SLAV AND CELESTIAL

Evening Star, Issue 17920, 16 March 1922, Page 8

SLAV AND CELESTIAL

GREAT SNOW CLAD FRONTIER.

ROOF OF THE WORLD.

No more wonderful frontier exists in the world than the 3,000-milc-long dividing lino twixt Slav and Celestial, which stretches from tho Pamirs in Central Asia to the Amur in Manchuria. It is unique, in respect of its length, in tho nature of its formation, and with regard to the amazing number of political aspects which it comprises. Asia, always notorious for her sense of tho colossal, here lives up to her reputation in very earnest, says a writer in tho ‘Christian Science Monitor.’ Over a farflung frontier of dusty desert and snowclad mountain chains, East and West come face to face. Two groat nations have spread themselves into tho heart of tho great continent; until at a distance of thousands of miles from tho capitals of their empires they have come to a halt and take their stand at this wonderful natural frontier. Tho demarcation lino between Russian Siberia and Cathay is not of chance. Study the map, and yon will see lung caterpillar lines of mountain ranges, in reality groat chains in many cases impassable for hundreds of miles, and, where negotiable, the passes are high and impracticable for anything but the most restricted Ira flic. They arc in rcalitv a harrier.

Throughout the ages Aids frontier has existed as a strong influence in determining human ebb and flow. The crowded millions of China have never yet expanded beyond it, tho Siberian tribes have never even had the inclination to cross the divide; on the contrary, they have recoded from it. Certain individualistic races have occupied it, but even they have never extended their influence beyond the mountain zone, which thus proves its isolated character. It is in truth a continent within a continent, (treat happenings can take place in the heart of Asia, and scarcely will their reverberations reach tho outside world. So distant it is from the centres of civilisation, whether furthest East or Middle West, that it seems to absorb all who come within its grasp; in fact it appears to he destined to remain a nucleus of its own, a region to itself.

Taking it in detail, the Russians first meet the Chinese on the Pamirs, tho famous Roof of tho World, a tableland lifted to the height of 12,CC0ffc above the sea. Hero, on a lonely snowdrift far beyond the abode of man, is the nameless point where three great empires meet. The Russian has slowly advanced his frontier step by step across the great wastes of Central Asia until it now stands at a distance of 2,CCO miles from Moscow. Great Britain has pushed her way up, during the last 200 years, from her first Indian possesions on the southern coasts. Tho Celestial makes the third party. Ho was calmly sitting there when the others arrived—ho had been there for ages, Tho battlements of Nature, ns constituted by the Hindu Kush, tho Pamirs, and the Kara Kornm, are of interest. Europe never extended further into Asia. But the East, as represented by China, did once extend its control further to tho West, and may do so again. The Pamirs give birth to the mountain range of the Tian-Shan or Celestial Mountains—this Caucasus of Central Asia forming a natural dividing line for the next 500 miles. The actual frontier runs along 12,0(X)ft ridges ami still higher glaciers and snowfiekls. It is accentuated by peaks unclimbed by man, and characterised by wide areas of unexplored country. This is by far the most beautiful section of the whole 3,000-mils frontier. It is a ready-made colony, awaiting the influx of emigrants. The Russian has newly arrived, and settled on tho northern flanks. There he has built towns and reclaimed the waste, for tho deserts of the base of these great mountain chains ordy need the hand of man to turn them into agricultural Elysiums. The snowfields feed great rivers, which run to waste in the sands below, whereas when harnessed and utilised they should irrigate whole countries.

Tho general aspect of the Tian Shan region, together with its physical and political features, is typical also of the whole frontier right up to the Altai Mountains in North-western Mongolia. For, although the actual frontier lino leaves the Tian Shan at its culminating peak, Tengri Khan (23,600 ft), it still takes as its course other not much less lofty ranges Tho Ala Tay, tho Barlik, tho Sair, the Tarbogati, and the Great Altai are tho connecting links in tho chain. Only at two points is the mountain frontier wall broken—namely, at the famous Dzungariaa Gate, which is a gap a few miles wide, allowing of easy access from tho desert of Dznraari and of tho Gobi to the great Siberian plains, and at the valley of the Irtish, which cuts the frontier between tho Tarbogati and Altai ranges. Hero, again, a wide plain and a good-sized river connect Siberia with China, and no “natural” boundary exists between the two. Wo may look to see great happenings at these two points at some future date. From the Pamirs to tho Altai, then, we see a mountain frontier, on one side the Russian, on tho other the Chinese, and under them a fair population of natives of various races and creeds, which compose tho indigenous population outside Russian colonists and Chinese officials. These native tribes are in sufficient number to count; they will not soon disappear in the face of advancing emigrants. Moat numerous and prosperous are those of Turkish race, probably remnants of the original Osmanlis. They are sedentary farmers on the cases, and norand herdsmen on the steppe; they are, of course, Moslem, and often attain great wealth. On the Russian side they are fighters ; and even as late as 1917 gave considerable trouble to their rulers. They are in direct communication with their Mohammadan confreres in Bokhara, and Mecca. So great is the force of religion among tho followers of the Prophet that, although they owe allegiance to tho Emperor of China or to tho powers that he in Russia, they look neither to Poking nor to Moscow, for they consider Stambonl to be their. religious and political capital. Not only does this frontier decide the political fate of millions _ of the human race, but it also marks their destiny. It is the threshold of tho Moslem and tho Buddhist -worlds. In among tho strong, wealthy Mohammedan tribes wo find numerous but well-to-do Buddhists —Kalmuks—remnants of the Mongol avalanche of the thirteenth century. On tho whole, these Buddhist 'peoples arc on the down grade, are being ousted by the Moslems, who increase more rapidly and have _a keener eye to business. It may be said that tho Moslem is being pushed out by tho incoming Russian colonist, who in turn exerts pressure on the Mongul; but wo have yet to see what power lies behind tho Mongul in the person of tho Chinese Dragon. The Enssian-M-ongi.il section of the frontier covers 1,507 remaining miles from the Altai to Manchuria; in fact, practically to within, roach of tho Pacific. It is on this sector in particular that tho eyes of the two aspiring powers are set. Mongolia is China’s colony, an empty quarter at her own back door. She has never used it, never absorbed it. Tho oldest nation which is still a nation has never yet sent her crowded millions to exploit this waste land, and now at the eleventh hour she runs the chance of losing it forever. Tho eyes of the Slav have seen its potential wealth and its latent powers. The eyes other nations have calculated its possibilities. The story of Mongolia’s political vicissitudes during the last nine years, starting with her self-proclaimed indopvmdenco and ending with the break-up of Russia, on whom she placed all her cards, forms a story in itself. At present chaos reigns: -Mongolia, like other small peoples, are aspirants for the protection of the League of Nations. Looking back across the width of Asia we have a strong impression left on us of numerous small peoples governed by tho great. China and Russia met, but may not remain as they are forever. The native inhabitants probably will. It is interesting to note that the heart of Asia 'has known no cohesive force, except the ;->2nhcmeral empires of Jcnghis Khan and >*- OT has been one of

incessant unrest. Sho has been the thoroughfare for migrating hosts, the abiding place of none; her conquerors have been destroyers —not constructors. Even now the apparent permanence of Russia is shattered, and we have to wait and soo what will bo tho outcome when the oldest and newest Governments come to grips. The atmosphere of tho great frontier is still one of uncertainty and alarm.