The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-01-11

MacGahan, in his conquest Of Khiva.'
This work is the result Of one Of the
most daring adventures ever accom-
plished, and is only equalled by the mar
velous STORY of Merv," by Edmond
O'Donovan, who was actually made
Khan of Merry by the free choice Of the
inhabitants themselves.
How strange it is that young Irishmen
spend their golden hours in reading such
rubbish as is now daily laid before them
by Kipliag and Haggard and others Of
that ELK, and remain ignorant of the
works Of their own counsrymel, whose
almost incredible adventures surpass the
dreams of fiction If Russia had stood
in the same position during the Crimean
or the Turco-Russian wars, British India
would be Russian India today, and Eng
land would have fallen to the rank OF
second or third rate power, but, as al
ready stated, she bdided her time. Not
only has Russia added the extent of (as
Schun says Austria, Germany and Belgi-
I'm to her already enormous empire, but
She has given the warlike Turkomans
better system Of government than their
own, as she has lightened their taxes and
improved their condition in every way.
In fact, where England has made enc
mics of the Hindoos and Mohamn2 edans
OF British India, Russia has made friends
of the tribes of Turkestan, and where the
war cries Of the No1mads were the dread
ed but familiar sounds eight or ten years
ago, the shr:ll whistle OF the locomotive
,aWakens the echoes of the Turkestan
steppes today. A railroad reaches from
Moscow to Merv, or very NEARLY. The
Caspian is what the British dread it
would be, Russian lake on which war
and merchant steamers ply in every di-
rectiGn In case Of war with England,
Russia could hurl 1000 men into Brit
ish India before her enemy could have
10000 men through the Suez canal. This
is very plain, but how do the present
Eastern complications affect the route
to India, the two routes I may say? A
map of Asia will show just where Russia's
frontier strikes that of Turkey; to de-
fend that line against Russian encroach
ments a powerful quadrilateral of forts
had been erected many years ago, viz.
Erzeroum, where the horrible 1nassa cres
which are horrifying the world are now
being perpetrated, Balum and Trebizond,
on the Black sea and Kars, the strongest
and most important of all. =
It may be remembered that during the
Crinlean War Kars was captured by the
Russians after q. gallant and desperate
defense by the Turks, under the English
Gen. Williams, but in the treaty of peace
Russia was compelled to evacuatc the
fortress, and it reverted back to Turkey.
Immediately on the declaration of wal
in 1878, a strong Russian army laid siege
to Kars again. but We're driven back by
the the Turks with great loss; but so
great was the Importance attached to this
powerful stronghold that another seige
was begun and terminated successfully,
and in the treaty of San Stefano both
Kars and Batcum We're coded to the Rus
slams, and so would Erzeroum, also, for
Russia did not relinquish an in Of
ground which she had conquered in Asia,
but the garrison of that place held out IN
the war. AS it is, however, the Turkish
quadriateral is broken, and with the
capture of Erzeroum, which will follow the
next Russo Turkish war, the entire coun-
try to Constantinople will be open before
the Russian columns; thus that great city
could be attacked IN front and rear and
would fall an easy prey to the czar. This
would mean the end of that yilesJ Of all
the power (after England, and Turkey in
Asia, including 100000 inhabitants, of
whom about 100000 are Christians,
would in all probability be annexed to
Russia.
Continued next week.