The Warwickshire Herald. — 1885-11-19 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

DEATH OF THE AMEER OF BOKHARA. The death is reported of Mozaffur Eddin, Ameer of Bokhara. This event removes the greatest of the Central Asian Khans who played a prominent part in the Russian conquest of To rkestan. His career was in many respects remarkable. He was the son of Nasal Hall Khan, who, as the murderer of Conelly and Steddart. will always be infamous in the sat [nation of Envlishmeu, and he succeeded his father in the year Is6o, when Russia was just beginning to actively bestir herself on the northern borders of Kliokand. Miizaffur was then in his 35th year, and was committed by the tradition of his iamily and the resentment of Ins predecessor to an implacable war with his reighbour Khokand. MI schemes ot aggrandise meat were not limited to Khokand. lie was merited with entertaining designs upon Merv, and he thought to dispute the pisseosion of Balkh with Lost Mehemet, ruler of Afghanistan. The year 1864 produced even, s which drew his attention nearer horns. In that year Genei al Tchernaieff captor d the town of Turkestan and befole Mezaffur Edchn and his people could make up their nouns to cellai to the aid of the Khokandians 'raohkend had (alien, and the Russians held possession of the princ;pd I leirelige of the Jorrarteo at Taehkend. Attn ugh the Bolcharmas were not as quik to. they simnel Mori been, their hostility vas tised SItI omei fumed. When the Russians oinit to • nib osy pi ose the terms of an amicable mob.' esisi rig, Mezatfi r I ddin threw them into ptio..n. and f• r is him they were in danger of sharing the fate of their English predecessors. War ensued, bat the brief campaign of 1866 was not of • chersuier to OM \10.3 tb. Bokharane th. 4 opposition to yd. i be useless. Genersl Tchernaieff moosisi the J.,xert. ii, but he found tl • bokharan points. no too swam to alt ick with be small force, sa if he te risoid attsr concluding an ignominious contend mho hid, left the Russian en veys in the hands of their • spier. The war was renewei a few months lister on the arrival of a new general. and in the battle ot I. jar, fou.„ht on the 20th id May, 1866, the Dishevel' army was completely over. thrown by General Romanoffeay. .Mozaffur was present in pers. n on this occasion, and after his defeat he thought it. best to restore the Russian captives and to send them back laden with presents. The war broke out afresh in the autumn of the same year, and it was only after the capture of two of his strongest forts, Jizakh and Ara Tepe, that Mozaltur cenfessed his ihability to prolong the struggle. Even then the peace proved of brie duration, for the fanotici:m of the Bokhara people overcame the reluctance of the Aineer to engage in a fresh of strength with Russia, and soon after General Kaufmann b. came GovernorGeneral, in 1867, NU outrage committed on • Russian officer named Slushenko necessitated another appeal to the swot il.The Ulsuisi ii Bokliara preached a" holy war," and General Kaufmann, in May, 1868, began a csmpitign which was marked by the rapid FIV:CeSI4 01 the Rupoian arms. After one successful encounter the Resole' s gained possession of Samarcand ; but the nece arty of scattering their small force gave the Bi•kharans an opportunity of which they endeavoured to take acivantage. Samarcand had to stand an assault, and the Russian garr.son was nearly overwhelmed by superior numi err. But General Kaufmann's victory at Zers Bulak decided the war, and Mozaffur Eddin accepted the terms of peace offered During the great revolt in Khokand in 1875-6 he rigidly abstained from interference, and, when war seemed imminent with England in 1678, he volunteered all the assistance in his power tor the despatch of a force to Afghanistan. When the Central Asian Princes went to the Czar's coronation at Moecow, he sent his son to represent him, pleading that tbe fanatici m of his subjects alone prevented his performing the agreeable duty of paying his fealty L o the great White Czar in person. The late Ameer ienucoeeded by this son.