Having the official statement of a military engineer with reference
to the Oxus-Hindu-Kush line, as a barrier or base or curtain, we may
pass to the principal approach to Herat from the northwest.
There are four distinct lines by which Russia could move on Herat:
I. From the _Caspian_ base a trans-Caucasian army corps could move
(only with the concurrence and alliance of Persia) by the Mashed
route direct;
II. Or it could move outside Persian territory, from _Chikishliar_
by the Bendessen Pass to Asterabad, and would then have to pass
through Persian territory to Sarakhs, or across the desert to Merv;
III. From the _Tashkend-Bokhara_ base a route exists _via_ Charjui,
the Oxus, direct to Merv; and there is
IV. Also the well-known road by _Balkh_ and Mamiana, direct to
Herat.
Routes III. and IV. having just been discussed, let us look at
Routes I. and II.
Referring to the small outline map of the trans-Caspian region,
herewith, it will be seen that troops could embark from Odessa in
the fleet of merchant steamers available, and, if not molested _en
route_ by hostile cruisers, would reach Batum in from 2 to 3 days,
thence by rail to Baku in 24 hours, another 24 hours through the
Caspian Sea to Krasnovodsk, a transfer in lighters to the landing at
Michaelovsk, and the final rail transportation to the present
terminus of the track beyond Kizil Arvat; this, it is said, will
soon reach Askabad, 310 miles from Herat.
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