ASIA. 



ing no reply, not even information that the 

 vital 4.30 order had been sent to him ; and 

 generally informing his superior officers that if 

 left to himself without orders he would have 

 to retire at night for food and water, which 

 were not accessible where he was. These re- 

 ports were sent not only frequently but early 

 enough to insure the receipt of orders from 

 General Pope or correct information from 

 McDowell, if they had any to send him. 



ASIA. The area of Asia was estimated in 

 1878 at 17,308,000 square miles, and the total 

 population at about 831,000,000.* (Behrn and 

 Wagner, "Bevolkerung der Erde," vol. v., 

 Gotha, 1878.) 



In Afghanistan, the British armies having 

 after a series of easy victories gained the im- 

 portant positions of Jelalabad and Candahar, 

 and having secured the passes commanding the 

 approaches to Oabool, the representatives of 

 the Indian Government concluded with the 

 Ameer Yakoob Khan, who succeeded the de- 

 ceased Shere Ali, the treaty of Gundamuk. In 

 this convention the jurisdiction of the English 

 over the border territories was recognized, 

 perpetual friendship was declared between 

 England and Afghanistan, and the residence 

 of a representative of the British Government 

 at Cabool was stipulated for. The resident 

 appointed in accordance with the treaty was 

 received at Oabool with ceremonial honor ; 

 but a few weeks afterward a mutiny broke 

 out among the Afghan soldiers, the residency 

 was destroyed, and its principal members were 

 murdered. Another military expedition was 

 dispatched against Cabool, and occupied that 

 capital October 10th, after which the British 

 officers proceeded to restore order and punish 

 the perpetrators of the outrages against the 

 late residents. In consequence of this occupa- 

 tion, Yakoob Khan declared his abdication as 

 Ameer of Afghanistan, and General Koberts 

 issued a proclamation announcing that for the 

 present the administration of the country 

 would remain with the British authorities. 

 (See AFGHANISTAN.) 



Throughout the year the British Govern- 

 ment was on the verge of another war with 

 the young King of Burmah. This King, who 

 succeeded his father in October, 1878, proved 

 to be one of the worst tyrants the Asiatic 

 countries have known during the present cen- 

 tury, and seemed to be under the influence of 

 a war party which inflamed him against the 

 British. A claim laid by the King to the East 

 Karennee country, which was disputed by 

 England, greatly strained the relations between 

 the two countries, and in October the British 

 Resident at Mandalay left the country. In 

 November the King of Burmah sent a special 

 envoy to the Viceroy of India. (See BDE- 

 'MAH.) 



While the progress of the British arms in 



* For a detailed account of the area and population of the 

 divisions and subdivisions of Asia see "Annual Cyclopaedia" 

 for 1878, article Asia. 



Afghanistan was watched with great interest 

 and considerable jealousy in Russia, a new 

 Russian expedition against the Tekke Turco- 

 mans created some uneasiness in England. 

 The expedition advanced in the direction of 

 Merv, a place which many English statesmen 

 would prevent Russia from occupying even at 

 a risk of war. The Russian Government de- 

 nied that the direct object of the expedition 

 was the occupation of Merv ; it was, however, 

 generally understood that the expedition might 

 ultimately lead to this result. For the present, 

 the utter failure of the Russian army prevented 

 a serious complication between England and 

 Russia; but, as the attempt will be renewed 

 next year, the danger of a collision is by no 

 means averted. This further advance of the 

 Russian armies, and the consolidation under 

 Russian rule of the territories which have of 

 late been annexed or may be hereafter an- 

 nexed, will be greatly promoted by the build- 

 ing of a Central Asian railroad, which is con- 

 templated for the near future, and by other 

 works of material improvement which are 

 pushed forward by the Russians. (See RUS- 

 SIA.) 



The rule of the Chinese Government in 

 Kashgaria has been fully reestablished, and 

 Russia has been prevailed upon to consent to a 

 restoration of Kulja, which was occupied by 

 the Russians eight years ago in consequence of 

 the disorders prevailing among the Moham- 

 medans there. The influence of the Chinese 

 Government in many of the small neighboring 

 countries, like Burmah and Nepaul, seems to 

 be on the increase, but the Government was 

 again harassed in 1879 by several rebellions. 

 (See CHINA.) 



The entire incorporation of the Loochoo 

 Islands with the Japanese Empire has strained 

 the relations between Japan and China, as the 

 Government of the latter country has never 

 abandoned its claim to the islands. In dis- 

 cussing the controversy, the native papers of 

 Japan glory in the progress they have made in 

 civilization. (See JAPAN.) 



Toward the close of the year the relations 

 between England and Turkey assumed an un- 

 friendly character, because the Government 

 of Turkey, in the opinion of the English Gov- 

 ernment, had failed to carry out in Aaia Minor 

 those reforms which were stipulated for in the 

 Berlin Treaty. In the beginning of November 

 the British Mediterranean fleet was ordered to 

 enter Turkish waters, and Sir A. Layard, in 

 reply to inquiries from the Turkish Govern- 

 ment, stated that his Government could not 

 tolerate any further delay in the execution of 

 the reforms promised m Asia Minor. The 

 Turkish Government yielded to these represen- 

 tations, and promised to carry out the reforms. 

 (See TURKEY.) 



The religious complexion of Asia appears to 

 be approaching a considerable change. Mo- 

 hammedanism, which has been in inodern 

 times the most progressive of the Asiatic re- 



