'Précis of correspondence, &c., relating to affairs in Central Asia, Biluchistan, Persia, &c. 1875-77. With appendices.' [‎261v] (527/562)

ever they might send a sufficient force to hold the province in proper order, and that mean
time its revenue was not nearly paying the Russian Government the expenses of occupation.*
Shortly after this I took leave of the Minister; before letting me go, however, he made
me over the following presents from the Emperor:—“ For the Ameer a jewelled watch valued
at Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 3,000, a sword with a jewelled handle, and a telescope, and for myself a watch, two
pistols, a double-barrelled gun, and an embroidered rope. I also received about Rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. 5,000
in cash as an allowance for the defrayment of my personal expenses while in St. Petersburg/"
Among other people the Envoy met at St. Petersburg, he mentions a Mons. Bozilipska,
the Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, whom he talks of in the warmest terms as
being one of the kindest of men. He paid the Envoy several visits, and several times enter
tained him in his own house, when he met Madame Bozilipska, whom he also describes as a
particularly agreeable and pleasant person.
On his leaving St. Petersburg, she gave him a very handsome photographic album with
likenesses of herself and family. Mons. Bozilipska informed the Envoy that he was a great
traveller, having visited the greater part of Europe, Turkey, and also Persia, the language of
the latter country he spoke, the Envoy says, with considerable fluency.
He took much interest in trade, and questioned the Envoy a good deal about the resources
of Eastern Turkestan in this respect, expressing a desire of visiting the country himself with
a view to seeing its capabilities.
The Envoy also met Mr. Eugene Schuyler of the American Embassage to St. Peters
burg. He had just returned from a long journey through Turkestan. The Envoy says that
he spoke with great freedom of what he had seen during his travels, telling him that he
intended to publish a book about them. “ He put me a great many questions;"" the Envov in
describing the interview went on to say “ about the system of land tenure in Central Asia,
saying that the plan the Russian Government wus introducing of State appropriation of the
soil appeared to be giving rise to great discontent in the country, to which I remarked that in
many cases the owners of the soil were not even recognized as tenants, their lands being taken
absolute possession of by Government. On this point I said I was a sufferer myself; some pro
perty in the vicinity of Tashkand which has for years past been in the possession of my family
having been recently illegally confiscated by Government; but that I intended on my way
through Tashkand to bring the matter to the notice of General Kaufmann as I was in a posi
tion to substantiate my claim to the property by the production of title-deeds, but that all the
same I had not much hope of getting justice done me, as General Kaufmann had shown him
self to be a very hard man in his dealings with Muhammadans. To which Mr. Schuyler
replied that he had heard some stories of this kind in Turkestan himself, but that he thought it
likely that matters might improve soon as he had reason to believe that the whole question of
land tenure was about to receive the attention of the Government at St. Petersburg, and
that orders would probably issue putting matters on a better footing’, and restricting the license
local administrators appeared at present to be allowed in the settlement of newly-acquired
districts. He went on to say that he had seen a great many things in connexion with the
Russian rule of the country that have greatly shocked him, and which were quite enough to
account for there being great discontent in the country."" Apropos of which remarks the
Envoy said to me that he was very glad to hear Mr. Schuyler speak like this, for being a dis
interested person he could have no object in making matters worse than they are, so that what
he said to me about the Russian rule should be taken as the truth.
Arrangements for his onward journey having been by this time completed, the Envoy left
St. Petersburg for Moscow 7 on the 5th November 1875. The cold he experienced on the road
he describes as something that even a Yarkund winter could in no way compare with : it was
most intense between Moscow and Orenburg, where the discomforts of the journey rendered
it most trying to endure. Captain Barnaby gives a very good idea of what the cold in this
part of the world must be in the interesting account he has published of his ride to Khiva.
The Envoy this time stayed only one day in Moscow.
Erom Moscow to Sydran, or Sizeran as it is generally written, about 18 hours by rail,
the Envoy describes Sydran as a small town with a mixed population, consisting chiefly of
Russian Cossacks, Noghais, with a sprinkling of traders from Central Asia. The towm is
situated on the Volga, and is the terminal point of the railroad from Moscow, which is, however,
e Envoy says, being laid down beyond the river in the direction of Orenburg, though as
^ , e P * l ’°» iess ^ as b 0611 made towards its completion. The Volga is also being
budged here, but this work must also be in a very unadvanced state.
Schuyler in his luikestau, Vol. II, pp. 188-189, gives the following information about the occupation of “ Hi”:—
Tw at S ,-' i P f te, : sb ’ ir S' w ere not overpleased at the occupation of the new territory. * * * *
1 he Foreign Office immediately informed the Chinese Government of the occupation of the province, and declared
JJZril !: 0 r G t0 / e kV- 0 P lina whenever a sufficient force could be brought there to hold it against attacks and to
remains undec'ided°” U HS ^ n °^ ^ ee11 (bine > an d the question of the permanent occupation of the province still