The New York Herald Newspaper, June 30, 1874, Page 4

+ “THE EASTERN QUESTION. The Ghost That Exeites English and Russian Diplomatists. RUSSIA’S ADVANCE ON INDIA Conquests in Khokand by the Czar’s Troops. «+ A Severe Lesson Read to the Ameer of Bokhara. THE COMMERCIAL LONDON, June 16, 1874. Nearly all the great truths about the Eastern question, and especially concerning those pcints of it which most closely refer to British India, have been publisned tu the New YoRK HERALD and have come upon the English public with the effect of a surprise. Ic is not a very welcome subject to Lon- don publishers, and they hesitate to print books or magazine articles relating to it, while able ed- itors of leading journals have a positive fright of any contributor who comes to them armed with weapons jor an interminable controversy in which the strength of opponents ts 30 evenly balanced. Articles on the Eastern question are the de- spair of compositors, by reason of the hard words in them, and are understood only by members of ihe Oriental Club, or the widows of hav-pay officers who have subsided into retire- ment at Cheltenham. Old Anglo-Indians who served with Company” in the ptping times before the late rebellion, have an exaggerated fear about the designs of Russia. They are perfectly convinced that the Czar means to seize upon Cal- cutta the first time England has her hands full of furopean war, These fears were confirmed a during their active service in the East, because | their apprehensious coincided entirely with their interests, Whenever the Governor General in Coun- cul could be scared into a panic about the projects ot Russia here were plenty of lucrative appoint- | ments to be had for the asking; and reputation alter reputation was founded by these employ- ments. Sir Joon McNeill, Sir Fenwick Williams, and a long list of illustrious names owed their first dts- | ‘unction to the dread of Russia. There were fron- ueT commissions always On the move, with tents and mules by the score. They carried champagne aad potted meats avout with them, and held great state in the jrontier villages where they stopped, being mostly looked upon as necromancers by the barbaric tribes among whom they occasionally | made a halt and brought out their scientific instru- ments, They had generally a European aoctor in their company, and when he had cured some petty chief of the rheumatism his people cried out that a miracle had been done, and all the results of quinine were set down to magic. The leader of one of these frontier commissions, who wore a wig, inspired such extraordinary reverence among a wild horde of Khurdistan, who wor- shipped the devil, that they were with dificulty prevented from offering up a Sacrifice to nim. Indeed, not only was the life of these Irontier commissions a roving, pleasant, ad- venturous existence, with little to do but write journals for publication in the intervals of shooting sand grouse; but it was pretty well known that the shortest way to wealth and honors was to get attached to them. They kept very loose accounts and when they wanted money had a knack of re- | portipg that the necessary number of horses had died to justify the amount of the bill which they thought proper to draw upon the Indian govern- ment, They remitted their salaries home in a stiff lump, witnout deductions, or left them to ac- cumalate at twelve per cent in the hands of some confidential Parsee iriend at Bombay or Calcutta. GOVERNMENTAL REPUDIATIONS. These arrangements suited many people. If a youngster with a taste for horse racing and private theatricals nad been living rather | too fast at Government House, or if one of the members 0! Council, or one of the directors of the old company had a cousin who could not be paid and promoted fast enough in the reguiar way, he was sent off on special service to look after the Russians in Kbokand. And it frequently bappened that an energetic commercial traveller from Mos- cow or Nijni Novogorod, who had no other desire than to sell his tea at an exhorbitant price, was magnified by these young gentiemen into a diplo- matic agent, intrusted with the slyest plans of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg. When they bad inter- est or plaus.bility enough to persuade the author- | ties that they really had found a mare’s nest sur- ficiently visible to be described in a despatch every one was delighted. The Governor General in Council took credit for having circumvented the deep-laid designs of Russia, Tne young officer obtained promotion and emoluments, and was heneeforth a marsed mau, of whom great things were expected. It was im this way that Sir Alexander Burns rose into some celebrity, and Sir Henry Rawlinson won his first laurels. Polttical agencies, such as that at Bagdad and in the Pet- sian Gull, with the rich missions to Persia, which were far more valuable places than any European embassy, were freely given to adventurers of tnis sort, and they obtained as much as £4,000 to £6,000 a year with innumerable perquisites, before their whiskers were well grown. They were, in fact, the higher nobility, or young dukes of the Anglo- Indian service. But their not without danger. The Russian ambassa- dor in London, and such foreign ministers as Lord Clarendon and Lord Russell, were in mortal fear of each other. The English Ambassador at St. Petersburg and Count Nessel- rode, who preceded Prince Gortschakof, likewise endeavored with all their might and main to steer clear of denatabie land. All parties, therefore, made a reguiar practice of denying the acts of their agents and repudiating any connection with them. Thus two English officers, Major Stoddart and Captain Conolly, who were despatched by the British government on a wild goose chase to Bokbara, were seized by the Ameer and lowered down into a dry well. There they were kept without food, and what was still more pain- ful, without water, until they were almost mad with hunger and tlirst, At crisis they were asked to become Mahometans, and one of them actually consented to do so; but they were both, nevertheless, avsassinated. A Colonel Abbott, too, had some of his fingers chopped off by a Khan of Khokand, and wrote a Look about it—a boo« which is rather duil—but he was compensated for his fingers by being made a Major General, and many officers would submit to worse sufferings for aiess reward, The English Foreign Office in like manner hot only allowed Sir Alexander Burnes to be murdered, but disavowed his proceedings at Cabool, and did all they possibly could to facilitate his utter disappearance from the world. The Cabinet of St. Petersburg benaved in precisely the saine Wy, and more than one tragedy came of Gveir double dealing with their own agents. Thus @ fine young iellow, who thougnt he had done reat things, and who had received much praise Afghanistan, biew out his own brains when his superior repudiated bim and bis doings. He seemed to know by instinct that it would be use- less to explain that he had only done what he had been told to do and what he liad been commended for doing. He felt that, right or wrong, ne must be sacrificed, and he took the matter into hisown hands, / ENGLISH FRARS. It may be held for granted that one large and ifiuential class of the English people believe that Russian intrigue is a perma- nent source of danger to British India, But there is another layge class at least equally important who entertain very different opinions. They ASPECT. | occupation was this | from his chiefs {or baving made a great rumpus in | | Russians, | fusal, he commenced hostilities. NEW YORK HERALD, TUESDAY, JUNK 30, 1874--TRIPLE SHEET. Peverspurg knows little more of Eastern affairs than the Cabinet of St. James, and that although the Russians certainly do make an advance in Central Asia it is rather the result of accident than of design. The Emperor of Russia is himself @ peaceable monarch, and be has no bellicose Ministers. The extremely small quantity of administrative ability which is to be found at St. Petersburg ts entirely occupied with the internal affairs ofthe Empire, and rather concerned with putting off the immediate chances of a revolution than with increasing the extent of territories already far too large. Moreover, they urge that the Russians are not s commercial people ; for even their local trade is nearly all in the hands of Ger- mans. And although it is quite possible that at some remote period many Russians will resort to British India, they will never conquer the English posses- sions there as a united people, but rather aplit up into several independent States, which will no longer be recognized as the Russian Empire, and from which England neither has wor ever will have anything to fear. In the first place she will have afight with Pruesia for her Baltic provinces. Then she has not yet done with Poland, nor with the Caucasus, and her dificul- tes are such that she would be obliged to post- pone any idea of conquest for an iudefinite period, even if she entertained it, A nation can hardly go to war without money, and Russian paper cur- rency is often depreciated thirgy per cen A people cannot expect to gain victories without science, and military edacaiion in Russia is a farce. She 1s invincible, by reason of her climate, im a war of de‘ence. She would be powerless in a war of conquest. These considerations may be said roughly to sum up the arguments on both sides, Most of the leading politicians of England firmly believe that Russia has no designs whatever upon British Indis, and that she would be unable to carry them into effect even ifshe entertained them. Lord Granville, who went on a special | embassy to Russia a few years ago, is fully con- | vinced that his country has no danger to appre- | hend in this quarter, and Lord Kimberly, who will | probably be the next session British Foreign Sec- | retary, takes entirely the same view of the ques- tion. The sentiments of Lord Derby, who knows nothing of Russia, are not worth much discussion, but his extreme caution is so well known that it | may be presumed he will take the convictions of somebody else, and in this instance he will prob- | ably appropriate those of Lord Granville, which were left venind a few months ago | at Downing street, in charge of Lord Tenterden. | It ts not, however, the purpose of this present article to discuss the opinions of English party | men; and there are several far wider issues to the | Eastern question than any with which Great Britain ts alone concerned. light upon them and for the purpose of indicating new and unexplored directions for trade and en- terprise that the following facts are now brought | together for the first time; and American mer- chants Who purpose to extend their operations in the East will probably peruse them with consid- | erabie interest. A PRUSSIAN COLONY. | Prussia, in 1848, established a settlement situ- | ated at the outlet of the river Syr Darya, and the | fort at this place, named Aralek, served as a basis | Jor operations against the Khanate of Khokand. | A further series of campaigns was undertaken | which, in 1853, resulted in wresting from Khokand | a fortified place then known as Akand Edsched, and since then called Fort Offski. Between the latter and Fort Aralsk a line of communication was established bywmeans of two intermediate | forts, and thas the entire line along the Syr Darya had been secured. Immense advantages were ex- pected therefrom when the time should arrive for the further extension of the Russian frontiers; but the Crimean war intervened, and thus, for ume, all idea of a further advance had to be aban- doned, and Russia was compelied to confine her attention to the protection of the freshlyacquired | territory. It was not until the year 1859 that \jresh attempts were made to establish a It is inorder to throw | | ever, was unable, with the small forces under his command, to follow up the advantages which bad been s@ far obtained. More- over, the main object of the campaign at that Period was the entire subjugation of Knokand. ‘The capital of that khanate surrendered shortly afterwards, and subsequently two strongholds on the border of the khanate fell into the hands of the Russians. These captures compelled the Ameer of Bokhara to desist from /urther intrigues, which he had endeavored to carry on witn the assistance of the neighboring chiefs, The territory acquired throngh the victories above recorded was incorporated by Russia into the province of Turkestan. Early tn the year 1866 Genera! Kaufmann, the Governor of Turkestan, resolved again to attack the Ameer of Bokhara, apd marched against him from Tashkend with 8,000 men tn the month ofMay, The Ameer’s army, then holding a strong Position along the borders of the River Zerafshan, was completely routed, The struggle was desperate on the part of the barbarian, but defeat com- peiled him to throw open the gates of Samarcand. The next event of importance was that of the su! render of the Ameer’s capital; the Russians took possession of the city withou: striking a blow. MAKING COMMERCIAL TREATIES. The successes which have accrued to the Rus- sians by these means have virtually invested them with supreme power in Central Asia, and served to pave the way to obtaining commercial treatics irom all the khanates, Valuable privileges were ac- corded to Russian traders and thus the realization of well matured plans for opening up new caravan routes has been brought about. These projects | comprise the establishment of a direct intereourse from Khokand through Kashgar and Yarkand, thence reaching the banks of the Indus by using the pass of Karakorum on the Kuen-Lun range of mountains, In virtue of the provisions of those treaties Russian produce 13 subjected to a mere ad | valorem rate of duty, fixed at two anda halt per | cent. Further provision is made that Russian sub- | jects are tree to establish commercial stations | throughout the khanate, and the right | of transit by caravans is secured to them. The subjected khans have remained nominally in uodisturbed possession of | their respective territories; still they are placed under the protectorate of the Czar’s government. | {tisdenied at St. Petersburg in political circies | that any aggrandizement is intended, and it is | declared that the only object in view is centred in | the development of commercial resources. The enormous activity displayed by Russia and the stupendous amount of money expended seem to | favor that theory. Russian engineers have con- structed roads and opened bridges. Telegraphic | and postal facilities have been established in the | great centres, and thus direct communication is entertained as far as Tashkend and Samarcand.. The Russtan ratiroad system will shortly have @ terminus at Orenburg, as well as at Omsk on the Ural. The preliminary works connected with the extension of roads from those stations are in a state of great forwardness, and itis confidently hoped that ratlroad communica. | tion will fortuawith be pushed to the river Irijtch, while in another direction it will be extended to Tashkend and eventually to Khokand. The gov- ernment plans go even further than this. It is in serious contemplation to connect by rail Samar- | cand and Bokhara. Tne government ofticials in | St. Petersburg are sanguine that all these aims will be accomplished without any great delay, and there is no reason to doubt their opinion. The or- } dinary road now winds along the banks of the Amoo Daria and thereby the boarders of Aighan- | istan can be reached. With the latter country the Russians are on good terms. | RUSSIAN SUCCESS AND ENGLISH DIFFICULTIES. It has not been denied at St. Petersburg that the Magnitude of the succeases obtained in Central | Asia surpasses the most sanguine expectation. | A few years ago there seemed but little prospect that such results could be obtained within this | decade; at the same time all Russian diplomatists | colony on the @astern shores of the Cas- | | plan Sea. A settlement was formed there, ostensibly for the purpose of promoting | trade with Central Asia. The place chosen was | the Bay of Krasnowodrk. Russian merchants solic- | ited and obtained privileges for the establis.- ment of a commercial station at this spot. It was soon, however, proven that the situation was too far south, because | Russian power im the north had not yet re- | ceived sufficient development to guarantee settlers | against the aggression of inimical nomad tribes. | Unaer the circumstances the colony became 1so- | lated, and its administration more or less neg- lected. THE MARCH OF RUSSIA. But no sooner had Russia recovered from her | disasters inflicted by the Crimean war, no sooner had { | is fully recognized. If England looks with jealousy | she regained the military strength | | which she had held Prior to thas | period, than operations in Central Asia were resumed on a large scale. Slowly, yet al- | ways in an onward direction has been her prog- | ress; ner action being marked by that caution, so characteristic in the chotce of means, which tended to protect her outposts against all hazards. In | 1864 a decisive blow was struck, and the Khanate of Khokaad lost two important cities, namely, Turkestan and Au Licata. The acquisition of those | places enabled Russia to strengthen considerably her position on the line of the Syr Darya. The at- | tacks were then renewed, and the Russians subse- quently directed their attention towards Tshem- kend, a strongly fortified place. It was taken by General Tschernajet—not, however, without very severe fighting. In the year fohowing this important capture the Russian army succeeded in subjecting the city of Tashkend. This conquest embodies, in reality, the most important gain which the Russians have made in Central Asia. The city dominates the principal caravan routes, and comman: he key | to the natural outlets which Russi: de would seek towards India, Between Tashkend and the | lormer extreme military station several forts have | been established. The whole of this territory now | forms the Russian province of Turkestan. | PUNISHING THE AMEER OF BOKHARA. | These successes of Russia aroused the jealousy | of the Ameer of Bokhara, He feared the proximity | of Russian civilization and the evil influences | accruing therefrom, for he looked upon it | as the means by which his own people | might ve contaminated and induced to revolt | from bis authority. Reports were current at Con- | stamtinople in the beginning of last year that the | Ameer, in conjunction with the chiets of Khokand and Khiva, had entered into an alliance, oien- sive and defensive, to obstruct Russia, The Ameer | of Bokhara, it was alleged, had gone even so faras | to send to Stamboul a delegation authorized to | declare the Ameer’s willingness to constitute | himself a vassai of the Sultan, with the implied | offer to make the Khanate tributary to tne Turk- ish Empire. This offer had been cunningly devised by the wily Ameer in the hope of ob- taining material aid from the Porte, The combination, however, was little suited to the tastes of the Russians, and, as Turkish officials are very communicative when trankness suits their interest, it was doly reported to St. Petersburg, and consequently the Ameer’s hosiile attitude received a severe check. The as- sumption that, in case of defeat, the Russians would be compelied to fall back on Orenburg, had served a8 @ stimulus to the Ameer’s intentions. Russia would be driven to rely on Orenburg as a base of supplies for her army, and, viewing the enormous distance Intervening, it furnished ele- ments of weakness rather than a position of strength. Relying on this the Ameer of Bokhara became the aggressor, and forgot himself so far as to order the arrest and imprisonment of Russian oMciais who had been sent out for the purpose of regulating the border question. General Tscher- najef peremptorily demanded the release of the and, a8 he met with an obstinate re- The resuit of the campaign was doubtful at the ontset. Finally Russian arms were successful, as those of dis- ciplined troops will always be against the inem- cient weapons of barbarians, and the Ameer was severely chastised at Jedshar, not many miles dis- | tant from Samarcand, General Tachernajef was argue very plausibly that the Qabinet of St | then replaced by General Komanomski, who, how- ¢ | | | | would have no remedy but to continue to assert, with startling tenacity, that the progress made by Russia implies no danger to England; but that, on the contrary, if Russia should be able to supply the far East with her manufactures, taking in return the produce of British India, England, in the end, would | be the gainer, even in case that Russia should be compelled to assume, partly or wholly, a! protectorate over Afghanistan. It is held that two powertul neighbors, both impelled by the in- terests of civilization, must ultimately derive | mutual advantage in the development of mate- rial prosperity. In St. Petersburg the necessity of maintaining a peaceful attitude towards England towards Russia and harbors a beltef that her prog- | ress in Central Asia has tendency to make an | inroad on the commerce of British India it would appear evident that a resort to arms could not fur- — nish a means of settling the question upon a per- manent basis. | But, even assuming that England cou!d suc- , ceed for a while in thwarting the plans | of Russia as the result of a hand-to-hand fignt, it seems perfectly clear that the physical conditions of the contest would be so | egual in character as entirely to exclude the pos- , sibility of doubting im whose hands would ulti- mately rest the balance of power, While England wouki be compelled to rely on her own little isiand a3 a base for operations in case of a war, and necessarily be heid to the risks and perils of the sea, Russia could husband her resources much nearer home and draw supplies frome compara- tively short distances, A savorite argument at St. Petersburg holds that the time has gone by for the sword to decide | whether trade shall take this or any other given | road to any market. It is alleged that if British India should find more profit in bartering away the produce of her soil for Russian goods England ibmitt, or otherwise to make efforts in competition with Ragsia, From that process India must ultimately derive corre- | sponding benefits, while it must be supposed that | Engiand bas Indian prosperity at heart, and does not hold that Empire for the mere purpose of money making; a mode of reasoning which reads well on paper, but may not be exactly in accord- ance with iact. For the present Russia bas sum. cient work on her hands in the improvement of communications throughout her vast territory; and, although she has concluded treaties with various princes of Central Asia, still these bonds of friendsnip do not bind the inhabitants o: the | Khanates, who, for the most part, are given to | nomadic habits and lack even the remotest degree | of modern civilization. THE KRASNOWODSK ROUTE. Having given the above outline of the southern route, and as mention has been made of the route via Krasnowodsk, it is necessary to add that the latter station has by no means been entirely aban- doned, Situated on the east coast of the Caspian Sea, in forty degrees north latitude, opposite the cities of Baku and Daghestan, it will become of im- | meciate importance when once the great network | of railways in the Cancasus isjeompleted, Both these cities are situated at a point where the Cas- plan Sea is narrowing. Krasnowodsk is placed in about the same latitude as Samarcand and a little more to the south than Constantinople, It has long been thonght that Russia merely fa- vored the establishment of a settiement at Kras- nowodsk, for the purpose of having a base of Operations in the South, and that Herat was the object of conquest. This belief was founded | on the fact that the route from Krasnowodsk to the Amou Darya offers a great many obstacles to commerce, by reason o. the weary way through the desert. The aificulties of that journey have, | itis alleged, been grossly exaggerated, and that they exist, in point oi fact, only during the hot and dry season. The direct road from Krasnowodsk to | the banks of the Amou Darya comprises a distance | not exceeding 600 versts, and that may be tra- versed by present means in less than twenty days, The entire district on this road bas been explored, and the investigattwns, made by engineers in charge of the protect for constructing a caravan route, show its practicability. In the event of Russia accomplishing the stupendous work ot bringing back that river to the Caspian Sea, there wil) be established an uninterrupted water communication vetween Central Asia and the heart of Russia—that is, with Nijni-Novogorod, the wost important commercia! centre of the Kunpirga | those situated southwest. The entire system has | and could cross the Prussian or Austrian borders | sia has conquered immense tracts of land which | means of an unfriendly character. through the Volga, the Caspian Sea andathe Amou Darya. The opening up of such a route mast ineyitably revolutionize mercantile enterprise with Eastern countries; and once it is successfully achieved,.tne day cannot be far distant when trade with these regions will be fully developed by means of the iron rail, and thas trade will assume a magni- tude little dreamed of in the present day. Indeed, 1t is asserted that the concession for the construc- tion of @ raiiroad through tne Kirghir Steppe has already been granted, and, however chimerical the project may appear, there is no doubt that the execution of that plan ts near at hand. It has been maintained by those who oppose the design of extending Russian commerce w Central Asia, that trade cannot be diverted from the old accustomed channel—namely, the one now running through Tashkend and Khokand, with a terminus at Troitsk. The other way from Orenburg to Khiva Passes througn Bokhara. Either of those routes consume, under the most favorable circumstances, from six to eight weeks, The distance from the Volga through Samara and Orenburg to Tashkend comprises 2,500 versts, while the distance to Troitsk may be taken at 2,800 versts. There are many difficulties to he faced along these roads, stretching ag they do far and wide through arid, waterless tracts of land. On the route to Orenburg there is the Kara-Kum Steppe; on the route to Troitsk the Golodnaja Steppe, sig- nificantly named the ‘Famine Desert.” The cost of transportation over these routes— that is between Moscow and Central Asia—for all ordinary gooas, is computed at from three to four roubles per pud (323, Ibs.) On the other hand, it has been estimated that the trafic via Krasno- wodsk, when properly organized, will not exceed one rouble, or at most one and a half roubies, per pua. Although Khiva has now been taken, it is not surprising to learn that Russia will have to contend with fresh troubles. But she will strain every nerve to remove whatever diMiculties may henceforth stand in her way. The route through Krasnowodsk offers further advantages from its geographical position; the settlement {8 nearer and more attractive to Asiatic commerce. Thus, for instance, the dls- tance from Samarcand to Krasnowodsk comprises only 1,100 versts, while the distance from Samar- cand to any principal station on the northern route exceeds 3,000 versts. It appears tolerably clear, therefore, that, with reference to Afghan- istan and the question of a direct overland route with India, the advantage of having settlements on the Caspian Sea increase immensely. Having established these facts, the importance of the Caspian route is further neightened by the immense pregress which Russia has made in the Caucasus. The ratlroad system of the Russian Empire extends already to Kostoff, on the river Don, Further, the route will be carried via Staw- ropol, Gieswsk and Wladikansk, with a terminus at Tiflis. A second line is destined to con- nect Wiadikansk with the newly created port of Petroffsk, whence a communication is to be opened with the northern part of the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea, terminating in the Peninsula oft Mangushlak and Fort Alexandrofsk. A third route will establish communication between Ros- toff Galendshik, a port which {is accessible throughout the year. But the most important route is the one which connects the Black Sea with the western shore of the Caspian, namely, from Poti to Tiflls, thence to Baku. This road once com- pleted will provide uninterrupted communication by rail between St. Petersburg and the remotest southern point of the Russian Empire, a distance which may approximately be estimated at 1,600 miles. Ten years ago the latter project would have been considered a mere fantastical idea, while at the present day it represents an accom- plished fact. THE RUSSIAN RAILROAD SYSTEM. It may not be out of place to give a skeleton out- Ine of the entire Russian railroad system. The network is divided into two great sections—one comprising the roads running in.a direction trom northwest to southeast; the other one embracing roads connecting the northeastern provinces with been mapped out into immense squares, producing almost the effect of a checker board, while the remotest corners of the empire have thus been brought into connection with each other. The cen tralization has been effected at the second metro- polis of the Russias, namely, Moscow. From that city no less than six different routes radiate in various directions. When the great network is compieted the traveller will be able to go in @ straight line from St. Petersburg to the Crimea, or to the borders of | Persia, while the banks of the river Volga, as well as the base of the Ural Mountains, will be reached | with equal Jacility. The mysteries of the great Empire will then be revealed to the world, and Russia will be more appreciated and better un- derstood when facilities for locomotion afford an opportunity of penetrating into the heart of the country. The Russian government has exercised supreme power on a large scale in mapping out a compre- hensive plan for the construction of roads, and, while taking in the commercial and social inter- ests of the Empire, it embraces a system which in a military point of view bas a tendency to ren- der the country almost invincible. The im- mense advantages resulting theretrom in point of strategy are astounding. An army could be brought into the field from the vicinity of either Moscow or St. Petersburg to any given point, simultaneously on six or seven different roads. If, on the other hana, there should be an invasion of Russian territory, the invading army would find itself exposed at every point to flank move- ments. Russia, in carrying out her commercial mission, does not confine herself to Central Asia, The | progress of development in Eastern Asia is even | of weightier consequence from the fact that Rus- were formerly controlled by the Emperor of China, and that her relations with Cuina are by no The Amoor | River can scarcely be considered the southern boundary of the Russian Empire, since steamers have penetrated the neighboring | rivers into the very heart of Mapchooria, From | Petun-Chotan, one of the principal trading points in these regions, the distance of the boundary line of China proper comprises barely forty miies, | while Pekin is only 100 miles further on. With this , proximity to the Chinese wall, the opportunities for scaling that Celestial defence are coniessedly | extremely tempting. Advancing slowiy and al- ways advancing, and that steadily, Russian prog- fess at length is drawing near to the western | bowMdary of the Chinese Empire. Who can say if hore it may be brought toa sudden check ? To conclude an article which has necessarily ex- tended to ad unusual length, it may pe said that the foregoing facts will furnish an outline or snm- | mary of the greatest case which is now hetore } the world. The reason why Russia did not enter earlier upon the ufopposed career of conquest which is open to her, is that Poland, up to a recent | period, was still moving uneasily in her grasp, | The year 1863 saw that unhappy country writhe, | probably for the last time, under her heel during | this generation. The suppression of the Polish in- | surrection set free the pick of the Russian armies, which were then hurried off by ‘oreed marches to the Caucasus, and a few months afterwards a period was put to the heroic defence of the Cir- cassians under Schamyl, The rocky fastneases of the Caucasus had acted asa bulwark against the Russian advance in the East, and now that bul- wark bas been knocked down. The trade of the world is about te undergo a great change, and merchants who may henceforth desire to carry on commercial transactions with the Eastern Indies and the countries bordering upon them must lake seriously into consideration that they will have to deal with Russian tarifs and Russian institutions, ' | [From the Norwich (Conn.) Balletin.] Several candidates are named for the vacancy caused by Mr. Dawes’ resignation. It would not be surprising to see Mr. Bowles, of the Springfield Republican, nominated oy the independents of Western Massachusetts, aud he would get a great wany votes, | shell. | had already as much as agreed on | Mr, Vance rose, and, in a dignided manuer, stated | echoed the sefitimen' | replies trom all and a redaction of estimates. | and, with all respect to them, they might have | | Lam ready to go in tor the most economic admin- CITY CREDIT REDEEMED. The Tax Levy Finally Passed, with Bedue- tions—Stormy Session Yesterday. GREEN TAKES A BACK SEAT. ‘Vance and Wheeler Carry Every Point Aimed At. TAXATION FOR 1874, 2 One of the grandest defeats on record, which even the great Waterloo pales in extent, was saffered yesterday by the Comptroller in his financial budget for 1874, Messrs. Vance and Wheeler carried every one of the amendments offered to the budget, and which were published in full in Sunday’s HERaLp, although the Mayor and Comptroller strenuously opposed the reduc- tions and increases, A number of statesmen were in consultation with the Comptroller yesterday, among them Messrs. John Kelly, ex-Commissioner James B. Nicholson, William L, Laimbeer, President Com- missioners Charities and Correction, and Mr. Andrews, Assistant Corporation Counsel, tne lat- ter being at Mr. Green’s elbow during the entire afternoon. The designated hour for the meeting of the Board had been fixed on Saturday’s adjournment | for ten o’clock, Patient waiting of two hours brought only two of the members then. Finally, at noon, Mr. Wheeler appeared and announced that he and Mr. Vance would be ready by one o’clock to proceed with the business. No minutes were read to expedite affairs. Mr. Vance offered & resolution to the effect that ‘in the revised estimates provisions be made for armo- ries of the National Guard and expeases relating thereto, the estimates having made no provisions alter April 30, 1874,” and that no appropriation exists therefor, The Comptroiler said’ there did. The Mayor saw no use in “these fying things.” “What is the National Guard?’’ he asked, “Is tt the | whole militia or only a particular regiment?” The Comptroller wanted to know what the gen- tleman wanted before ie voted for the resolution. Mayor—Two months have now goneand some- | thing in this direction must be done. What are the rents of armories and other expenses on that head? [want to respect the opinions of both you gentlemen (iooking to Messrs. Vance and Green). If this appropriation was left out of the budget | there must be some reason for it. Mr. Vance said there was $70,000 appropriated in the last budget, of which $50,000 had been spent. The Comptroller was so tired of talking on this budget that he did not feel like saying anything, unless he ts called upon to make a statement. The unapprepriated $25,000 should cover the contingencies for saiarics, &c,, of armories, &c. Millions have been spent for fittiug up ar- mories and irescoing them. The resolution waa | voted upon, the Mayor and Comptroller opposing. Mr. Vance proposed another resolution to in- sert $30,000 for salaries of Supervisors, which he | said the Consolidation act did not repeal. The Mayor wanted to know how tne Board was to ascertain whether they were entitled thereto. Comptroller—By bei sued. Some of them | have already commenced suits and the others will | follow like a flock of sheep. He, however, excluded Mr. Ottendorfer, who had refused to accept salary even as an Alderman. The resolution was lost by a tie vote. Mr. Vance offered @ third resolution to make provisions lor the Dock Commissioners salaries and expenses, except those for the construction of docks, which the Comptroiler, after reading tho law, said must be provided from the sinking jupd, for which bonds must be issued—and it was lost by the usual tie vote. Mr. Vance then offered the resolution which was to adopt the entire budget as a whole at $31,822,341 79, which proved to be a regular bomb- over Mr. Green said he thought that, as a matter of ordinary courtesy, such @ resolution ought not to be presented to that Board to-day again. They jaturday to ac- cept the budget, and this proceeding now was im- proper. He would therefore offer as a substitute @ motion to adopt his estimate Intact. Mr. Wheeier—I have just received the footing up of the assessment lists, and beg leave to an- nounce that the total amount thereof foots up $1,154,029,176, and, at the rate at which the amended budget is made up, the rate of taxation will be about 2.78, Tne Comptroller desired to withdraw his motion, to which Mr. Vance objected, inasmuch as the mo- | tion for its pt fe had been put. Upor this the or grew very exvited and said tnat he would only put the original muiion, and decided that the ptrolier could witudraw the seme. ott: Vance appealed from the decision of the air. The Comptroller held that his motion had not been seconded. Mr. Vance—The fact of the Chairman laying the question before the House makes him the seconder. ‘The Comptroller said that he thought his motion was, wrong, thereiore he sustained Mr. Vance’s mouon, Mr. Vance thought there was something wrong ne that the Comptroller ‘cannot put him in that ole. ‘The appeal was carried by the usual vote. ‘The Comptrolier did not want the time taken up with parliamentary squabbling. VHE MAYOR EXPLAINS HIS POSITION, As ifsnot from a rocket, His Honor bounced from his chair. Growing purple in his countenance, he flashed looks of indignation at Messrs. Vance and Wheeler. In his eiort to articulate rapidly he dropped his ‘‘ivories.” Finally, in tones akin to | the gentle roar of @ baby lion, he 8.i¢:—It is now time for me tO explain my position. This thing has been going on long enough. The gentlemen | (m_auing Messrs. Vance and Wheeler) have been | trying to foist on the Board their estimates. It ts an insult to myself anu the Comptroller. lam now | determined to vote with tie Comptroller under all | circumstances and throw all responsibiliues on H them. The Comptroller again withdrew his substitute, and the Mayor was avoumto put the question when that “he objected, and would not aliow the Mayor to override all customs of parliamentary rulings which by usage huve become as firm as law.” ‘The Mayor—I will state Mr. Vance’s motion. Mr. Vance—I cannot treat the reflections cast upon Mr. Wheeler and me by the Mayor at this time in the Ferm he here. Mayor HavVemeyer—The President of the Board of Aldermen can have all the satisfaction he wants, here or any other place, and in any way. Mr. Vance—In order to protect my dignity and that of my colleague | now move to adjourn, LET US HAVE PRACK, Grant-like, the Comptroiler, before tne Chairman had time (0 bar the motion, hoped that no such coursé Would be adopied. He hoped, tor the sake of peace, no parliamentary quivbling would take up their time. In apt J tor himseif he but ofthe Mayor. He is willing to make any concessions for the sake of gettin through with the tax Jovy. He wanted the Boar to iook at the whole thitg sight, Every man here had a veto. He will go a at Way and give all he can lawiuily and properly, and if the Board ad- journs without completing the estimates it will not be by hs act or & want of concessions. Mayor Havemeyer (toned down considerably) — I have a ew wor 8 to say on the whole matter. [ have been in accord with this Board in some things and notin others. Tne estimates made by us in October would make a@ tax of 3.40. The pe ne finding that large sums were de- | manded, conferred with the geveral departments to reduce expenses. to allow a revision. He also asked the Legislature The Comptroller were ' The gentle- | want to be relieved from all strings, men (meaning Messrs. Vance and Wheeler) wrote | letters also to the departments, and obtained | estimates. 1 don’t want to throw any ob- | stacies in the way. We spent all day Saturday | here voting for some of the amendments offered, called on me or the Comptroller and counselled or consulted with us. I[ have only the public good in view—don't care for one side or the otner, Do mat- ter whom it affects, Instead of proper respect be- ing shown a hew budget was offered, No wonder I have become excited—I was forced into it. If L have used any harsh language I amply apologise, istration and i canuot suspect any head of a de- partment oi dishonesty, We have reached a point where the Comptroller has embodied corrections and alterations made on Saturday, which 1 will vote against, because they have acted without that harmouy aud courtesy due to officials, the ryt ee on the adoping of tae budget minus the amendments was again proposed, when Mr. Green said that the $100,000 struck out of the estiinaves of the Charities and Correction should be restored, Mr. Vance thought by reducing expenses the commission could very well get along. Item Jor item was gone througa with. The amendments offered on Saturday by Mr. Vance | the Comptroller desired to amend, but the usual twin vote deleated the ovject. Ln a fit of despera tion Mr. Gr offered to make the appropriation for the Charities and Correction $960,000 tnstead of $998,915. Lost, Finding all compromise failing the Mayor said;— “lt Messrs, Vance and Wheeler have satisied | To CarraIn _thepwtives \uat Wuex bave WerougWy ¢xvmined the estimates and are compelled to mainsain thetr position, it is no use to on The roller felt compelled to consent to the amendments in order to come to a termination, The reading of the budget was continued to the end, the Comptrolier ‘ing that the opposition did not manifest the ailghraps Apirit of concession. atte easel beer made a brief statement, but it had The Comptroller, in despair, read following letter to the Board:— pee City or Nuw Yorx, Duranturyr . Courraouiai’s Orricm, June 1s” § To tux Bok or Esttuatx anv APFORTioNmEN? :— ‘This is the last oy but we lowed tor on this most important maiter. 6 law, as is ‘well ‘NOWN, pro- vides that itshali be by concurrent vote—that ast understand it, each member of the rd must vote for the estimate, and if any one objects it cannot be carried. it is thus in the power ot either member x.) a detent the aaa of the estimates and 3 taxes for In this state of things it is obvious that o mnst Li je. A budget has been made up by me Presented. Modifications have been proposed by two members the Board. Some have been agreed to Dy a majority o the Board. and some not. I have acceded to such of the amendments as commended themseives at our mee! on Saturday to the judgment of a majority of the Be le though I did not entirely concur in them. hi lance with made for the past three years to have the law so amended as to give the majority of the Board a control- ling power. T'think it not right in prineiple to give toone the to Cone oL ators ahd Ter mien neiog duveloned i ine as la iates in the able the views of my associ Board, while I do not entirely concur in their view: d having acted on the best intormation I can obtain, though [am of opinion that some items are improperly stricken Tam not inclined to use the power of one vote to d a i an estimate so important to the public interests. 1 si therefore, vote for the amendments proposed, becau ssible to get the unanimous assent of see it 1s not Board unless I do so, and I am not willing to allow revised estimates to be defeated, where the differences arg relatively so small, in amount, boing between « rate 277 and 2.75 per o OFT and 219 Der ANDREW. GREEN, Comptroller. The Mayor. Shading that he must either vote with Messrs. Vance and Wheeler and continue the dead lock, decided finally to vote for the budget aa amended, and the result would be that the old tax levy, which continued taxation at 3.40, remained in force, On the strength of this sine qua non the Comptroller came to the same resolve, and at halt-past seven o’clock, the budget for 1874, amounting © $31,822,391 79, was adopted by the ful vote of the Board. Messrs. Vance and Wheeler stood like adamant for the rights and interests of the people through- out the entire contest of perfecting this year’s tax levy. They have shown themselves Trojans in the cause of reform, and by their sturdy votes and herculean labors have reduced taxation in thie city from 3,40 to 276, a sufficient difference only too plainly dea to everybody. No one would have believed that they possessed courage enough to oppose the Comptroiler, but they had bim com- Pietely at bay and conquered without making a single concession, Betore adjourning Mr. Vance offered a resolu- tion to instruct the Secretary to write to and ob tain a statement from the Commisstoners of Docks regarding their expenditures, which was adopted; also a resolution requesting departments to send in their estimates for 1875 by or before th 1st of September, which was laid over. The Bos shee took a recess until twelve o’clock nooon to- ay. ‘Thus closed one of the most important sessions affecting New York finances that nas ever been known tn thiscity, and with such glorious resuite. in regard to a statement made by Mr. Vance op Saturday in regard to the Park Commissioners, ha is maue to say that “it was the most corrupt and extravagant.’? Mr. Vance states that he inadvert- ently made the first assertion in the heat of aebate. He does not impute any corruption to the depart- ment, whereas he does extravagance. BOARD OF ASSISTANT ALDERMEN, ‘Thus far Old Sol has had no effect on the ardos of the junior branch of the Common Council, and since the summer solstice set in they have met regularly every Monday, except a week ago, when they adjourned in a hurry to give the overworked legislators an opportunity to participate in the Harlem River regatta, Yesterday, notwithstand- ing the great heat, this Board held agession. Mr. Strack presided. One of his first efforts, after having called the Boaid to order, was to make the announcement that henceforti no one, except those who are privileged members and the press, | Would be allowed inside tne railings of the Cham. ber, in order to break up the pernicious system of lobbying. ‘The “dog ordinance,” as amended by the Board of Aldermen, was concurred in, A resolution to amend the ordinance relating te railroad and steamboat runners wearing badges, by striking Out the words “railroad and steam- boat,” was reierred to the Committee on Ordi- ances, i Some routine business was transacted; but ne general orders involving city improvements were passed, aiter which the Board adjourned until the igth prox. FOUBTH OF JULY. Police Preparatio: e Celebration, The following general issued yesterday by Superintendent Matsell the police force ip relation to fireworks on the Fourth of July:— OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF POLICE oF THR O:TY OF NEW YoRK, No. 300 MULBERRY STREET, New York, Juve 27, 1874, GENERAL ORDER, NO. 142. , OF PREOINCT:— Upon Saturday, the Fourth of July next, you wif order on duty the whole of your command, cae that poruion of it which may be otherwise spe detailed. You will not excuse any member on thas aay except for sickness. ‘ne mode in which nearly our whole population join in celebrating the Fourth of July peculiarly exposes buildings to RPE Ca from fire, or citizeng to danger by accidental personal ijuries and horses to fright. e number of accidents that usually occur on o£ about tne Fourth of July trom the use of firearms, makes it nec ae th vigorously enforce the ordi- dinance prohibitin, the Cetin Ted firearms of any description in the city of New York. The sale or use of dangerous fireworks, such as “snakes,” “chasers,” “douvle-headers,” “Union or Yout America torpedoes,” ts also prohibited by 01 mance and must be prevented. You will therefore inforce these oralnances so as to protect life and limb and preserve the publia peace, by giving instructions to the members of has command for the prompt arrest of every ol- fender. You will also direct the members of your com- mand to arrest any person who maliciously throws torpedoes or ignites Chinese crackers towards pe- destrians or horses, or who in any wise uses tor- pedoesor fire crackers against tne immediate re- monstrance of householders, or who injuriously | uses fireworks in the evening. You will be caretul to regulate your command so as to keep in the station house a sufficient reserve ol men to Meet any sudden emergency that may | occur, either within or without your precinct, and tuis reserve must be kept constantly ready, It is inportant that your telegraph tustrament should be in proper working order and properly attended to by the sergeant in command, GEORGE W. YSELL, Superiatendent. SB Ee i THE AMENITIES OP JOURNALISM, . Delicate Compliment to an Eminent English Author. [From the New York World.] So long since as in 1868 an Englishman who had spent some time in this country a8 @ correspond. ent of the London Times, Mr. Jennings, published. a littie book in London entitled ‘Eighty Years.of Republican Government,” in which he denounced the contempt of home rule and State rights shown in the radical reconstruction laws, and satd, with much emphasis:—‘A settlement of this kind cam never be deemed permanent.” The same writer commented at length upon the violations of the constitution and o; constitutional prinvipies which markea the general policy of tho republican party. “Where are now the safeguards,”’ he observ: “apon which all eminent meéricans who have ever lived chiefly depended for the perms- nence of the Unioa, the integrity of State rignt and the universal obedience to the constitution ? Uniess this course be changed,’’ he went on, government will pass wholly into the hands of un- scrupulous partisans, and even the moral infla~ ence of men of independent character will be lost. ‘The great scholars of the country will be “ovis to abandon the very discussion of politics in de- spair.” Black as Was the night, however, which then, to the eyes of our Britisn visitor, impended over the Republic, he was able to diacern in it @ dawning hope. “At this time,’ he wrote, “we find that they,’’—meaning the ‘great scholars” of America—‘‘have some hope. Iready some of the joremost men are nestly calling attention to the progress the nation is making toward a rule of anarchists, Mr. rtis, the historian of the Constitution, thus appo: to his countrymen in @ contemporary journal, the New York World.” And thereupon be quoted a most excellent, sound and searching criticism of the mad republican policy, from the pen of Mr. Curtis, published in these columns. The hght which Mr. Jennings then hailed with disinterested joy upon the horizon of American affairs is brightening now into vroad day over all the sky, The prociamation now by the demooratia party of the principles o! hard money, iree trade and home raie as the standard under which it means to move upon the enemy’s works, and the response of the people everywhere to that clamation, are bot the incipient fulfilment of alt that such observers tour years ago dared to hope. MR, DISRABLL {From the Irish Times.) Mr. Disraeli is again indisposed, Another attack of gout now prevents his attendance in Parliament or at Downing street. Ou Monday he came dowm to the Honse looking wretchediy ill, and wearing, on much swollen feet, a pair of black cloth slippers. It was preity evident that he ventured owt muott sooner than he ought to have done, and when he returned home, which he did early, leaving the Secretary for War in command at St. Stephen's, he ‘overed that he had made a mistake in disre~ ice of his physicians apd most in-,