Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/72

52 Turcomans — the Yomults and the Chaudor in particular — would rejoice in a river being carried across Kara Kum, and would assist in securing this object so far as they could. The Khivans themselves would not be averse to the change, and whatever reputation they may enjoy for personal valour, they certainly have just claims to be considered admirable labourers and workmen. But perhaps the most favourable supply of labourers for these operations is to be found among the Karakalpaks of the Delta of the Oxus, who have had experience in work of this kind, and are said to be desirous of following a settled life under any tolerable conditions. The labour question has never before prevented a Khivan khan carrying out either his works of construction or of destruction; and it would be strange indeed if Russia, with a wider field to obtain her workpeople from, and with greater influence and more money, should fail where the Usbeg rulers had succeeded. The labour difficulty is evidently not insuperable.

The question of expense is not so easy to be decided off-hand. The advocates of this scheme say that it would cost about fourteen million roubles, and that the period required to carry it out would not be longer than two years. These views may be too sanguine ; but they have been formed by men who have carefully worked the subject out. For that reason they may be considered to be approximate to the truth, even if not