The record-union., 1899-06-07
C. Co.. 400 and 4I2 X SLreet, SaCramentO
lands of the Kuen Luen mountains and
N the Uallauc of Ci,.il,11l

lands of the Kuenj Luen mountains and
in the valleys of Sirikul.
The action taken by Russia in 1891,
when Colonel Yonoff with 1000 Cos
sacks crossed the pamirs and establish
ed the fort at Murghabi in the midst
of the Sarez pamir and the subsequent
collision which occurred between the
Russians and the Afghans, are matters
of history; and the lengthy negotia-
tions which ensued We're finally ended
in 1895, when the Russo-Afghan bor-
der line across the pamirS was settled
by convention drawn up by an Anglo
Russian boundary commission The
Russo Chinese frontier was not, how
ever, affected by this convention, the
only understanding existing being that
entered into between Russia and China
in 1884, by which Russia undertook
never to interfere with that portion of
the pamirs occupied by China
The chief interest in the pamirs ques-
ton centers in the probability of Rus
STA adhering to this understanding with
China, and there appears every proba-
bialty of her repeating her customary
tactics Of bad faith and broken pledges,
which will most inevitably result in the
region proving the meeting place of the
British and Russian frontiers.
Along the entire southern limit of the
Russian panirs, as at present recog-
nized, the British and the Russian
boundaries are separated by the district
of Wakhan, which, even in its narrow
est part, is some twenty miles wide. If,
however, Russia were to annex Sdrikul,
we should have a series of CoSsack out
posts guarding one side of the Mustagh
Mountains, which extend to the Kara
koran range and form the northern
boundary of Punjab and Kashmir. 1t
is of course a feature in the present
policy Of England to prevent the coinci-
dence Of her frontier with that of Rus
STA, and for this reason it is probable
that the aim of the latter to absorb the
Taghdumbash pamfr will be opposed by
England.
The Russo-Afghan frontier, which has
been so frequently modified to suit
Muscovite fancies to-day rests on the
pamirs convention of 1899 from the
Chinese frontier to Lake Victoria, and
thence eastward to the terminal pillar
of the Afghan boundary commission of
1887, near Kilif on the river Oxus, it is
determined by the Granville ortcna-
koff agreement of 1872 Thus has the
whole of the southern borderland OF
the pamdrs region been defined, and its
breach could only be achieved by vio-
lation of treaty obligations.
The pamirs proper are eight in num-
Der. They are as follows:
1. The Taghdumbash Cor head of the
mountains pamir, on the borders OF
Chitral and Hunza, with an elevation
of from ten to $4,000 feet. 1t is under
the jurisdiction of China, and is gov
erned from the Chinese fort at Tas-
hurghan.
2. Pamir-i- Wakhari, the smallest OF
the pamirs, close to the source of the
Oxuss 1t is quite uninhabited.
3. Pamir-i-Khurd. or Little Pamir.
4. Pamir-i-Kalan Cor Great Pamir), is
the most extensive, and includes Lake
Sirikul, or Victoria This is under Rus
sian Jurisdiction
D. The Alichur pamir, including the
lakes which dot the center of the roof
of the world
6. The Sarez pamir, small valley
north of Alichur, and containing Murg-
habi fort, the seat of military govern
ment, from which Russian rule is ex-
ercised in the pamirs.
z. The Rangkul pamir, containing the
twin lakes, of Rangkul and Shorkul
This was formerly Chinese possession,
but has recently been absorbed by
Russia and China. being unable to pro-
| test, has perforce refrained from col
lecting tribute from the tribes.