'Military Report on Russian Turkistan or Central Asia' [‎13v] (31/168)

CHAPTER III.
Administration.
Gexeuat. Description—Education—Administrative Divi
sions Tkans-Caspia—Samarkand—Ferghana Syr
Daria Semtreciiia — Khiva—Bokhara—Currency
Weights and Measures.
The governmont of Turkistan is administered by the
Governor-General, whose headquarters are at Tashkend.
The five provinces—Trans-Caspia. Samarkand, I ei phana,
Syr Daria and Semirechia—are administered by military
L'cvernors with extended powers, and are subdivided
into districts in which administrative and police powers
are assigned to district chiefs. Beformed tribunals, but
without juries, Avere introduced in 1898. I he executive
officials are also responsible for the collection of revenue,
the principal source of which is the land-ta>. Iiiipation
has been left in native hands for, though not scientific,
il; is based on the results of long observation, and is on
the whole well adapted to its purpose. A special official
in each village is entrusted with the care of the water
works, and may. in case of necessity, call out the entire
male population for service in connection Avith them.
In Bokhara, still nominally ruled by the Khan, a
Bussian Besident at the capital represents the suzerain
power. Barbarous treatment of prisoners and criminals,
with Avhich the Russians do not interfere, still exists.
The post and telegraph services are in Russian hands.
Lord Curzon remarked, when he A'isiied Central
Asia, in 1888, on the large number of Russian soldiers
observed. This feature is not less marked at the present
day. Comparing the normal peace strength of Russian
troops with the area and population of Turkistan
(including the quasi-independent Khanates of Bokhara
aud Khiva), avc find that there is one Russian soldier
to every 143 inhabitants and to about 12| square miles
of area. The corresponding figures, in the case of
British India, show that there is only one British
soldier to 3,973 inhabitants or to 24 square miles of
area.