constantly engaged in marauding expeditions against the northern Persians. They have desolated the frontier, and the atrocities they commit far exceed anything recorded of the African slave-trade. In 1860, Hanza Mirza, an uncle of the present shah, marched against them, but was defeated in attempting to capture their intrenchments in a marsh. On that occasion, 15,000 Persians and 30 gnus were taken by the Turkomans. In 1863, a more successful expedition proceeded against Saraks, and the guns were recovered. Still the northern routes are in the hands of the Turkomans, more especially that lead ing by the Darnan-i-koh hills; and so late as 1872, reports appeared of Turkomau raids in northern Persia. The south-eastern part of Turkistan has also been the scene of recent strife. The Afghans have invaded it for the recovery of possessions they claimed n. of the Hindu-Kush. In 1850, they took Balkh and Khulm, and in 1859, Kunduz, Badak shan, at the same time submitting to pay a large tribute. The English and Russian gov ernments seem now to recognize the claim of the Afghans to fix their frontier at the Oxus (see debate in house of commons, April 22, 1873). The Russians bid fair soon to absorb all that remains of independent Turkistan. In 1864, they invaded Khokan, and took Tashkend and Khokan. A struggle followed with Bokhara. On May 20, was fought the battle of Irjar, the most important event in the recent history of Turkis tan( The emir had to flee for his life, leaving his camp in the hands of the enemy. Ia 1868, the Russians, 8,000 men, again advanced and crossed the river of Samarkand.
The troops of the emir, 40,000 men, took to flight when they saw the Russians approach with their dreaded artillery, and on June 14 a treaty was concluded, by which Bukhara transferred to Russia Samarkand and all the territory n. and e. of it. Khiva still remained independent in the midst of its deserts. But early in 1873 an expedition in four divisions set out from the Russian frontier posts against Kffiva, which fell in June of that year, after no great resistance. A great part of Khi van territory u. of the Amu Dania was ceded to the conquerors; and after a fierce struggle in 1875 and 1876 with the warlike inhabitants of Khokan, which is now the Russian .province of Perghaua. Russia. formally annexed the whole. The news of the fall of Khiva was welcomed iu this country as a triumph of civilization over barbarism; but the further annexation of Khokan provoked the fear that Russia will go on to annex other territories now in the hands of the Turkomans, including the northern routes to Herat; that she will convert. the Turkomans into a great army of horsemen, under European officers, the most for midable in the world, and prepare for further conquests, threatening alike our commerce. and influence in the east.—See A Journey to the Source of the Oxus, by J. Wood (1872); History of Bokhara, by A. Vambery (1873); Quarterly Review, April, 1873; Schuyler's. Turkistan; and several articles in the Geographical ifagazine of 1875 and 1876.