WfV'FRS'/A ^aF .-.piFrAiim/?.- JITVDjO^ %ojnv}-jo>-^ JNYbUl g 1 bJ . r iiiir».' r^v • 5 ^ f I 3 '^/SBj i iloiA,i il RUSSIA'S RAILWAY ADVANCE CENTRAL ASIA NOTES OF A JOURNEY FROM ST. PETERSBURG TO SAMARKAND GEORGE DOBSON, AUTHOR OF THE LETTERS IN THE " TIMES " ON " THE CENTRAL ASIAN RAILWAY. ILLUSTRATED. LONDON W. H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE AND AT CALCUTTA vX LONDON : PRINTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDER, 70 TO 76, LONG ACRE, W.C. CORRECTIONS. Page ii8 line 3 for 500 read 100 » 189 PREFACE The present volume is the outcome of a journey from St. Petersburg to Samarkand in the spring of 1888, on the occasion of the open- ing of railway communication with the ancient city of Tamerlane, and of a series of letters published in the Times in the autumn of the same year, giving the first English description of the Central Asian Railway. I have been encour- aged to return to the subject in the form of a separate publication by the advice of many readers of my letters, and by the use made of them by other authors. Not more than eight of the following fifteen chapters appeared in the Times, and these have been so completely rewritten, altered and amplified, that they con- tain a large amount of fresh, and, I hope, interesting information. The remaining seven chapters are entirely new, and bring the account of the Transcaspian province down to the pre- sent time. vi Preface. While I have certainly not neglected the political side of the subject and the question of Anglo-Russian relations, I have not written from the exclusively political point of view. It has always seemed to me that prejudice and confusion of ideas about Russia are due in a very great measure to this purely political treat- ment. An impartial book of a general character, such, for instance, as Schuyler's " Turkistan," which in my opinion has not been superseded b)' any subsequent work, may be more useful in helping Englishmen to draw their own poli- tical conclusions than many of the writings of professional politicians and journalists. This merit, at least, I hope, I may claim for the results of my own humble efforts. Such information as I have been able to obtain is from purely Russian and mostly new sources. My best thanks are due to many friends in Russia and the Transcaspian,—to General Annenkoff, Colonel Alikhanoff, Prince Gagarine, Dr. Heyfelder, Mr. Rodzevitch and others, who have kindly furnished me with maps, photographs, and information, and other- wise given their assistance. I believe 1 have been able to follow a some- Preface. vii what new line of interest connecting St. Petersburg with Samarkand, Moscow with India, and the Cossacks with the Turkomans, as Hnks in the chain which binds Russia to Central Asia, and has naturally drawn her onward in that direction. The chapter on trade also offers a new aspect of the subject, which has hitherto been overlooked. I should feel sorry if Russian friends attri- buted anything I may have written to malice or Russophobia. My attachment to their country, and the rule of impartiality which I have always endeavoured to apply to my jour- nalistic duties, ought to be sufficient proof against any such assumption. It would be equally unjust if English readers concluded from my residence in Russia that I have become in the least indifferent to the danger involved in Russia's railway advance into Central Asia. G. DOBSON. St. Petersburg, April, 1890. — CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. Hasty completion and opening of the Central Asian Railway—The first locomotive whistle heard in Samarkand—Climax to the Russian tide of conquest —General Annenkofif's triumph— International in- auguration of the railway—Foreign guests—First Englishman to enter Samarkand by railway—Diffi- culties of obtaining permission — Opposition to Annenkoff's desire to throw open the railway to the general public— Invitation to Professor Vambery can- celled by the Diplomatists—Objections to foreigners, especially Englishmen—Excursions to the Afghan frontier forbidden—Authorization required to visit the railway—Authorities to be applied to—Favours to Frenchmen—Permission granted to few English- men—Many applicants refused — Russia's imitation of the ostrich in the Transcaspian Sands—What she is probably afraid of—Asiatic suspicion of character Russia conquers in Asia by affinity of character as well as by force of arms—Author's application for permission — Necessity for approval of the Governor- General of Turkistan—His semi -independent juris- diction — Strange multiplicity of authorities concerned in granting permission—Telegram to General Rosen- bach— Starting without permission —The most direct routes to the Transcaspian— Projected railways to the Caspian and Persian frontier —— X Contejits. CHAPTER II. MOSCOW AND INDIA. Railway travelling beyond Moscow—Finger-posts pointing to the East—Moscow's connection with the object of my journey—Comparisons between St. Petersburg and Moscow—Nondescript character of Moscow Its commercial influence — It sets the business fashion — .St. Petersburg : Russia's European disguise — Moscow : the heart of Russia, and the mainstay of relations with the East and the Central Asian Rail- way—Prominent commercial importance now given to the Russian railway advance— Englishmen first endeavour to reach India overland through Moscow —Voyage of Richard Chancellor—^Journey of Anthony Jenkinson — Sir John Merrick's negotiations for a transit through Muscovy to India—We incite the Muscovites to independent efforts towards India Peter the Great—Jonas Hanway—Napoleon—Eng- land's abortive attempts to arrest Russia's movements —More reasonable policy— Useless criticism of new Afghan boundaiy—The danger lies in the inherent faults of Asiatic rule in Afghanistan— Russia's complaints of Abdurahman Khan misconstrued England has no control over Afghan Ameer— Baron Jomini's suggestion of a permanent frontier Commis- sion—Would not the Russians step into Afghan Turkistan as they walked into Kuldja ?—^Justifiable opinion that England will never fight over Afghanistan Dangers and uncertainties of North- Eastern frontier Probable repetition of troubles of 1885 if this part neglected— Russian explorers already at work . 23 CHAPTER HI. THE COSSACKS. The most remarkable phenomenon of the Slavonic race Numbers and territories of the Cossacks—Dress and — Contents. xi equipment— Railways through the Cossack provinces — Historical interest and character of the Cossack steppes— Cossack aversion to trees— Reafforestation —Herodotus on the absence of wood— Coal-fields of the Don—Their output— Successful competition of English coal — Coal, wood, and petroleum fuel on Russian railways— Novotcherkask, the modern Cos- sack capital —Starotcherkask, the ancient capital Cossack regalia and charters —English sword of honour presented to a Cossack Ataman—The Cossack in Europe—Cossack colonizers abroad —The Cossack in Asia—Cossacks selected to attack India— Import- ant extension of Cossack territory — Cossack dislike to trade—Cossack administration — Cossack organiza- tion on the Don out of date—Ineffectual attempts to level the Cossacks with the Russians—Turkoman Cossacks — Cossacks of the Kooban and Terek Resemblances between Cossacks and Circassians Russia glides imperceptibly into Asia—No sharp dis- tinctions —A Russian on his experiences in Central Asia — Easy fraternization between Russians and Asiatics—The Cossack an instrument of rapproche- ment—Cossacks and Circassians merge into Turko- mans—Colonel Alikhanoff, remarkable specimen of Russian and Asiatic combined—Absorption of Kal- mucks and Kirghiz by Cossack cavalry— Russia's power of assimilation and coalescence— Carlyle's opinion — Vladikavkaz — Pretentiousness of Russian names—Amiability of Russian railway travellers Annenkoff's invitations and guests. .48 CHAPTER IV. THROUGH THE CAUCASUS TO THE CASPIAN. Sharp interchanges of climate and temperature—Snow- slips and accidents— Rapid posting with a Russian b 2 — xii Contents. PAGE Consul —Lermontofrs dispute between Elburz and Kazbek— False alarm—The Georgian military road —The gorge and pass of Dariel —The Terek—Parting of the waters—Desolate scenery of the northern slopes—Primitive dwellings—The Ossetins— " Moun- tain of tongues " — Ruined towers and castles — Tamara, the Cleopatra of the Caucasus—Kazbek English climbers— Descent into the valley of the Aragua—Beauty of the Transcaucasus—Boast of the Georgians—Towers of refuge —Game—The Koora Illusory notion of the Caucasus being a weak spot in Russia's armour— Similar idea of Armenian frontier —English and Russian influence among the Turkish Armenians — Russia's use of the religious element in conquering the Caucasus—England's contrary policy of assisting the Mohammedans—English mistake in this connection during Crimean War—Overdrawn reports of disaffection during Afghan frontier crisis English hopes of utilizing it, and awkward habit of giving warning—Similar reports of English sympathies among the coast population of Finland —Simply a question of compulsory military service —How settled — Overrated separatist tendencies of "Young Georgia" —The Tsar's visit—Loyalty of the Caucasus— High- way robbery and brigandage—A Circassian Dick Turpin — Circassians running amuck — Unbridled temper of the natives — Insignificant religious antagonism — The Russian's faculty of identifying himself with the Asiatic —Conversation with General Zelennoi— Departure from Tiflis— \'alley of the Koora — Resemblances between the Apsheron peninsula and the Transcaspian — Russified Persians — Arrival at Baku—Taken in charge