The Eastern Question

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 29, 1873

The Eastern Question.

VIENNA reports of a very recent date express the opinion which prevails in the Austrian capital with regard to the Russian march in Central Asia, and its consequences, in the following words:

Russia is pursuing her grand aim in Asia at once in a diplomatic, military, ecclesiastical, commercial, and civilizing point of view. A Russian proverb says, “Where date trees thrive not neither thrives Mohammedanism.” There may be some truth in this adage. Be this as it may, Russia’s advances toward Central Asia and toward India excite the liveliest interest in Viennese military and scientific circles. An unintermitted and earnest study is being made of the subject. It is here held that Russia is at present advancing in the direction of Central Asia and India, with the same unflinching perseverance and consistency with which, during a twenty years’ war she not only subjugated, but absolutely annihilated or dispersed the independent peoples of the Caucasus, whose assimilation was found to be impracticable.

Russia’s insatiable love of conquest, her far-sightedness and perseverance, are doubtless of a nature to inspire alarm, while, on the other hand, these characteristics are not the less entitled to a certain degree of admiration. In the same way as miners explore a country in the hope of discovering veins of ore, the Russians scientifically examine and explore those countries which they intend to occupy, and long before the occupation takes place these examinations and explorations are set on foot and continued without ceasing. The country round about, and especially in the southern parts of the Caspian Sea, and between the latter and the sea of Aral, has not only been carefully surveyed, but also leveled. The river valley along the lower Sir-Daria (Jaxartes) is already entirely under the Russian dominion, and as soon as the coal veins presumed to be there are discovered, a steamboat communication to Khiva will forthwith be established also on the Sea of Aral. It is well known that steamers can ascend far up the Amu-Daria (Oxus). One thing is apparently certain, namely, that no known power can stop the spread of Russia’s dominion, and her gradual, but steady advance in Asia as far as the rivers extend, which flow into her inland seas.

These streams touch very nearly the Hindu-Koosh mountains, and here, there are neither geographical nor natural boundaries adapted to the formation of independent States. There is also no possibility of establishing any sort of commodious commercial intercourse between these vast plains and India, while, with the aid of the new lines of communication which are now contemplated, these immense territories will naturally fall into the hands of the Russians. The semi-nomadic Mohammedan inland States in these distant parts, owed their existence chiefly to the simple fact that no one interfered with or menaced them. But now-a-days, in the estimation of these peoples, the Russians are being regarded as the representatives of not only an immensely superior military, but also of a civilizing, power. To this circumstance may be attributed a great portion of the irresistibility of her prestige among them.

— The Sun.