Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1348

 1226 RUSSIA: — DEPENDENCIES IN ASIA

The modern State of Bokhara was founded by the Usbegs in the fifteenth century, after the power of the Golden Horde had been crushed by Tamerlane. The dynasty of Manguts, to which the present ruler belongs, dates from the end of the 18th century. Mir Muzaffar-ed-din in 1866 proclaimed a holy war against the Russians, who thereupon invaded his dominions, and forced him to sign a treaty ceding the territory now forming the Russian district of Syr Daria, to consent to the demand for a war indemnity, and to permit Russian trade. In 1873 a further treaty was signed, in virtue of which no foreigner was to be admitted to Bokhara without a Russian passport, and the State became practically a Russian dependency.

Amirs of Bokhara. — Sayid Ameer Hyder, 1799-1826 ; Mir Hussein, 1826; Mir Omir, 1826-27 ; Mirl^asrulla, 1827-60 ; Muzafter-ed-din, 1860-85 ; Amir Sayid Abdul Ahad, 1885-1911.

Area 83,000 square miles, population about ,250,000. Chief towns — Bokhara, about 75,000 ; Karshi, 25,000 ; Khuzar, Shahr-i-Zabz, Hissar, 10,000 ; Charjui, Karakul, Kermine.

The religion is Mahomedan. The Amir is stated to have given 20,000 roubles for the foundation of a school.

The Amir has 11,000 troops, of which 4,000 are quartered in the city. A proportion of the troops are armed with Russian rifles and have been taught the Russian drill.

Bokhara produces corn, fruit, silk, tobacco, cotton, and hemp ; and breeds goats, sheep, horses, and camels. Gold, salt, alum, and sulphur are the chief minerals found in the country.

The yearly imports of green tea, mostly from India, are said to amount to 1,125 tons. The imports from India also include indigo, Dacca muslins, drugs, shawls, and kincobs, Bokhara exports raw silk to India, the quantity exported in one year being estimated at 34 tons. By the treaty of 1873 all merchandise belonging to Russian traders, whether imported or exported, pays a duty of 2^ per cent, ad valorem. No other tax or import duty can he levied on Russiati goods, which are also exempt from all transit duty. The Ameer has forbidden the import of spirituous liquors except for the use of the Russian Embassy.

The Russian Trans-Caspian Railway now runs through Bokhara from Charjui, on theOxus, to a station within a few miles of the capital, and thence to Tashkent ; the distance from Charjui to the Russian frontier station of Katty Kurghan being about 186 miles. There is steam navigation on the Oxus.

There is a telegraph line from Tashkent to Bokhara, the capital.

Russian paper roubles are current everywhere. The Bokhara silver tenga is valued at 5d.

There is a Russian Political Agent at Bokhara.

Books of Reference concerning Bokhara.

Cwrzon (Hon. G.), Russia in Central Asia. 1889. [Contains ample Bibliography]. — Tlie Pamirs and the source of the Oxus. London, 1897.

Le Messurier (Col. A.), From London to Bokhara, 1889. O'Donooan (E.), The Merv Oasis. 2 vols. London, 1889. Olafsen (O.), The Emir of Bokhara and his Country. London, 1911. Vambery, History of Bokhara. London, 1873.