Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/213

RPSSIA AND PERSIA. 193 the Caspian Sea as the means towards attaining the end he had always in view of forming a mighty empire in the vast border lands of the two continents of Europe and Asia. Therefore he brought imaginary charges against Persia — it is even said that he held her responsible for the acts of the Khan of Khiva, — and when no redress could be given to him he took the matter into his own hands. Mr. P. H. Bruce, an English gentleman who accompanied Peter in this war, says, in his interesting Travels," that the motives which occasioned the Emperor of Russia to undertake this enterprise were the desire of avenging the insults and wrongs which his subjects settled on the shores of the Caspian had suffered, particularly in the plunder of Shamakee, and a desire to succor the King of Persia against the Afghans, who offered important cessions in return for the aid of the Russian monarch." Peter's first object of attack was the important town and harbour of Derbend, situated on the shores of the Caspian. A large portion of the army destined for what was called the war with Persia was conveyed in boats down the rivers Occa and Volga to the Caspian, and thence to Astrakhan. This portion of the army was composed exclusively of infantry, of which there were thirty-three thousand men on board the fleet. Russia has, therefore, had some experience in the conveyance of large bodies of troops upon the Caspian, and that in days when there was no Caspian fleet, and when the merchant vessels plying upon it were much fewer than they are at present. In addition to the infantry a large