Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/115

EUSSIA'S military strength in central ASIA. 95 racter and integrity of Kolpakoffsky. With his practical experience, his zeal in the service, his energy enabling him to supervise details and to undertake all important matters himself, and his incorruptibility. General Kol- pakoffsky appears to be the very man to restore the Eussian finances in Turkestan, as well as to revive that sense of public duty which appears to have been banished from the bureau of Greneral Kaufmann. In every respect the administration of Semiretchinsk presents a favourable contrast to that of Turkestan, and the credit of this contrast is due exclusively to the talent and moral qualities of Kolpakoffsky. But in one respect the territorial army of Semi- retchinsk is deficient, or rather its actual strength is diminished by the bad qualities of a force which would, if at all efficient, make it one of the most formidable armies in its way in Russian Asia. In various parts of Central Asia there are Cossack settlements. The origin of each of them has been at some past date the compulsory settlement of a body of Cossacks with their families in a district. The Grovernment gives them land, tools, and arms ; in some cases seed, grain, and a stock of implements are added. In return they owe military service to the Grovernment, and are called out at certain periods, more especially when there is an intention to undertake some important expedition. The Cossacks who are settled along the Irtish river in Semipalatinsk are among the most efficient of their class. They are pure Cossacks, taken at various periods from the Ural, Orenburg, and Siberia armies. But the Cossacks of Semiretchinsk are not pure Cos-