Once a Week (magazine)/Series 1/Volume 11/The Circassian exodus
THE CIRCASSIAN EXODUS.
We must go back to a very distant period if we seek a parallel to the flight of the Circassians from their homes to a strange land. From hundreds it increased to thousands, and from thousands to tens of thousands, and then to hundreds of thousands. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe stated at the meeting held at the London Tavern on the 8th of July, that the number of emigrants who had reached Turkish territory exceeded 300,000, and we have good authority for believing that the actual number who have fled from their homes exceeds 400,000; and that, unless the emigration is checked by the news of the sufferings their predecessors have undergone, this number will be still further increased. Anything like precision in the statements made on this point is, however, difficult of attainment; so much so, that we find Mr. Layard stating in the House of Commons, in reply to a question asked by a member of the House, that the estimates varied from 100,000 to 300,000; but he considered the probability was, the real number was about 150,000. Mr. Stevens, our consul at Trebizond, under date the 19th of the same month, says that 25,000 had been landed at Trebizond, and 40,000 at Samsoun; and that 200,000 more were expected, "whom the Russians are said to have insisted should leave their country before the middle of June." The Russians themselves said that the number of those who emigrated in March was 30,000, and that by the end of April there would be upwards of 100,000 more ranged at different points along the Russian coast between Anapa and Sotcha. The report to the Board of Health at Constantinople made by their officer, states that he found at Samsoun between 80,000 and 90,000 emigrants in the town and the encampments, who occupied every place where they could obtain the slightest shelter, and that in a few days this number would be doubled. This, be it remembered, referred to Samsoun alone, and there were sundry other places where they were stationed.
To transport such a multitude as this from Russian to Turkish territory would, under the best system, have been a work of great difficulty, and required a large number of trans ports; whereas the means at the disposal of the Turkish government were very limited. In addition to the transports they were able to engage for this purpose, they sent some vessels of war, which the Russian government permitted to come to their coast for the purpose, on the condition that they left their armament in Turkey. Lord Napier, in his despatch to Earl Russell, said that the Grand Duke Michael had asked and received authority to call to his assistance all the Russian vessels of war in the Black Sea, and as many merchant vessels as could be disposed of, for this duty, so as to provide better means of transport for those who were still bent on leaving the country. This information was derived from the Russian Government in St. Peters burg; but the Invalide Russe goes beyond this, and says that the Russian Government had sent several vessels of war and transports, and also several private steamers it had chartered for the purpose. Besides which, it had given every encouragement to shipowners of all countries to send vessels to aid in the transportation of the emigrants to Turkish territory. Our Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs is again in collision with the Russian announcements. He says that Russia con fined its assistance in tins matter to sending four transports. The English Government likewise sent transports; but there is no doubt that all the means of conveyance employed were insufficient to remove them with the expedition desirable, or with a due regard to sanitary considerations; indeed some of these vessels became mere floating pest-houses.
It will enable us to form a better idea of the fearful mortality among these poor creatures, if we refer to what was the state of matters as described by our consul at Trebizond, in his despatches to Earl Russell, written in February last: " The quarters in the vicinity of the cemeteries are rendered uninhabitable owing to the careless manner in which the dead are buried, and the offensive consequences thereof; and whole families are abandoning their dwellings. The chief aqueduct which feeds the fountains of the town is tainted, a Circassian corpse having been found floating therein a few days ago. The streets and squares are in a wretched filthy condition, provisions are getting scarce and dear, and fuel is completely wanting, all which augments the misery, and tends to the spread of disease."
A recently published letter states the number of deaths to be 600 daily. To aggravate the miseries of disease, that of want of food, even of bread, was added; the fear of catching the disease causing the bakers to close their shops and fly from the pest-stricken town. The same dread caused all who were able among the in habitants to do likewise; and some of those who could not leave the place, laid in a stock of pro visions and shut themselves up as in a prison. Among the diseases which swept them off were small-pox, typhus fever, and dysentery. The account given by Dr. Barozzi in his report to the Board of Health at Constantinople of the state of things in this respect which he found at Samsoun at about the same time, is the most revolting that can be imagined, and more than confirms Mr. Stevens' statements. From the description he gives, we are led to believe that the emigrants are of an indolent character, and have no regard for cleanliness.
We must make great allowance for the acts of people brought to death's door by starvation; and it is scarcely to be wondered at, that, under such circumstances, they should conceal the bodies of those who had died, for the purpose of continuing to draw the scanty rations allowed to each individual a few days longer. For this, disgusting and dangerous as it was when the corpse was kept concealed in the tent among the living for days and days after it ought to have been underground, we can find some excuse; but there is a total absence of every feeling of decency and respect for the dead shown in the fact, that they rooted out the bodies of those who were buried for the sake of getting possession of the piece of calico which served as their shroud. They did not even take the trouble to put the bodies back into the holes from whence they had taken them, but left them exposed in the open fields. That fathers and mothers should have endeavoured to mitigate their own sufferings by the sale of their children, is only what might have been expected, considering that we have always been led to believe that it is from this source that the markets of the East are chiefly supplied; but if ever there was an excuse to be found for such conduct, it is in the present instance. Moreover, it was an act of mercy to the children, who were thereby saved from the privations to which their parents were subjected. To feed such an immense multitude as this day after day would exceed the resources of almost any nation. The Sultan has acted with great liberality, for out of his private purse he is said to have contributed 60,000l. Our Government sent them 600 tons of biscuit; and no doubt if this act were repeated again and again, public opinion would sanction this irregular appropriation of our stores; though, considering the sympathy expressed for the victims of Russian policy, the British public has not displayed its usual liberality.
On the 27th of May it was announced that a committee had been formed, consisting of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, Lord Shaftesbury, the Marquis Clanricarde, Mr. Oliphant, and several others, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions in aid of the Circassian exiles, and 2000l. have been sent already.
The disposal of such a vast number must necessarily be a work of time and extreme difficulty. A small number have been sent to serve with the Turkish troops in Syria; and a report was prevalent on the Continent that a convention had been signed between France and Turkey, according to which from 25,000 to 30,000 men were to be sent off straight to Algeria.
This statement has not been confirmed, and is indeed a very improbable one. It is not to be supposed that Turkey would enter into an engagement which would burden her with a multitude of helpless paupers; unless, indeed, the agreement provided that these men should be accompanied by their families; on this point, however, the continental journals are silent. A portion of the emigrants were billeted upon Turkish families, in the proportion of one Circassian family to four Turkish families.
This is naturally regarded by Sir Henry Bulwer as a most unsatisfactory arrangement; it is cheap, and that is all that can be said in favour of it; to the poor Turks it is intolerably oppressive. Forty thousand were sent to the shores of the Danube; but of these not less than six thousand are said to have died within three weeks, and the survivors are many of them absolutely destitute of covering, and almost starved to death.
The plan which Sir Henry Bulwer proposes is to settle the Circassians in the country which extends from the Black Sea towards Erzeroom; to hold it by a kind of military tenure. This plan he considers would be doubly beneficial—it would relieve the native agricultural population from a great part of the drain made upon them by the demands of the army, and would furnish the means of carrying out a work of great importance to the future prosperity of Turkey.
The work to which Sir Henry here refers is the construction of a road from Trebizond to Erzeroom. It is by this route that the commerce between the port of Trebizond and Central Asia, Armenia, and Persia is carried on; and anything more detestable can hardly be imagined. Supposing a good road to be made in accordance with our ambassador's suggestion, the increase of traffic would be prodigious; and no doubt would greatly increase our imports of manufactured goods into the countries it would traverse. Of course this proposition has been received by a portion of the foreign press as another instance of the far-sighted selfish policy of England, which not only looks forward to an increase of her trade which would result from its adoption, but to increased employment for her shipping, most of the commerce of the port with foreign countries being carried on in British ships. It is however constrained to admit that British selfishness is on this occasion in accordance with the interests of a very large number of people.
There is another consideration in connection Page:Once a Week Jun to Dec 1864.pdf/320 Page:Once a Week Jun to Dec 1864.pdf/321 one of unmitigated satisfaction. In an order of the day issued by the Grand Duke Michael Nicolaïévitch, Commandor-in-chief of the Army of the Caucasus, he says,—
"Soldiers of the Caucasian Army.—It is with sentiments of sincere pleasure, and of high esteem for your valour, that I congratulate you on the conquest of the Western Caucasus, and the termination of Caucasian warfare. By
your intrepidity in battle, the unexampled endurance of fatigue and excessive privations, you have rendered an immense service to the sovereign and the country; neither the savage horrors of inaccessible mountain dens, nor the desperate resistance of their inhabitants, neither biting cold nor torrid heat, nothing has been able to resist your progress; during long years you have surmounted all without being discouraged, and you have attained the goal, in marking every stage with your sweat and blood.
"Let thanks be rendered to the All-Powerful, who has crowned your efforts! Glory and gratitude of the country to you, the conquerors of the Caucasus! Eternal honour to the memory of your fallen comrades at this happy and solemn moment!
(Signed) The Commander-in-chief of the Army of the Caucasus, Grand Master of the Artillery.
The Emperor sent Orders to the Grand Duke and those principally concerned in carrying out the military operations; a gold sabre, enriched with diamonds, with the inscription, "For having three times crossed the principal chain of the Caucasus," falling to the lot of General Grabbe. A similar token of his acknowledgment was sent by the Emperor to the Grand Duke Michael's predecessor, Prince Alexander Bariatiusky, together with an autograph letter thanking him for the services he had rendered in planning the scheme which had been successful in terminating a bloody war that had raged for a century and a half.
A grand religious celebration took place at Tiflis on the 21st of June, for the purpose of thanking the Almighty for crowning their efforts with victory. The principal functionaries took advantage of the opportunity to present their congratulations to the Grand Duke; the mayor presenting, in addition, a carved antique cross of cypress wood, containing relics of St. George the Martyr. After the termination of the religious service a solemn procession started from the Sion Cathedral to the tent prepared for the celebration of the Te Deum. This procession consisted of the Exarch of Georgia and a number of the clergy, preceded by crosses and banners. Before, however, they commenced the thanksgiving, the Exarch delivered a congratulatory address.
At the conclusion of the address, the performance of the Te Deum, and the Grand Duke's reply, all the bells in the city rang out joyful peals, the soldiers shouted, and the artillery shook the town with repeated discharges.
Nor was this the only religious service held to testify the gratitude of the Russians for their victory. At Moscow, St. Petersburg, and elsewhere, similar solemnities were performed, and the most exuberant joy manifested. Thus, while their wretched victims were lying in herds of thousands, poisoning the very air about them with the exhalations from their festering bodies, the Russians were thanking God with more or less sincerity for their successes.
JOHANN ZOFFANY.
TO THE EDITOR OF "ONCE A WEEK."
Sir,—In Part lviii., page 402, of your miscellany, appears an interesting paper regarding the late Johann Zoffany, Esq., R.A., and his productions. In this notice of the great artist's paintings no mention is, however, made of a life-size picture, representing "The Last Supper," presented by him as an altar-piece to St. John's Church, Calcutta, about the year 1795. This painting has deservedly been the admiration of many of our countrymen on visiting the Cathedral for the first time, but having, it is believed, been executed in India, its existence is not, perhaps, known "abroad," and it is with the view of bringing it to the notice of "J. W. A." and your readers at home that I address you. In this picture the calm and serene countenance of our Blessed Lord breaking bread, and the mild and confiding look of his favourite apostle resting on his bosom, contrast in a remarkable manner with the deep-set brows of Judas, and the anxious gaze of the other apostles, the whole pronouncing it to be the work of a master hand. Indeed, it could be said that a list of Sir Johann's productions would be incomplete were this picture to be omitted. Through the carelessness of native workmen the picture sustained some injury when the church was last under repairs, but with the assistance of Mr. Bennett, a local artist of some note, it has been restored to its original appearance.
Yours faithfully,
S. R. W.