The Saint Paul globe., 1904-01-31
CROSBY EXUDES
WISDOM ON TIBET
American Explorer Explains
What British Invasion
Really Signifies.

PARIS, Jan. 30.-Oscar T. Crosby, an
American explorer, has returned to
Paris from a trip to Central Asia,
where he explored parts of Turkestan
and Tibet never before visited by a
white man. On his way to Tibet Mr..
Crosby skirted Afghanistan, visited
Chinese Turkestan, and, later, traversed
Kashmir and the Karakorum caravan
route, probably one of the most diff
cult used by human beings, to India
His investigation developed that China
was threatened from another quarter
by her rear door-and that an advance
by Russia and Great Britain In this di-
rectfon may become as important in its
possible results to the United States as
a move of the European powers from
the sea. Mr.. Crosby said:
left the United States last May
stopping at st. Petersburg to obtain per-
mission to pass through Russian Turke-
stan. The Russian authorities were cour-
teous and gave me letter of introduce
tion to Gen. Petrovsky, Russian consul at
kashgar.. in Chinese Turkestan. I took
the trans Caspian road to Andijan, its
terminus, meeting On the way there Capt.
ed me in my Journey From Andijan we
went by caravan to Kashgar, Chinese
Turkestan. At this point the caravan was
reorganized and started for Tibet pass
ing through Yarkand and Kotan and
eventually arriving at Polu, at the base
of the Kuenlun mountains.
Breathe Rarified Air.
"Here we began to ascend the Tibetan
plateau elevations, which range from 49,
900 to $4,000 feet high. We Travelled at this
height for eight weeks, suffering from the
rarified air and cold. AS we could carry
supplies for only twenty days we endeav-
ored to make Rudek, in Tibet, whence we
intended to strike toward Lhassa. Unfor-
tunately / lost my chronometer and nau-
tical almanac and was unable to take OBJ
servations. We consequently took a more
southerly course than desired.
1t was impossible to correct the mis-
take because the country was trackleSS
and uninhabited for 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 ami
mails 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 camels and provisions. The
Nomads, who are like our Indians, re-
fused to got into Tibet, so there was
nothing to do except accompany them to
an uninhabited region known as Little
Tibet which forms part of British Kash-
mir.
MY purpose in visiting Central Asia
was to study the past political and racial
questions connected with that region. l
did not believe 1t possible to reach Lhassa
except by force or in disguise, and there
fore proposed merely to go as far as
could.
Can't Resist the British.
1.-THE British expedition under Col.
Younghusband will be able to enter
Lhassa The Tibetans cannot resist Those
saw were mild and peaceful people, gov
erned by priests, who, so far as we know,
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 Brit
ish control.
Russia is doing nothing to prevent Its
success, and I do not think anything can
be done. / do not believe Russia seriously
contemplated acquiring that country, for
If natural frontier ever existed to their
empire, it certainly lies north of the vast
deserts and tremendous mountains which
must De crossed UelOI0 llludDllcu iipSI
can be reached. Russia can stand British
control of Tibet, because she will take
Chinese Turkestan as a setoff. The In
habited part of this territory is rich and
populous Three GASES contain 100000
persons, who live by irrigation.
'The Russians can and will control the
commercial situation of all this region be-
cause of it's proximity to their railroad.
Chinese Turkestan is still Chinese to the
outward appearance having officials ap-
pointed from Pekin, ETC., but the Rus
sian consul general at Kashgar, who is
guarded by sixty Cossacks, is the real
power to the natives and Chinese there.
Even If they wished to do so, which !
doubt, they would be powsrless to resist
the Russians. Consul General Petrovsky,
while courteous to us, seemed to dis
courage the appearance of any other than
Russians and Chinese in Turkestan, TAX
ing the ground that the question of Chi
nese Turkestan is no great Importance
to the world at large, and that it con-
Germs merely Russia and India
Means ChIna's DIsmemberment.
1.-THE Importance of the question lies In
the fact that the taking of that terri
tory or Tibet, which is under Chinese
suzerainty will be dismembering China.
The object of the British is to make 1t
impossible for the Russians to establish