On this page

• Text (2)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    m ¦ ; ' ¦ . .. ¦ ¦ ¦;¦ ¦ j Jmre 28, 1856...

  • 

    ME. F. O. WARD ON THE RECENT POLLUTION O...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Kussian Policy In W Estern Asia. » Wje M...

    also over Georgia . This favourable occasion waa reserved for Catherine II . The war \ rith Turkey , which terminated with ihe treaty of Kainardji , in 1774 , ceded to Russia the free navigation of the Euxine , together with the passage of the Dardanelles ; confirmed her in the possession of Azof , Taganrog , and Kertch ; acknowledged her sovereignty over the two Kabardas , whpse independence had been guaranteed by the ^ treaty of Belgrade ; and finally declared the Crimea to be a separate and self-existent state

    under the protection of the Czar . Two years afterwards thirty Russian fortresses , extending in a line from the Black Sea to the Caspian , held in check , if not in subjection , the various tribes along the foot of the Caucasus . And five years later a " friendly" expedition was sent into the very iieart of the mountains to explore the country for " scientific" purposes , to draw up maps and plans , and to gain over the chiefs who still held themselves sullenly aloof . The first fruits of this mission was the entire submission of the

    Ossetinians . The progress of events now became more rapid . Russia now began to reap the harvest of the corruption she had scattered so widely abroad . Whenever a district was torn by contending factions raised up by Russian intrigue , a Russian army was marched in to restore tranquillity . This military occupation presently assumed the form of protection , and protection was speedily succeeded by incorporation . A notable instance of this may be pointed out in the annexation of the Crimea . In 1774 the independence of the Crimea was recognised by both the contracting parties to the Treaty of Kainardji , and yet

    Catherine took upon herself to declare that its sovereignty was elective—a custom that had fallen into desuetude for many generations . Intestine commotions , and a revolution were the natural consequences Of the innovation . The reigning Khan fled the country , and Russia called upon the " independent" Tatars to choose a new sovereign . Their choice fell upon Schaghin Geray , who ascended the throne without opposition . But the tranquillity of the Crimea was not the object desired at St . Petersburg . The Khan was therefore instigated to send an envoy to the Turkish

    Pacha commanding in the opposite island of Tarn an , to require him to evacuate his post . The fierce barbarian put the messenger to death . The Tatars flew to arms to avenge the outrage , and a Russian army marched into the peninsula to aid them in vindicating the law of nations . But suddenly these allies seized upon every strong p lace in the country , and reduced the astonished inhabitants before they could organise any system of defence . Some resistance , indeed , was offered , but Prince Poskiewitch speedily enforced a general pacification by immolating 30 , 000 Tatars in cold

    blood , without regard to age or sex . This important conquest gave Russia the command of the Black Sea , and it would be now quite superfluous to dwell upon the necessity of compelling her to retrace her steps if the independence of the Ottoman Empire , including the Caucasian range , is to be established on a firm nnd permanent basis . Almost simultaneously with this monstrous act of treachery Catherine concluded a treaty with Heraclius , Prince of Georgia , by which she guaranteed , to him and bis heirs for ever , his present dominions , toffethor with whatever territories

    might D © acquired by conquest—the sole condition being the recognition of tho suzerainty of Rtissia . And yet Catherine well knew that HeracUus was a feudatory of Persia , and that any aggrandisement of territory effected by Georgia must be at the expense of powers with whom she herself was then on friendly terms . The ratification of this treaty was conveyed to Tiilis by no less a personage than Prince Potemkin , and , by way of ¦** rider" to the bill , a military road was constructed across tho mountains . At tho same time > the petty Prince of Khartli was induced to at the dis

    • oeept » pension and to place his troops - posal of a Russian commandant . il The Georgian prince had been somewhat preinature , however , in renouncing his allegiance to the Shah , for , in 1795 , Aga Mnhommed Khan , having established himself on tho Persian throne , wfl an army in porson to chastise his rebellious JjMjW . Heraclius was dofentcd in battle , and rKflis , being entered by the victorious troops , was Bhren up to pillage . In the following year Gatiherine aent Count Valerian Zubof to tho nid or the Georgians , and Dorbend , Baku , and Shoerfnu . submitted to his arms . The assassination of

    Aga Mahommed at Sheesha put an end to this barbarous warfare , in which both parties disgraced themselves by their atrocities . And the death of Heraclius having left the country a prey to disorder owing to the contentions of his two sons , the Czar Paul issued the ukase of 1800 , which declared Georgia to be an integral portion of the Russian Empire . This ukase was confirmed b y Alexander , who commissioned the indefatigable Zizianof to enforce its execution . This general in several successive campaigns made himself master of Mingrelia , Ganja , Shekee , and Sheesha ,

    until his career was terminated b y the assassin ' s dagger while attending a conference before Badku . A desultory warfare continued from this time until 1814 , when the treaty of Goolistanbrought about through the mediation of the British Minister at Teheran—secured to Russia all her conquests south of the Caucasus , and gave her the exclusive possession of the Caspian Sea . These acquisitions amounted to the whole of Georgia , Imeritia , Mingrelia , with Persian Daghistan , Karabagb , and parts of Moghan and Talish . It must not be supposed , however , that the mountaineers of the Caucasus submitted without

    a struggle to the heavy yoke of their new masters Hormble barbarities were perpetrated on both sides , and their mutual hatred inflamed to the most savage degree . Frequent differences arose likewise between the courts of St . Petersburg and Teheran as to the exact definition of the frontier line ; and in 1825 the Russians seized upon a barren strip of land along the Lake of Sevan , to which they pretended a title by a treaty which had never been ratified . General Yermolof himself acknowledged that Russia had no just claim to the territory in dispute , but contended that it was f or the advantage o f both parties that it should be occupied by Russian outposts , to prevent the chance of a hostile collision .

    On the accession of Nicholas , Prince MentscbikofF was dispatched to Teheran to renew the alliance with Persia . -But as his instructions forbade him to make any concessions , the Moolahs roused the fanaticism of the people and forced the Shah into a disastrous war . The treaty of Turkomanchai , in 1828 , surrendered to Russia the provinces of Erivan and Nakchivan , together with Talish and Moghan—the high road into Ghilan—and gave her the Arras as the southern boundary of the Asiatic possessions . It is even said that Prince

    Paskiewitcb subsequently conceived the daring idea of descending the Euphrates and tlie Tigris from near Erzeroum , and placing the Greek Cross upon the mosques of Bagdad ; but the critical position of the Russian army that had just forced the passes of the Balkan induced the Czar to discountenance the enterprise . The treaty of Adrianople , however , not only saved Diebitch and his handful of troops from certain destruction , but obtained for Russia the ports of Anapa and Poti , the fortresses of Akhaltzik and Akhalhaliki , and a lon ? r tract of land on the eastern shore of

    the Euxine . From that time the mountain warfare lias never ceased . The Russians , indeed , have gradually g ained ground with the loss of twenty ihousand men every year , but the prop het-warrior Schamyl and liis mountaineers have hitherto kept at bay tho vrell-organised armies of tbe Czar . Still , it is evident that the unequal struggle could not have been much longer maintained . The Russians systematically fortified every port , bay , and landing-place along the coast , and thus pre - vented the importation o f arms , ammunition , and 6 alt from the Turkish dominions . Unhappily , too , these men , who struck so boldly for their freedom , are slaves to greed . A bribe will bind , could

    hand and foot , him whom no terrors of death move , and Muscovite gold plays its part in the Caucasus as successfully as did that of Macedon when Greece wns to be enslaved . But it may be hoped that the ilark cloud will pass away , that tho Oamanlis will give the hand to tlioir fellowworshippers in the Caucasus , and that a common faith and a common danger will unite them cordially in this supremo effort to drive back the Cossacks across the Don . Tho Western Powers will assuredly never permit Russia to pluco herself again a cfwval between the Ottoman Empire and Persia . It is vain to purge tho Crimea if n singlo Russian flag bo alldwod to wave in tho Caucasus . From that position

    Russian intrigues will at any time avail to excite hostilities between tho Turks and Persians , already prejudiced against each other by their different views on religious matters , From tho eastern

    coast of the Euxme it will be no more difficult to overawe Constantinople than from SebastopoL The Sea of Azof , too , must be thrown open , and the Caspian Sea restored to Persia , and this kingdom entirely enfranchised from its thraldom to Russia . . England has especial reason to watch with jealous suspicion the movements of Muscovite agents in both Western and Central Asia . The intentions of the Court of St . Petersburg have long been patent to the world , for the insolent defiance of the Muscov Gazette was translated into many tongues ; and it must be remembered that in Russia tbe press can publish no sentiments that are not approved by the Government . The

    menace was couched in these insulting words : "Go on ! go on ! debt-burdened Albion ! Thy hour is not vet come . But be assured that we shall soon teach tnee a lesson at Calcutta . " Thus forewarned , it will be our own fault if we are not also fore-armed . It is from the side of Georgia that Russia weighs most heavily upon Persia . Were the Caucasian range entirely subdued , the Russian army would have a sure base for their military operations to the southward and eastward . With Georgia and tbe Caspian Sea in her possession , the conquest of Persia becomes merely a question of time and opportunity . A rupture , or even a coldness , between France and England would at once embolden the Czar to let loose his hordes

    upon that defenceless kingdom , and its " incorporation" would be achieved before we had advanced beyond the region of protocols . Twenty thousand allied troops would just now suffice to drive the barbarians from the Caucasus , and to relieve Central Asia from the incubus that has so long oppressed it . Once ejected , ages might elapse before they recovered their lost footing . Indeed , it would be well-nigh impossible , unless

    they were again masters of the Euxine . Provident nature seems to have raised up the mountainbarrier of the Caucasus as if to shield the effeminate nations of Asia against the savage hordes that spring from the loins of the populous North . With very slight aid from human science and art , this fabled range might be converted into an inexpugnable line of defence , and the wave of Muscovite ambition be stayed in its onward course and dashed at its foot into idle foam . a > .

    M ¦ ; ' ¦ . .. ¦ ¦ ¦;¦ ¦ J Jmre 28, 1856...

    m ¦ ; ' ¦ . .. ¦ ¦ ¦;¦ ¦ j Jmre 28 , 1856 . ] THE LEA D E R . * 21

    Me. F. O. Ward On The Recent Pollution O...

    ME . F . O . WARD ON THE RECENT POLLUTION OF THE THAMES , ITS CAUSES , AND REMEDY . This all-important question , wliich has absorbed so much of the public attention during the last two ¦ weeks , was the subject of an interesting debate at the Court of Sewers last Tuesday ; when Mr . Ward , in a speech which has been the subject of much misrepresentation , and which we therefore subjoin in extenso , placed in an entirely new point of view the phenomenon observed by Prof . Fabaday ; bringing

    forward observations of his own , and producing samples of water taken by himself from tlie river , in disproof oi th « position taken up by the leading daily press , that the river has permanently degenerated into the loathsome condition so ingeniously measured and so vividly described by the illustrious philosopher . Mr . Hawes having moved : — "That , inconsequence of the unwholesome state of the Thames , by reason of the great annual addition to the number of houses drained into it , it is not expedient to increase the present average annual number , until a system of drainage to conduct the sewage to some point near Barking Creek and Plumstead Marshes can bo carried out . "

    „ An amendment , prepared l > y Mr . Wadb aim Mr . Ward , was moved in the following terms : —" That this Court , while deeply sensible of tho necessity for intercepting the sewage from the Thames , and anxious in every way to promote that object , is not , meanwhile , prepared to stay or discourage the connexion of house drainage with puuac sewers , which would greatly inconvenience the ^ community , endanger the public health , and therefore be highly inexpedient . " , Mr Wade having briefly introduced tho amendment tUa

    , . . . Mr . F . O . Wakd saidthat his object in varying the ^ srr-s : zrttt ~ £ ST . . id « o « r . till the groat intercepting tunnel .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), July 28, 1855, page 13, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28071855/page/13/