The evening times., 1900-06-30

Within HaiiinE Distance of tae
Gates of the Capital of China.
Alexander Hume Ford, In the "Cosmopol-
itan" writes of the growth of R,'esian infu-
ence and power in the far East in
way that, considering the present eondi-
tions in the Orient, makes his observa-
tions particularly interesting and timely.
Extracts from Mr. Ford's article follow:
AT this moment Russia has encamped
Just beyond the southern terminus OF her
trans-Caspian railway. within forty miles
Of Herat. the key to India, force Of her
pest soldiers. larger than our entire army
Of invasion OF Cuba and Porto Rico. Extend
this radius back less than 300 miles and it
will encompass an eager fighting force
outnumberlng our entire standing army
at home and abroad. a force which Russia
can mobilize within a few hours by
military railroad built for this particular
purpose And all along the line across
Asia to the far-distant Pacific Russia is
preparing herself in like manner to meet
and finally settle the Eastern question
when il next arises
AT the most distant extremity of nsr
Asiatic possessions. within hailing distance
of the gates Of Pekn. the Car has sta
toned an advance guard Of Cossacks
while behind them and within call is an
army more vast than that Oh the bor-
ders Of Afghanistan Within a few months
at most it is row confidently expected that
Russian rails viii connect both Herat and
Pekin with St Petersburg. The closing
year Of the nineteenth century may yet
add more territory and people to Russia 5
domain, than has any full century in her
history AS the only real rival TO Rus
sia's aggressiyeness in the Orient is now
South Africa the time seems auspiciOus
for the Car to make good with compar3--
tive safety his startling claims 10 abs1-
Lutte supremacy in Asia
Frontier of 1000 Miles.
Along her 1900 miles Of Asiatic from
tier Russia has for more than a year been
extending an enormous military Gordon,
not unlike the thin army of fishermen that
distribute itself around the outer edge OF
a seine net TO drag the ocean for its myr-
lads OF unsuspecting fish. Bu- the fish Rus
sia is after are human; in number they
constitute half the population OF the globe,
inhahting, moreover. its richest and most
productive portion.
"A system of military railroads has ad-
vanced with the Russian Army along the
lire of Asiatic frontier. so that a long
stretch Of steel rails practically forms the
boundary line between the two great pos
sessions, as well as a military bese Of sup
plies unparalleled in magnitude Of cOncep-
tion in the history Of the world
within the last few months the grea
military column thrown across Asia has
ge ,fr,e
a sudden activity. al along the line al
advance is now being made. From Batum
on the Black Sea. TO YladivOstOk. on th,
Pacific Ocean, the immense human drag
net is closing in upon its prey. Latest re
ports indicate that even In Europe th'
net is being extended. Sevastopol in tbs
Crimea. is now being fortified and garri
soned as a base Of operation.
Persia. on the west and Manchuria IL
the Far East, are now well within tht
closing ends OF the net, and any day ma,
see the world officially notified that Rus
sias Asiatic frontier has been foreshort
ened by one-half and extends but fruu
Bunder Abbas on the Persian Gulf 10 Pc
kin. the capital OF China. for the lines o
railway advancing from ST. Petersburg il
diverging directions TO both these cite
are guarded by myriads OF Cossacks, Will
everywhere in the open country between
along the base OF the triangle. newly es
tablished forts are springing up, new rail
ways projected and new garrisOns arriving
yiEfIant Outposts-
1T Is not possible. perhaps, to learn th,
exact number Of soldiers stationed alOli
this outer line, but in times of peace. b
sides the heavy garrison at the m; regina
bic fortress Of BatUm. on the Black sea
there are OutpOSts innumeTabe in the C7u
ff-ar
ii is reported, there are now stauioge
more than 100. 600 Coss acks, while al Bak
troops from Moscow can leave the rlilroa
train on the shores of the Caspian Sea [
be horne by the magnificent vesze's OF Ii
oil feet, which collectively can carry 10,
coo a trip e0rosz to Krusnavod-k Whe-e II
Central Asian Paiiroad begins,
"One hundred and seventy miles ! %. thi
place on the line of railroad we find 10O
troops at Kizilwait, yhile 133 miles tlr
ther still there are 5000 soldiers in gar.
son at Askabad; again, 215 miles farthe
on. at Merry, IS a body of 7.000 .C-s acks
From this point a spur of the Iailroad run
south TO KusEk. near Herat wh.srs It b
said there are now gathered 80 600 RIs
sian troops. At Charjui, 147 miles east o
Merry, on the main line, Is a small garrison
of 1000 men. while 300 miles up the Oxu
from this point. in easy communication 3
river steamer are 1900 more troops.
Again, on the main line of road %
miles beyond the Oxus, are 5000 well
mounted soldiers at Samarcand; 10 mile
beyond this, at the present terminus OF tn
trans-Caspian branch. which is making il
way nOrthward to Omsk. on the Trans-Si
berian Railway. is a garrison of 8. 900 men
At Khojend, on the main line destined t.
cross China and in time reach Pekin, ar,
LOCO more. while hundred miles farthe
east is Khokand. with its regiment Of !. .00
men. only a few miles from MarceIan
where 5000 troops are located A small
force is kept at Andiian. the present east
ern terminus Of the road. and at Namari
can. on the Syr-Darya River, a thousan,
men await orders.
These figures do not begin to enunoerat
the real military strength of Russia il
Central Asia. for her best fighters ar
drawn from the mounted tribesmen who
10 the number Of many thousand stan,
ready 10 give their lives for the grea
Nhite Gar, and the pouring into thi
country from European Russia of corntIes
regiments during the last few months ha
greatly altered the military status
Ready to Swoop on China.
Stretched along the border line in East
ern Siberia and Manchuria Lord Charlie
BeresfOrd, during his tour Of investigatio
in the Far East nearly two years ag,
round the following disposition of troop
had been made in that region by the car
Troops at Vladivostock. 2S. 600; at Nikol
skOe, 10000; at Blagoveschinsk. 600: 2
khabarovsk. 80, 600: at Kirin. 5000
The number of trOOps has heen and