KHIVA.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 283, 3 July 1873, Page 7

KHIVA.

An able article in the "Indian Pioneer," describes the country of Khiva, which is now attracting so much attention iv Europe. Russia is now attempting, not for the first time, the conquest of this Eastern land and the punishment of its daring people. Kegarded by itself alone, this expedition would awaken no more interest than the conquest of Ma^dala, and the overturning of the Abyssian dynasty by English arms. But many people believe that through the conquest and occupation of Khiva tbe Muscovites threaten out- Eastern Empire, and, therefore, the progress of Eussian arms in the East is watched with. some measure of anxiety. The article to which we have referred gives the following account of the country :—": — " The kingdom of Khiva, the mest westerly of the three Khanates of Turkestan, consists of two portions, different in all characteristics — the Oasis and the Desert. The old name of tbe country, Kharism — the Chorasniia of the ancients — is applied to both parts. The present name of Khiva is restricted to the Oasis. The Eiver Oxus, some 600 miles from its source in the Hindoo Koosh Mountains, quits the deserts of Bokhara, and turns to the west between 300 and 400 miles in length. . . . The Delta of the Oxus rivals the Delta of the Nile. Khiva is the Egypt of Asia. The branches of the river are connected by an artificial network of canals, and the land is skilfully irrigated and cultivated." This is the Oasis ; but the Desert is very different, and appears to be one of the most wretched countries on which human beings ever settled. Between Khiva proper and Eussia a considerable trade has been carried on for many years. The Khan is a cruel, licentious, bigoted Mohammedan. There can be no doubt that he has wickedly persecuted Eussian subjects and traders, casting many of them into loathsome prisons and seizing their property. " The character ot Said Mohammed Eachim, Khan of Khiva, offers somr noticeable points of resemblance to that of Theodore, whom we overthrew at Magdala. He is rash and violent in counsels, and at the same time very apt to turn suddenly, and in anger, upon those whom he has long trusted." As long as he could safely do so, he defied the power of Eussia, confident that the arid desert?" which lay between his country and the frontier of Eussia presented an insurmountable barrier to the Muscovites reaching him. In this notion he was supported by his ministers. When, however, he learned surely that, notwithstanding the difficulties of the route, the forces of Eussia were slowly but surely converging towards him, in a sudden panic of fear and raere he executed his Prime Minister, threw his uncle into prison, and hurried off the Eussian prisoners whom he had so ill-treated. His reparation for griev-

o'is crimes done came too late, howevci 1 . Itussia not only pougbt to rosi ue her subjects, but to inflict dire punishaient on the man who had so grossly maltreated them. ilio Russians were approaching Khiva from three different routes! Sir Henry Eawlinson has been lecturing to the Eoyal Geographical Society on the question, and according to him : — "The force employed by Eussia consist ot thirty-six companies of infantry, or four and a-half battalions, reckoning a battalion at eight companies — a statement confirming the information supplied by Count Ishouvaloff. Besides these there will be 3,G00 Cossacks, and forty guns ; making a total of not less than 8,000 men. The columns, of course, are unequal in force ; the strongest body will be that under General Kaufmann himself. He, it is said, will endeavor to march about 2,400 men across the desert of Kizil Kum ; while the other parties, in less strength, approach Kbiva, one from the Emba, a second from Aralsk; and the third from Xrasnovodsk, or Tchikishlar, or the A ttrek— probably the latter." It was expected that the three columns would converage near to Khiva about the beginning of May, and it will be seen by a late telegram that the Turkestan detachment had encamped on the frontier of Khiva on April 29, so that its march must have been well timed. Probably we shall hear in a short time of tbe approach of the other two columns. As a mutter of course, we assume that Khiva will be taken. Notwithstanding it is said in our latest telegrams that the Khan was raising a force of 14,000 men, if once a few thousand Eussian troops get within fighting reach of Khiva, the conquest will only bo the work of a few days or hours. The Khivans are said to be brave enough, but they know nothiug of the arts of modern warfare, which Russia has brought to perfection. Ha'f the cavalry are unarmed, and the other half provided with oldfashioned weapons, more ornamental than useful — scimetars, long knives, &c. " About one in ten has a gun, which he is tbe more proud of in that he does not in the least know how to use it effectively. These guns are ancient smooth-bores, furnished at the muzzle with a long spike or fork, which is attached to a hinge, and serves as a rest for the barrel whilst, the wily Khivan is taking his by no means deadly aim at his foe. They can boast of no lock, either percussion or flint ; and the mechanism by which they are discharged is sweetly simple. There is a hole in the breech of the barrel, and there is a hammer with a cavity in that part of it* which descends upon the barrel when the trigger is pulled. Into this cavity is stuffed a slow match, which the Khivan ignites when he has reason to believe that he will shortly be called upon to discharge his piece. The moment for exterminating a traveller arrives, and the ruthless Central Asian pulls his trigger. Down comes the red-hot tinder upon the touchhole, haply exploding the powder, in which case the bullet generally disappears into space, like one of Mr. Winkle's 'fondling' shots ; still more likely producing no effect whatever upon the charge inside the barrel." An army, only a portion of which is thus armed, will have but little chance against the deadly rifle of the expe.rt Muscovite. A hundred Eussian soldiers would mow down a thousand of these poor wretches before they could strike a blow in their own defence. The conquest of Khiva, then, is certain. But what will the Czar do with it ? He has already pledged himself that he will not occupy it ; but it is strongly suspected that the Emperors promise is not worth much. Both the army and the Press in Eussia are demanding that the country when conquered shall be held. The voice of the army goes for much, and the Press is inspired from head-quarters. They who think that the Eussians will do in Khiva what tbe English did in Abyssinia, will probably find themselves mistaken. Eussia iD its progress eastward has never gone back. One conquest has been the stepping-stone to another. If Khiva is conquered — as it is certain to be — it will be held, and there on the borders of Persia and Afghanistan Eussian forts will rise, and Muscovite soldiers will live. It behoves England then, as some of her wisest friends are advising her, to maintain an attitude of vigilance over a Power whose dream for generations has been one of Eastern conquest.

The runs in Marlborougb (says an exchange) are so infested with pigs that pig-hunting has become a regular profession. One of its followers, named Thomas Jones, has a contract extending over the Starborough and Eichmond Brook runs, Awatere, which adjoins the Flaxbourne run. In this pursuit he uses six dogs, and works on foot with no weapon but a short spear, -some six feet long, with a blade of four inches. "With these slight means he succeeded in killing, between 3rd April and 18th May, no le?s than 750 h:;ad of swine, for which he receives at the rate of 6d per tail. Of this num. ber 512 were on the Starborougb, and 231 on Eichmond Brook.