"مجلد I مذكرات بخصوص بلاد فارس والمنطقة الحدودية الشمالية الغربية. ١٩٠٥." [و‎‎٧‎٨] (٣١٠/١٦٠)

Memorandum of information received during
the month of April 1905, regarding
affairs on and beyond the North-West
Frontier of India.
[Notb.—T his memorandum is based upon reports, the accuracy of
which it is not always possible to guarantee.]
TRANS-CASPIA AND RUSSIAN
TURKESTAN AND THE PAMIRS.
Consul Stevens reports that the decision
of the Russian Government to build a branch
railway line from Charjui along the Oxus to
Termez, is shortly to be carried out. Prince
Viazemsky has been placed in charge of the
work.
A Reuter’s Agency telegram, dated the
28th April, says that the Russian Government
have decided* to construct a railway from
Tomsk to Tashkend.
According to an official Russian announce
ment, the traffic capacity of the Orenburg-
Tashkend Railway at present is two pairs of
passenger and seven pairs of goods trains in
the twenty-four hours.
With reference to the report (see last
Journal) that the Russian Government were
attempting to raise new taxes in Russ 1 an
Turkestan, and to obtain a loan from the Amir
of Bokhara, it is stated by pilgrims that the
Russian officials at Samarkand had announced
an intention to realise three years’ revenue.in
advance to meet the expenses of the war v ith
Japan, but that the demand was generally
refused by the revenue-payers on the score of
their poverty. The same informants say that
subscriptions have been collected from the
public for the families of the Russians killed
in the war, but that the money is not given
willingly. It is also reported that money de
posited by merchants and traders in Russian
Banks has been utilised by Government with
out the consent of the depositors, who, on ap-
plvin^ to withdraw their funds, are told that
their money will be repaid to them out of
Government revenue by instalments extending
over three years.
Information from the same source shows
that the people of Turkestan are at heart
hostile to the Russians ; that they. welcome
news of Russian defeats; but that, owing to the
want of a leader, they are unable to take any
overt action. The sense of insecurity is such,
however, that many Russian officers in
Turkestan have sent their families to Europe
for safety.