The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-06-24

possibilities and geographical facts the read
er may desire. He shows why central Asia
has been such factor in the progress OF hu-
man events, the irrigated belt about the base
of the Tian- Shan and Hindu-Kush noun
tains being adapted to be the breeding place
of nations whence the surplus population
migrated to the north, east, west and south.
The author says that everything IN As1atlc
Russia presents itself in gigantic proportions,
and Russia's empire In Asia is destined to
be either "a monumental SUCCESS or tragic
failure" and a new struggle has been en-
tered upon to subdue and utilize to the Ut
most the latent physical forces of this vast
territory, the result depending on the wisdom
Of the ruling minds at St. Petersburg
With Russia, the star of empire proceeds
eastward instead of westward. The Mon
goltan migration went from east to west, and
in the thirteenth century these fierce DIS
turbers invaded southern Russia and went as
far as Hungary and Poland, and it was not
until the sixteenth century that Russia was
able to turn successfully on the Tartars and
begin the conquest of Siberia. Aslauc Rus-
STA now contains an area OF 6,564,77S square
miles, about double that Of the United
States including Alaska. It is a region OF
vast plains and splendid navigable river sys-
tens. The author treats in their order, the
four sections of Siberia, Trans Caucasia, the
Aral-Caspian depression, the river basins OF
the arctic ocean and those OF the racine
ocean. giving valuable information as to their
geography, topography, geology and re-
sources The Aral-Caspian depression was
formerly an ocean bed from which owing to
comparatively recent changes of elevation,
the water has evaporated, leaving basins of
salt water, like the Aral sea and the cas-
Man the latter being the largest OF all the
inland bodies. of water in the world Inc
arctic nttoral Of Siberia is not very attrac-
tive. The adjacent region contains MOSES
and lichens, small tufts Of grass, with small
stunted plants, and the swamps ana lakes
are frozen most of the year. The racine
basin, which is watered by the great Aniur
river. drains a basin Of 800, 900 square miles.
South Siberia, and, notably, in the Amur val
lev there are many colonies and towns ana
cities a rich agricultural and stock raising
region, through which the cars great "
berian railway is laid nearly to the Paclnc
ocean and will soon be In operation from ST.
Petersburg to vladivostock on the racine
coast and Port Arthur on the Liantung PENN
sula.. ss.4..,
Russ,a,s conquest of Siberia which begins
nv. the CAPTURE, in 1852, Of Sibir, the capt.
tai OF the Tartar Prince Katchum. and after
absorbing Kamchatka the Russians crossed
Behring straits and occupied Alaska, ano
went south as far as San francisco IN lsl2
But after occupying Kamchatka, the Rus-
SLAMS had to engage in struggle TOT the
Amnr river basin and they entered upon
1643 and begun the expulsion OF the Ch1nese
from the northern basin of the river beioW
the junction Of its two chief branches. This
was undertaken under the plans Of the astute
Muravieff,; little over fifty years ago ano
in 1858 China was forced to cede. the wnole
region she possessed on the north pank OF
the Anur Then in the next thirty or forty
: crio
the country introducing modern civilization
making settlements, building towns, opening
| farms and developing the country. Tne
occupation OF Turkestan followed after very
hard fighting, Skobeloff and Kaufman com
manding. To-day Russia practically controls
all the central Asian khanates down to the
Hindu 4Kush mountains. The author IN
c1udes a very valuable chapter on the pre-.
historic races and colonization OF Asiaut
| Russia.
The Russian church lioly Orthodox Greek
church) has dominant influence In Siberia
! That church respects the supremacy OF the
| bishop of Rome and denies alleged infalliblt
additions to church doctrine. since the las
| ecumenical councils. 1t encourages the use
OF the Bible in the vernacular Language and i
| is read every Sunday In the churches. The
| priests marry but cannot marry a second
/ time, and the bishops. chosen from the mon
! asteries cannot marry. The Russian church
| has actively sought to convert the native
| tribes to Christianity but with tndineren
success The churches through Siberia art
crowded on Sundays and holy days with rev
erent congregations The Russian commune
system is introduced into Siberia. Under ]
there is common control OF all the LANDED
property whether owned or rented by th'
| commune There is q village assembly com
posed of the adult males and widows ant
| women whose husbands, are absent. Thi
body annually apportions the land in lot.