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Article TRANSCAUCASIA. ← Page 7 of 11 →
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Transcaucasia.
extending beyond the limits of any one of the present nations . From this it appears highly probable that these great national Avorks Avere planned and executed under a single despotic dominion , dating perhaps from the great monarchies of Assyria , Persia , and Media . Persia , Ave knoAA , Avas at an early epoch celebrated for the extent and scientific construction of its
canals . The account Avhich Baron Haxthausen gives of the Russian army in these provinces is peculiarly interesting at the present moment : Ave give a few extracts : — " Tho Russian army in Transcaucasia , independent of that division opposed to the mountaineers , has a different position from that in Russia
Proper . For many years past it has been merely an army occupying a conquered country . The entire administration is upon a military footing ; the country groans under this system , but the army , and especially the officers , adhere to it resolutely , their interest being implicated in its maintenance . " The position and life of the Russian army here resembles that of tho Roman legions , stationed in tho frontier countries and exposed to the incursive attacks of their enemies . The soldiers are early trained to every
kind of labour , especially of a rural description , and mostly for the benefit of the officers . The emperor , on being informed of the abuses which had arisen from this system , has in many instances in person abolished and punished them with inflexible severity . " I found here , as well as in the "military colonies , companies of workmen in the regiments . In consequence of the great dearth of artisans , the soldiers are employed in all kinds of handicraft . The proceeds of all sales are paid into the regimental chestwhich is under the immediate
, control of the soldiers . The chief portion of each man ' s earnings is given lo himself , and the rest goes to the support of his comrades . Soldiers after having served their time , have thus returned to their homes with as much as a thousand roubles . Nowhere are the Russian soldiers less harassed Avith drill than here . Marriage is not only allowed , but even encouraged among them , and the married men are the best off , their wives being able to earn much by washingsewing & cwhich all into the
, , , goes regimental chest . The married soldiers seldom return to their homes , but generally settle in these colonies , which are praised as models of order and prosperity : each regiment has its own , in which the men belonging to it , on receiving their discharge , have the option of settling . The soldier Avho settles here may claim , if he has a wife and children in his own country , to have them brought hither at the public expense : his brothers and sisters are also allowed the same privilege . "
The folloAving anecdote of the capture of the fortress of Akhalzik , in the Avar of 1828 , shows the spirit of bravery Avhich animated the Turks , and which they equally exhibit in the present struggle for their independence : — " The advanced guard of the Russian army reached the little Turkish fortress of Akalkalaki ; the fortifications were bad and untenable : the garrison consisted of a thousand men , Avith fourteen cannon . As the Russians advanced there Avas a deathlike silence . Two staff-officers , with two Russian trumpeters , rode forward , and an interpreter summoned the-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Transcaucasia.
extending beyond the limits of any one of the present nations . From this it appears highly probable that these great national Avorks Avere planned and executed under a single despotic dominion , dating perhaps from the great monarchies of Assyria , Persia , and Media . Persia , Ave knoAA , Avas at an early epoch celebrated for the extent and scientific construction of its
canals . The account Avhich Baron Haxthausen gives of the Russian army in these provinces is peculiarly interesting at the present moment : Ave give a few extracts : — " Tho Russian army in Transcaucasia , independent of that division opposed to the mountaineers , has a different position from that in Russia
Proper . For many years past it has been merely an army occupying a conquered country . The entire administration is upon a military footing ; the country groans under this system , but the army , and especially the officers , adhere to it resolutely , their interest being implicated in its maintenance . " The position and life of the Russian army here resembles that of tho Roman legions , stationed in tho frontier countries and exposed to the incursive attacks of their enemies . The soldiers are early trained to every
kind of labour , especially of a rural description , and mostly for the benefit of the officers . The emperor , on being informed of the abuses which had arisen from this system , has in many instances in person abolished and punished them with inflexible severity . " I found here , as well as in the "military colonies , companies of workmen in the regiments . In consequence of the great dearth of artisans , the soldiers are employed in all kinds of handicraft . The proceeds of all sales are paid into the regimental chestwhich is under the immediate
, control of the soldiers . The chief portion of each man ' s earnings is given lo himself , and the rest goes to the support of his comrades . Soldiers after having served their time , have thus returned to their homes with as much as a thousand roubles . Nowhere are the Russian soldiers less harassed Avith drill than here . Marriage is not only allowed , but even encouraged among them , and the married men are the best off , their wives being able to earn much by washingsewing & cwhich all into the
, , , goes regimental chest . The married soldiers seldom return to their homes , but generally settle in these colonies , which are praised as models of order and prosperity : each regiment has its own , in which the men belonging to it , on receiving their discharge , have the option of settling . The soldier Avho settles here may claim , if he has a wife and children in his own country , to have them brought hither at the public expense : his brothers and sisters are also allowed the same privilege . "
The folloAving anecdote of the capture of the fortress of Akhalzik , in the Avar of 1828 , shows the spirit of bravery Avhich animated the Turks , and which they equally exhibit in the present struggle for their independence : — " The advanced guard of the Russian army reached the little Turkish fortress of Akalkalaki ; the fortifications were bad and untenable : the garrison consisted of a thousand men , Avith fourteen cannon . As the Russians advanced there Avas a deathlike silence . Two staff-officers , with two Russian trumpeters , rode forward , and an interpreter summoned the-