The National tribune., 1901-07-04
RUSSIA'S CONQUEST OF ASIA.
Cossack Heroes Who Carried Out the Expan-
sion of the Cars Dominions.
Pall Mall GaZette.)

CoSsack Heroes VINO carried Out the hxpau-
sion of the Cars Dominions.
Pall Mall Gazette)
Asiatic Russia is the creation Of a
series of wonderful Geutenants OF the
Cars. The record Of the crossing of 81
| IBERIA by the Cossacks would make thrill
ling realistic novel. Some day some writer
will thus use it as thesis. But before the
Cossacks had accomplished that feat a
marvellous leader had immortalized him
self. One day in August, 1884, a Tartar
discovered in the River Irish a corpse
which was conspicuous by it's rich coat Of
mail with golden eagle on its breast. II
was the body of the renowned and dread
ed "ataman," Yermak, the founder of the
Russian Empire in Asia, who rose TO
wealth and power from the humblest Or
igin and from the meanest occupations
and unlawful pursuits, for he was in real
ity a Volga FObber and pirate in an age
| and a land of freebooters. For his raid
into Siberia and his earliest conquest he
had to ask forgiveness of the Emperor.
Ivan the Terrible easily forgave him. He
was the first man who realized the vast
potential destiny Of the Slav race, and no
name is more hOnOred in Russia, next to
| that of Peter the Great, than that of the
ablest adyenturer the nation ever knew.
The early Cossacks were nearly all
river sailors. 1t was in after centuries
that they became the most wonderful
horsemen in the world. They gradually
acquired their equestrian skill in war
fare with the Tartars, their constant an
tagonists. The greatness of the Russian
Empire in Asia was chiefly gained by
gradually superseding the sovereignty of
the Tartars. One most singular chrome
logical aspect marks in the most definite
and regular style this process of Siav ex-
pansiOn. The immense expanse OF North
.l.l l.
four grand rivers-the OBJ, Yenisei, Lena,
and Amur. Each of these riyerine tracts
has occupied a century in the world of
conquest. Russia pushed up to the OBJ
in the 10th century, that aggression being
the brilliant work of Yermak. Tobolsk
was founded on the banks of the Oh, and
then began the subjugation of the Os-
tiaks and the SamOyedes in the great re-
gion of Yenisseisk further east. This went
on right into the nth century. By the
middle of the 18th century the Lena was
reached, and it remained for the great
Murayieff, father of the recently deceased
statesman. to add to the Cars dominions
the magnificent realm of north Manchu-
ria, now called the Amur Government,
which brought the Empire up to the
much priced and beautiful Amur River.
That was the greatest achievement Of
Russia in the 10Th century.
Long and ferocious wars have been
waged in almost every part of Siberia be-
tween the Russian pioneers and the native
tribes. The regular armies of the Cars
have had comparatively little to do with
the steady and gradual subjugation of the
vast regions. There has never been any
very long halt between the Ural and the
Pacific. The worst difficulties and the
hardest conflicts were in the districts
north and just east of Lake Baikal. In
the vast realm beyond this point the Cos
sack Elisei Buza greatly distinguished
himself by his long explorations and his
discoveries, including that of the silver
mines in northeastern Siberia. Rough and
cruel has been the treatment of many
of the native tribes by the CoSsacks at
various times. Indeed, the expansion of
Russia in Asia is one of the most terri
bic and protracted tragedies of history.
Mutitudes of Cossacks perished Mas
sacres of natives in each century were in
termittent. Siberia has been land of
blood and fire to an extent only understood
by those who have made its history
study. The career of Vladimir Atlasoff,
the discoverer and conquerer of Kamach-
atka, is itself only one of the series Of
these personal romances.
All this expansion has been regularly
effected by the efforts of four classes
pioneers, priests, merchants and soldiers.
These always follow in that order. The
explorers with little bands of adventures,
settlers, and petty traders go first But,
when they have borne the preliminary
hardships, the great missionary Russo
Greek Church never fails to forward the
proper consignment of priests. We can
always tell which country Russia means
to subjugate. The priests appear and the
fact is settled. There have been Rus
sian priests and Greek churches in Man
churia for many years, and those who
understand Russia knew that this signified
that the Gar must rule Manchuria, no
matter what all the rest of the world
might think, say or do. If anybody wants
to make up his mind as to the certain fate
of both Corea and Palestine. let him
simply form deduction from similar data
amply supplied in those countries, es-
pecially in Palestine.