxartes or
Sir, to the north, through the 1urki state OF
koksnd, while to the east the waters run down
past kashgar to the central desert OF the Cobb,
uniting with the streams from the northeast
slope OF tho Tibetan plateau that traverse the
principalities of Iatkend and khoten, which
are also Turk. Here the Tibetan mountains
unite with the line OF elevation which stretches
across the continent from the Pacific, and which
separates Siberia from the region commonly
spoken OF Central Asia The nomad in
habitants are nearly all devoted TO China, and
China is very strongly convinced that no nation
has so good a right to suzerainty over them
she has. She is determined not to surrender
inch of the territory which she has been accus-
toned to regard as hers, and IL England aud
Russia think the settlement of the future posi-
ton of the Pamirs rests entirely with them, they
are reckoning without their host