The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-01

Paris, Feb. Oscar II. Crosby, an
American explorer, has returned from
a trip to Central Asia, where he eN-
plored parts or Turkestan and Tibet |
never before visited by a white man. |
On his way to Tibet, Mr.. Crosby
sllirted AfghaniStan, visited Chinese
Turkestan and, later, traversed Kash- !
mir and the Karakorum caravan
route, probably one of the most diff
f1cult used by human beings, to India
His investigation developed that
China was threatened from another
quarterly her rear door-and that
an advance by Russia and Great
Britain in this direction may become
as important in it's possible results 10
the United States as move OF the
European powers from the sea. Mr..
| Crosby said:
NV purpose was to study the political
and racial questions connected with that
region I did not believe it possible to
reach Lhasa except by force or In dis
guise. and therefore proposed merely to
go as far as 1 could
| The British expedition under Colonel
Younghus band will be able to enter Lhasa.
The Tibetans cannot resist Those
saw were mild and peaceful people, gov
erned by priests. who do not inculcate
them with the military spirit, which Is
contrary to the precepts of Buddhism and
Lamaism. The result Of the expedition
will be some form of British control. Rus
sia Is doing nothing to prevent it's success,
and I do not think anything can be done.
do not believe Russia seriously contem-
plated acquiring tEat country, for II a
natural frontier ever existed to their en-
pire it certainly lies nOs%l Of the vast
deserts and tremendous mountains which
must be crossed before inhabited Tibe,
, can be reached. Russia can stand British
control Of Tibet, because she will take
Chinese Turkestan as a setor.
Would DIsmember China.
7 The inha bited part of this territory |:
rich and popuous. Three cases contain
Y / 500 900 persons who live by irrigation
= The Russians can and will control thu
I commercial situation Of all this region be-
t cause of its proximity to their railroad
e Chinese Turkestan Is still Chinese to tn
outward appearance, having officials ap
i pointed from Picking, etc, but the Russian
Y consul general at Kashgar. who is guard
o ed by sixty Cossacks, Is the real power t
t to natives and Chinese there. Even
a they wished to do so. which I7doubt, the
: would be powerless to resist the Russians
Consul General Petrevsky, while court
- eous to US. seemed to discourage the ap
4. pearance of any other than Russians an
{! Chinese in Turkestan. taking the groun
{ that the question of Chinese Turkestan
} no great importance to the world at larg'
and that it concerns merely Russia an
{ India
{ The Importance of the question lies
} the fact that the taking Of that territor
I or Tibet which is under Chinese SUE
( rainty will be dismembering China. III
{ object Of the British Is to make 1t in
) possible for the Russians to establis
} themselves in Tibet. and to do this effet
lively, they will have to institute SON
( kind of control. Nevertheless the Unite
! States which IS interested, must turn HI
} attention to the back Of the empire an
I keep an eye there while watching the see
{ coast. L. a------ -..c.,.-.-- :,