The herald., 1895-12-08

OF Russia in Central Asia it must be re-
mem bered that Universal military service
has not yet been introduced there, as in
Russia since 1873. The natives, there
fore, are not liable to serve in the army.
Nevertheless,a small force of Turkoman
mounted militia has been organized-313
storing. This troop did good service dur
ing tho last lighting, in the trans-Caspian
district, and at present keeps order In
the interior. In war time the Turkomans
would furnish numerous band sof irregu-
lar cavalry, for they are born fresbooters,
who prefer to enrich themselves by muir
dor and piunder rather than by work and
industry. General Skobeleff, when plan
ming an expedition against India de-
olared: ave m asst organize massSs OF
Asiatic cavalry and let them loose upon
India, rs an advance guard to murder
aud plumber, rcsuscitating the ancient
hordes of Iamerlane.
Russian Asia is divided into five mill
tary districts, whose governors hold the
civil power as well as the military
charge. The most interesting localities
to foreign observers are the two military
ernments of Usum Ada, Asakbad, Merv,
Tschardschui, kerki. and Sarakhs, as
we'll as Turksstan, with the governments
of Semiretchinsk, Ferghana, Saratschen,s
Syr Daria, and Anu Daria. The Asiatic'
forces OF Russia arc very unevenly dis
JT1DuCtQ OVeI tulo VdSI ToSiOu ~ Will
be superhuous inform alton for the Amer
lean reader to follow the Graphic In Its
statistical review of tle military stength
of Russia In Asia, at loast in its tabula
ton of the forces Russia there malntsins
for colonization, defense, and conquest.
II will, therefore, be sufficient to say that
the force she now maintains in her
Asiatic domlnions amounts to about 75,-
600 or 100, 900 men distributed throu h
Siberia and Turkesta. The Graphic,
however, from the very much concerned
point OF view of Great Britain in India,
goss On to outline the probable strategy
of a Russian movement toward India, and
here we may prohtably follow the argu-
ment.
Through her present positions in Asia,
Trans-Caspian, and Turkestan, Russia
commands the following routes: 1. From
Samarcand to Balkh and Cabul. 2. From
Bokhara to Balkh and Cabul. 3. From
Merv to Herat and Canda iar. 4. From
Sarakhs to Herat and Candahar-this
road leading across Persian territory
through the province OF khorassan.
Those routes lying further east and lead
ing from ths province of Ferghsna over
the Altai mountains to the Pamir pla.
teau diverge on the one side to Gil.it
and Cashmere, and on the other to Chi
trial, Katiristan and Jellalabad. Owing
to the height of the mountain passes. how
ever, these roads could only BIZ utilized
for the advance of small bodies of troops,
not for operations OH any extensive scale.
The bulk of the army, therefore, must
advance by the above routss-elther past
Herat to Candahar, or through Bslkh to
Cabul. The latter would probably be
taken by the Turkestan CONTINGENT, who
would keep open communication with
their base by means OF the Anu Daria
from Tscharschui to Kerki. The main
army, supporting itself by the Trans
Caspian railway connecting the trans Cas-.
plan DISTRICT and the Caucasus, wonld
press forward through Meshed, Sarakhs
and Merry on Herat. From their position