The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-01-31
CENTRAL ASIA
BROKEN INTO
american Explorers Report on
Region Little Known.
INVADE CHINA BY REAR DOOR
BRITISH WILL PENETRaTE TIKI.
BE TAND POSSESS IT.


/ Tbibet never before visited by a white
man. On his way 10 Thibet Mr.. Crosby
skirted Afgbanistan. visited Chinese
Turkestan and later traversed kasn-
mir and the Karakerum route, prob
ably one Of the most difficult used by
human beings, to India. His invesu-
cation developed that China was
| threatened from another quarter. by
I her rear door, and thae an advance by
! Russia and Great Britain in this direc-
/ ton may become as important IN its
| possible results to the Uuited States
as a move Of the European powers
| from the sea. Mr.. Crosby said.
81 left the United States last May.
stopping at St Petersburg TO obtain
| permission to pass through Russian
| Turkestan The Russian authorities
were courteous and gave me letter
Of Introduction to General PetrOvsky,
Russian consul at Kashgar, IN Chinese
Turkestan. 1 took the Trans-Caspian
road to Andijan, its terminus, meeting
on the way there Captain Anginour Of
the French army, WHO Joined me IN
my journey, From Andijan we went
by caravan to Ka5hgar, Chinese
Turkestan.
at this point the caravan Vas re-
organized and started for Thibet, pass
ing through Yarkand and Kotan and
eventually arriving at Polu, al the
base of the Kuenlun mountains. Here
we began to ascend the Thibetan pla-
teau elevations. which range from 10
coo to GOO feet high. We Travelled at
this height for eight weeks, suffering
from the rarified air and cold
Lost in Trackless Waste.
AS we could only carry supplies for
twenty days, we eudeavOred to make
Rudek and Thibet, whence We in
tended to strike toward HASA. IN
fortunately, lost my chrOnometer and
nautical almanac and was unable TO
take observations. We consequently
took q more sOutherly course than de-
sired. II was impossible to correct the
mistake, because the country was
trackless and uninhabited fer hundreds
of miles. We could find no openings
IN the mountain TO Rudek, but we
crossed an unexplored region known as
the White desert.
Our horses died rapidly and we had
but few days supplies left when two
Of our most trusted men were sent on
the last animals able to travel IN
search of aid. They rode 100 miles
before they found anyone. At the end
of eleven days our two men returned
with provisions. The nOmads, who are
like our Indians, refused to go into
Thibet, so there was nothing TO DO
except accompany them TO an inhab-
tied region known as Little Thibet,
which forms part of British Kashmir.
Ny purpose in visiting CENTRAL Asia
was to study the past political racial
questions connected with that region.
did not believe it possible. to reach
L'Hassa except by force or in disguise,
and therefore proposed merely TO so as
far as I could
The British expedition under Colo
mel Younghusband viii be able 10 en-
ter LHassa. The Thibetans cannot
resist Those 1 saw were mild and
peaceful people. governed by priests,
who, so far as we knew, do not in
euleate them with the military spirit,
which is contrary to the precepts of
Buddhism and Lamaism. The result Of
the expedition viii be some form Of
British control. Russia is doing moth
ing to prevent It's success. and I do
not think anything can be done. I do
not believe Russia seriously cOntem-
plated acquiring that country, for If
a natural frontier ever existed to their
empire it certainly lies north Of the
vast deserts and tremendous noun
tains which must be crossed before in
habited Tibet can be reached. Russia
can stand British control of Thibet, be-
cause she viii take Chinese Turkestan
as a seton.
PoDulous and Rich.
THE Inhabited part OF this territory
is rich and popuJous. Three cases con-
tain 1900. 000 persons, who live by r.
rigation. The Russians can and viii
control the commercial situation OF all
this region because of its proximity to
their railroad. Chinese Turkestan IS
still Chinese 10 outward appearances,
having officials appointed from Peking.
etc. but the Russian consul general at
kashgar, who is guarded by sixty Cos
sacks, is the real power to the natives
and Chinese there. Even If they wished
TO do so. which ] doubt, they would be
powerless to resist the Russians. Con-
sui General Petrovsky, while courteous
10 us, seemed TO discourage the appear
ance of any other than Russians and
Chinese in Turkestaa, taking the
ground that the question of Chinese
Turkestan is OF no great Importance TO
the world at large, and that it concerns
merely Russia and India.
The Importance OF the question lies
in the fact that the taking of the ter
ritory OF Tnibet. which is under Chi
nese suzerainty. viii be Remembering
China. The object Of the British is to
make il impossible for the Russians. to
establish themselves in Thibet. and to
90 this effectively they will have to
institute some kind Of control. Never
theless the United States, which is
interested, must turn her attention to
the back Of the empire and keep an
eye there while watching the sea coast
With respect TO Afshanistan, both
the Russians and British recognize its
value as q buffer state and do not
desire to disturb this situation, though
each fears the other may get in the
asCendancy above the ameer."
air. Crosby has been invited to de-
liver lectures before the London and
French geographical societies He VIII
rot return TO New York before the last
Of February.