RUSSIAN MOVEMENTS IN CENTRAL ASIA.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 76, 19 April 1879, Page 2

RUSSIAN MOVEMENTS IN CENTRAL ASIA.

The I/jndon Globe writes :—" That woll-informed journal, tho Neue Froie l'ressc, reports, on tho authority of a lettur from Turkestan, some very mysterious disappearances in Central A*ia. Somo months ago six great caravans loft the Russian territory en route for Cabul. They were supposed to couvoy merchandise, but for one reason or anothor they wore tcootnpapied by an exceptionally largo nurabor of mon—quit* a regiment in fact, with onch caravan. And, odilor still, moro than half of those multitudinious merchants wero Europeans. Three of those caravms have lately returned minus their freight, and we mny there

for* assume that just at present Afghanistan is very anxious for Russian goods; also, for Russian men it would seem, for five-sixths of the European escorts that accompanied the caravans have not oomo back. Arduous as are the difficulties of the road, we can scarcely imagine that so many of thesa hardy traders perished on the way, and as Afghanistan has quite as large a population as her sterile soil can support, it is somewhat of a problem to account for the disappearance of Umbo guileless travellers. But the fact don not stand by itself to show that Central Asia must be a very treacherous region given to swallowing up its inhabitants by the thousand. Last spring a Russian expedition set out for Bokhara and the Amu Darya—let us imagine for scientific purposes. Some of these adventurous savants have returned, but 'it is not known what has became of the rest.' This is very shocking, and yet there would still seem to remain some great attractions toward the south, for we learn that a steady tide of Muscovite and Slav emigrants is setting in this direction. The Czar ought certainly to interfere at once and prevent his faithful subjects from plunging into the mysterious gulf of a chroniojoarthquake, or whatever the danger may bo, which evidently lies somewhere between the confines of Asiatic Russia, and British India. It would only be commonly humane for the British Government to institute inquiry as to the fate of the missing merchants and scientists. Perhaps they may be in Afghanistan, and if B(>it Twuld well become England, being on suoh friendly terms with Russia as she is, to use the influence she possesses to procure the immedite return of these unhappy men to their native country."