RUSSIA IN ASIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XX, Issue 5631, 29 May 1885, Page 2

RUSSIA IN ASIA.

Mr Wilson secured a largo audience at the Y. M .C. Association rooms last evening, when he lectured on "Russia in Asia." Mr P. Bell occupied the chair, and opened the proceedinga with prayer. The lecturer, by way of preface, dealt briefly with the founder of modern Russia, Peter the Great, and then proceed to show how the Russian Kmpire had extended since his time. Coming down to more modern times he detailed the various conquests made by Ruasia on the Syr Daria from 1863 onwards. Tho annex ition of Kokand, and Gcrtchakoff's assurance in 1864 that no further territory would be annexed, were shown to have been followed by tho conquest of Tashkendin 1865, by the possession of all the territory on the Syr Daria a little later, and by the annexation of Bokhara in 1867. The intrigue with Khiva, by which Bokhara was obtained, was fully dealt with, and the lecturer next proceeded to deal with the conquest of Khiva itself in 1873. Here occasion was taken to show that Kusßia's promise to England that only 4£ battalions would be sent to punish the Khivans for interfering with Russian's caravans, had been deliberately broken, 17,600 men having been sent with the object of conquering the territory, although Russia had assured England that they did not desire to remain there. Copious extracts were given from Burnaby's " Kide to Khiva," and Mr Wilson then went on to show *the steps taken by Russia for securiug the territory between Kars and the Caspian Sea, followed by the acquisition of the country belonging to the Tekes Turcomans. In the latter conquest it was shown that the massacres of helpless women and children by Scobelloff had been atrocious in the extreme. After taking Geokteke, the Russians proceeded to oarakhs, and thus they had secured this territory as a basis for their present operations. The lecturer then dealt with the matter from the Afghan side, detailing in succession the various conquests by England of Cabul and the intrigues and falsities of the successive nil eiR pLced on the throne by England. General Roberts' march on Candahar was next touched on ; the placing of the present Ameer Abdurniham Khan on the throne was oue result of the victories gained them. Although this Ameer was supposed to be loyal to England, the lecturer said that had yet to be proven. Touching on De Lessar'a article in the Pall Mall Gazette on the ethnographical frontier, Mr Wilson read from late copies of the Daily New 8 leaders and correspondence from that journal'srepresentativesatMeshed, showing that in the present matter Russia had acted falsely: It was shown there that after arrangements had been made that the Frontier Delimitation Committee should meet at Puli-Khatum, Russia had actually sent her troops forty miles beyond the place where the Commission was to meet, and the Russian Commissioner had never attended to meet the English Commissioner on this matter. In face of these things, the lecturer asked who was to be believed as to recent matters — Komaroff or Lumsden He believed that Lumsden's account— although not alto* gether full — was correct. In conclusion, he gave a short account of Herat and its fortification, of the relation of Herat to India, and the value of the proposed atrategetic line from Quetta to Candahar and Cabul. The value of India to England was shown by the figures of its trade, and the lecturer concluded by stating that it would be a crying disgrace to England if India were to be given. Colonists, as part of tho English-speaking race, should take an interest in this matter he did not fear that the result of the war, if it came to war, would find England bucocssful. The lecturer was heartily applauded during his speech, and at the close, on the motion of His Worship the Mayor, a vote of thanks was accorded him by acclamation.