Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/67

Rh ward course in the direction of the Caspian, until the limit of their volume was reached. As soon as the spring floods began to subside, the Khan set labourers to work to repair the river bank, and by this time probably two of the rents have been closed. The third, however, on account of its size, will have to remain open until the Russians assist in the work of restoration, and, at any rate, will not be meddled with until it has been examined by the engineers despatched by General Possiet to view the effects of the inundation. In all likelihood the breach will be kept open altogether, the floods having occasioned a material benefit to Khiva in covering the contiguous desert with a convenient waterway (?), which may be ultimately extended to the Caspian. Without any effort on the part of Russia the four hundred and fifty miles of burning desert, treeless and waterless, intervening between Krasnovodsk and Khiva have been reduced to one hundred and sixty, and at a stroke the Oxus has opened up a highway which bids fair to change the fate of Central Asia.

Is the task, then, of bringing the Oxus back to its old Caspian outlet impossible? Must the design be given up as unattainable? Are all the aspirations that have been formed, on the supposition that it could be effected, to be abandoned? Herr Kiepert declares that it is impossible, and that this prospect is a mere delusion and a dream of Slav credulity. He goes on to say that the only reasonable project would be to construct