680 



ETJSSIA. 



PETERHOF, August] 7, 1866. 

 JUs Majesty the Emperor of Eussia, to the President 



of the United States of America : 

 I have received, from the hands of Mr. Fox, the 

 resolution of the Congress of the United States of 

 America, on the occasion of the providential grace 

 of which I have been the object. That mark of 

 sympathy has moved me sensibly. It is not alone 



Eersonal. It attests once more the sentiments that 

 ind the American nation to that of Russia. The 

 two peoples have no injuries to remember, but only 

 good relations under all circumstances. Proofs of 

 mutual benevolence are added. These cordial rela- 

 tions are as conducive to their interests, as to the 

 good of civilization and humanity, and answer the 

 designs of Divine Providence, whose will is peace 

 and concord among all nations. It gives me a lively 

 pleasure to see these ties constantly strengthened 

 more and more. I have imparted my sentiments to 

 Mr. Fox. I pray you to be my interpreter to Con- 

 gress, and the American people whom it represents. 

 Tell them how much I appreciate, and with me the 

 whole of Russia, the testimonies of friendship they 

 have given me, and how happy I will be to see the 

 American nation grow in strength and prosperity, by 

 the union and constant practice of civil virtues that 

 distinguish it. Accept, at the same time, the assur- 

 ance of the high consideration with which I am your 

 good friend, ALEXANDER. 



The war and progress of Russia in Central 

 Asia continued to attract much attention. The 

 English and Russian accounts widely, and, in 

 some points, irreconcilably differ. The English 

 government in India in September, 1865, sta- 

 tioned several native agents in Cabul, Bokhara, 

 and other places, to obtain trustworthy inform- 

 ation. Two of these agents returned at the 

 close of the year 1866, with information which 

 substantially confirmed the account published 

 by Russia herself of her progress. The main 

 points are these : 



Bokhara was alarmed at the seizure by Russia of a 

 large part of Khokand, to which she laid claim. At 

 tk.e beginning of the year the people were excited by 

 the declaration of a religious war against the Rus- 

 sians in February, and the Ameer put the Russian 

 envoys in Bokhara not only in prison, but in irons. 

 Thereupon General Romanovsky advanced as far as 

 Juzak, where he suffered a defeat. This he subse- 

 quently avenged by a complete victory at Irdjar, and 

 the assault and capture of Khojend. Bokhara sued 

 for peace, and was offered reasonable terms, which 

 were rejected. In October last, accordingly, General 

 Kryjanovsky advanced against Oratippa, a large town 

 to the southwest of Khojend, and took it by storm. 

 The Ameer then fell back on Samercand, but seems 

 to have risked another great battle near Juzak. 



On the operations against Juzak and the sub- 

 sequent events, the following account is given, 

 in the Times, of India : 



The latest authentic intelligence from Russian 

 Turkestan is to the effect that, after the capture of 

 Oratippa, the Russians advanced to Juzak, the scene 

 of General Tcherniayeff's discomfiture last February. 

 They found the city freshly fortified, and defended by 

 the Ameer's best troops. After a five days' siege, 

 this, the last of the King of Bokhara's strongholds 

 in the valley of the Jaxartes, was taken by storm on 

 October 30th. Most of the besieged were killed or 

 taken prisoners few escaped. The Russian trophies 

 were twenty-six flags, fifty-three guns, and a quan- 

 tity of valuable booty ; their loss, one hundred men, 

 including four officers wounded. Shortly afterward 

 the King of Bokhara is said to have implored peace, 

 and General Kryjanovski, the Governor-General of 



Orenburg, considering the king sufficiently clisstiaeo, 

 returned to the headquarters of his government, and 

 on the 26th of November telegraphed to St. Peters- 

 burg as follows : " The province of Turkestan is per- 

 fectly quiet. The war with Bokhara, as far as wo 

 are concerned, is over I hope for long if only the 

 Ameer will not himself renew it. Amicable relations 

 are established with Khokand. Trade is everywhere 

 reopened. A great many caravans are passing from 

 Bokhara and back. The troops ordered temporarily 

 to the province of Turkestan from Western Siberiaj 

 are returning to their former quarters." 



The inhabitants of the large and important 

 city of Tashkend, which had been occupied 

 in 1865 (see ANNUAL CYCLOPAEDIA for 1865, 

 p. 752), petitioned the Russian Government to 

 be permanently incorporated with the Russian 

 empire. Their request was complied with, and 

 on the 9th of September the Aide-de-Camp 

 General Kryjanovsky received the oath of the 

 inhabitants of Tashkend as being subjects of 

 Russia, and, in conformity with the instructions 

 of his Majesty the Emperor, read to them the 

 following proclamation : 



Inhabitants of Tashkend, His Majesty the Em- 

 peror of all the Russias, convinced by your good 

 conduct of the sincerity of the wishes you have ex- 

 pressed on several occasions of being admitted 

 among the subjects of Russia, has deigned to au- 

 thorize me to receive you as Russian subjects if you 

 address me again a request to that effect on my ar- 

 rival at Tashkend. On the very day of my arrival 

 in your town (on the 29th of August), in receiving 

 me according to the Russian custom, with the offer- 

 ing of bread and salt, you have renewed once more 

 in your address the same instant prayer to be admit- 

 ted among the subjects of the White Tsr.r, and to 

 unite for ever Tasbkend with the powerful empire 

 of Russia as an incontestable part of its possessions. 

 With the supreme assent I fulfil your wish, and in 

 the name of his imperial majesty I declare you to be 

 Russian subjects. Henceforth and forever you pass 

 under the powerful sceotre of the Emperor of Rus- 

 sia, and you acquire aft the rights granted to the 

 Mussulman subjects of the empire. Convinced, from 

 your reiterated manifestations, that you have been 

 able to completely appreciate the advantages of the 

 subjection to Russia, who, by leaving you your relig- 

 ion and your customs, protects you e'ntirely against 

 all disorders and vexations from abroad and at home, 

 I am sure that you will conscientiously and eagerly 

 fulfil all your duties of faithful subjects, and there*- 

 fore show yourselves forever worthy of the high 

 sovereign favor which you are honored with this 

 day. 



The Governor-General of Orenburg, Aide-de-Camp 

 General. KRYJANOVSKY. 



TASHKEND, August 27 (September 8). 



This proclamation was read twice in the prin- 

 cipal square of Tashkend, in presence of Gen- 

 eral Kryjanovsky, and a numerous crowd of 

 inhabitants. After the reading of the proclama- 

 tion, the governor-general complimented the 

 people on their being Russian subjects, and then 

 received the oath of allegiance in the megke'me', 

 from all the functionaries of the town of Tash- 

 kend and other towns. Then the inhabitants 

 of Tashkend requested the Aide-de-Camp Gen- 

 eral Kryjanovsky to forward to his Majesty the 

 Emperor the following address: 



Having received with an inmost joy the very 

 gracious proclamation of your excellency, declaring 

 our admission among the subjects of the powerful 



