ASIA. 



41 



persons in no manner connected with their al- 

 leged grievances." 



ASIA. The area and population of the dif- 



ferent divisions of Asia were as follows in 

 1877 (see Behm and Wagner, "Bevolkerung 

 der Erde," iv., Gotha, 1877) : 



The war between Russia and Turkey, which 

 occupied the attention of all Europe during 

 1877, was also of great interest to a large part 

 of Asia. At the same time that the Russians 

 entered upon Turkish territory in Europe, they 

 crossed from the Caucasian provinces into 

 Turkish Armenia. Although at first decided- 

 ly successful, they afterward met with several 

 reverses, which forced them to retreat to the 

 border. In October they again began to ad- 

 vance, and in November took the fortress of 

 Kars. This made their campaign in Asia a 

 complete success. (See TURKEY.) 



Besides the vast territories of Russia and 

 Turkey in Asia, the war also affected the en- 

 tire Mohammedan world on that continent. 

 Persia, although not taking an active part in 

 the struggle, was known to sympathize with 



Russia. In Afghanistan, Turkistan, and India 

 the struggle was watched with the greatest 

 interest by the Mohammedan population, and 

 large contributions of money, with expressions 

 of sympathy, were sent to Constantinople. (See 

 MOHAMMEDANS.) 



An event which in its ultimate results may 

 again change the political map of Asia, was 

 the death of the Amir Yakub Beg of Kashga- 

 ria. The Chinese troops having, at the close 

 of 1876, completely subdued the rebellion in 

 Soongaria, after a campaign of ten years, pro- 

 ceeded to attack Yakub Beg in his own terri- 

 tory. In the midst of the campaign he died 

 by an assassin's hand, it is said. (See KASH- 



GARIA.) 



In India, Lord Lytton, in the presence of a 

 vast assembly of native chiefs, proclaimed the 



