“New threat to the Russian business in Trans-Caucausus: Forthcoming sale of Mugan to foreigners”

 Shavrov N.I. Sankt-Petersburg, 1911. Our colonization activity we started not from location in Trans-Caucausus of Russians but from location of foreigners. First of all we located in Trans-Caucausus in 1819 500 families of VurtemBerg Germans from those that were not lucky in their motherland and from those colonists we established colonies in Tbilisi and Elizavetpol governments. Of course, colonists were given the best lands of treasury and provided a number of other privileges. Then after the war in 1826-1828, in the duration of 2 years from 1828 to 1830, we located in Trans-Caucausus more than 40 000 Persians and 84 600 Turkish Armenians and located them on the best lands of states of Elizavetpol and Erivan, where the number of Armenian population was insignificant, the same was observed in Tbilisi, Borchali, Akhaltsikh and Akhalkalaks. For their location more than 200 000 desyatin (541.298 acres with old Russian measures) of state lands and purchased private lands of Muslims for more than 2 millions rubles. Moutaneus part of Elizavetpol state (Nagorniy Karabakh) and shores of Gokchi lake (Sevan) were located with these Armenians.

It is important to note that from 124 000 Armenians officially registered, there were also a great number of in-officially registered. Therefore, the total number of located people significantly exceeded 200 000. After Crimean campaign a certain number of Armenians and they were only not registered people. In period of 1864 to 1876 another strengthened activity on location in Black Sea coast of Armenians and Greeks  that were brought from Small Asia by state and later  by Estonians, Lithuanians and Checks. Newly inhabited were again provided the best lands. Happily being over, the Turkish war of 1877-79 presented us a whole flow of Small Asia inhabitants: in Kars settlement were located about 50 thousand Armenians and about 40 thousand Greeks and immediately empty settlement is filled immediately with foreign inhabitants. Additionally General Ter-Gusakov locates about 35 thousand Turkish Armenians, that are staying with us. After this starts a regular flow of Armenians from Small Asia, that are located with families and separate persons. In still a larger size starts a location of Armenians in the period of 1893-94 during Armenian disorders in Turkey. When in 1897 just appointed Commanding Duke G.S.Golitsin, the number of located was already not 100 thousand as in 1894 but already about 900 thousand. Efforts of Duke Golitsin were not successful – Turks didn’t accept them, and MFA wasn’t enough insistent, and as a result these Armenians were announced those that won’t accept Russian citizenship will be located by force. Of course they all accepted Russian citizenship, and mixed among the Armenians that were located earlier. Example of Armenians of that time wasn’t the only one, as after that period the flow continued and at the moment in only Kars settlement there are about 35 thousand Armenian families that are looking for getting the lands of state. Additionally, a certain number of Aysors, as well as Muslims (to Baku government) were located in our suburbs, but the higher number of immigrants was that of Armenians: from 1 million 300 thousand people/Armenians living at the moment in Trans-Caucausus at the moment don’t refer to original inhabitants and were located by us. The high number of Armenians located during last 13 years is seen from figures below: in 1896 General-Adjutant Sheremetyev in his letter defines the number of Armenians living in Trans-Caucausus: about 900 thousand people but in 1908 their number was 1 million 300 thousand people of both sex and during this period of time they increased about 400 thousand. If to consider natural growth, then it becomes clear that during 13 years 400 thousand people were located. In the figures illegal location and location in Trans-Caucausus of foreigners is indicated as following: about 1000000armenians of both sex, about 17264 polish people of both sex, 20041 checks of both sex, 5561 Lithuanians, 2724 Moldovians, 82043 Greeks, 30890 Jews, 5241 Estonians, 5028 Aysors and total number is 1 147972. Widely having used the wrong information Armenians out of comers with no land occupied a huge area of state lands.