RUSSIA'S INFLUENCE IN MONGOLIA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12253, 1 June 1914, Page 8

RUSSIA'S INFLUENCE IN MONGOLIA.

"Russia is rapidly spreading: hersell over the market of Outer. Mongolia- and pushing China back and out. . . ..

[t would therefore, seem that the time has arrived for Great Britain to- spread herself over Tibet in something of the same way that Russia is .spreading herself over Mongolia,'" .vrites Sir _Claude Macrionald, former British Minister at. Pekin and Ambassador at Tokio, in a preface to a new book on the Far East entitled "With the Russians in Mongolia. "

The authors of the book are two Englishmen. IT. G.-.C. Perry-Ayscough of the Chinese Postal Service and Captain R. B. Cotter-Barry of the Royal Sussex Regiment. Their journeys, made separately, took them through' Mongolia proper,' north ancL south and east, and west, and together covered the majority of~important places in the country. Mongolia proper cannot lie said to lie unknown. In view of the international questions raised by Russia'- advance iu Outer Mongolia, the hook is of timely importance, mid. besides it gives an interesting picture of the present'condition of a once great race of conquerors.

Of Russia's plans in Outer Mongolia, and their effect on British interests, the authors- say:

•'•There seems no doubt that Russia's aim in obtaining a dominating influence in Mongolia, has been in order to obtain a buffer State between herself and China. Her Eastern diplomatic authorities own that- thev fear that China may becnum some day too strong for Russia.. Russia lias had one experience of the rapid growth of an Eastern nation's military nrowos.-. and she docs not intend to allow China to balk her well-laid plan.-. She fear- Chinese insidious commercial enterprise. Chinese admirable r-Hoiiial methods. She do?s lif.t want China, along her frontier. :ind the siibsernieut expense of a frontier line to guard. "From ;i British .point of view one cannot help seeing- the danger of any Russian influence in Mongolia. Tibet and- Mongolia are very closely allied. Their religion is identical. Their population in both eases consists of fanatical followers of their respective spiritual leaders, the "Dalai Lama of Tibet, the rlu-tiik-tu 'of Mongolia, the Former be■"ing" the'spiritual head of the faith of both countries. v

"I,a mas from TVhasa °re constantly visiting Trga, and many Mongul Lamas receive their education in Lhasa... The dominating influence in either Mongolia or Tibet means the eventual dominaiiim: influence in both these countries. Russh: is obtaining this influence in 'Mongolia. Great Britain might have obtained the same rights over Tibet as Russia lias obtained over Mongolia, and Russian diplomats quite expected Great. Britain to fake this action. "Russia's advance in the East of late

has been rapid—far more rarml than would have been expected. She has chosen her opportunities well. Her manipulation of the Mongolian question was admirably carried out during the Cliinese revolution, at a time when tlie eyes of Europe were riveted on the Balkan States and the consequent ouestions which were arising in the Near East.

"Russia is n virile race, possessing a country with endless resources. Her merchants are constantly seeking new ground where profits are large - and easily obtained. It. would be fatal to Great Britain, to allow Russia to further increase her influence in Tibet." Disease and unsanitary conditions, aided hv Lamaism are gradually reducing the population of Outer Mongolia. The people are too lazy to till the soil, look on trade as degrading and obtain a- livelihood by the easy method of tending flocks. The "only gold mining concern, - the Mongolorc Mining Company, started by Victor von Grotte to develop the enormous mineral wealth in North Mongolia, was obliged to import Chinese labor from 1000 miles away, simply because the Mongols; refused at any price to work the mines. To the commercial man, the miner and the sportsman, Mongolia opens up a fine field in the near say the authors, and even the eastern portion of the Gobi Desert could by the employment of artesian w:lls be- converted into grazing land. The Russians are endeavoring to

counteract- the deleterious power of the. Lamas by stimulating the Mongols' to form a military force. The Mongols are fine horsemen and descended from a race of warriors and with wise training and leadership would compare well with the Chinese as soldiers. Mongolia, was known commercially to the Russians as early as the seventeenth century. After Russia's tsrf«.afc in Manchuria in the disastrous war with Japan in 1904-5 sh P sa w the necessity of obtaining a- buffer state between her and China." Tlie outbreak of the Chinese revolution in October.l9ll, was a stroke of luck for her. While China was harassed-by her interna] troubles Russia began a series o; diplomatic moves having for their object the extension of her influence in Mongolia and: the recognition of the autonomy of Mongolia under the nominal suzerainty of China. The Mongols are not altogether pleased by what amount.? to a change from Chinese to Russia.n masters instead of being recognised as an independent nation, but they have not been consulted in the matter.

Cantain Otter-Barry went from Pekin to Erg"., the capital of Outer Mongolia, travelling to Kalgan over n. railroad built bv a. Chinese engineer educated in America, and crossing the Gobi Desert in an ordinary Pekin country cart without springs. ' In the cart it was neces-

sary to carry provisions for the men of the party and, the horses and two water barrels. Captain Otter-Barrv thus describes the habitations of the Mongolian nomads: ' . -.'. . "Tlie Mongols call them vnrts. and this one. in contrast to every yurt I ii'terward saw. was plastered over with mud. The principle of a ynrt is very simple. ■"There is an oval framework which will shut up like an umbrella, and when opend out and in use is covered with strips of thick felt, which in their turn are kept in position with rope or strips of bide. A small door is placed away from tlie prevailing wind about 44 feet high, and*a circular bole is left at the ton for the egress of the smoke. This hole can be wholly or partially shut by a simple contrivance of rope and felt. "This constitutes the Mongol's habi- ; iat ion in, the summer heat and winter snow. A fire is almost permanently kept going in an argol stove in the centre, which is a- tripod of iron, and forms an excellent fireplace for the dung that is used for fuel. They have no chairs but sit cross-legged on fur rugs or felt on the floor; for tables they use. small stools about six' inches bigh, and. for beds they use the ground,; except iu exceptional' cases, when a low wooden bed is used. "The remainder of the furniture, is simplicity itself, and consists of n. diminutive altar with offerings to their Buddha and usually a picture of the Hu-tug-tn or their Living Buddha, on it, the lower portion of this altar being used as a -cupboard. A kind of long barrel made of skin is usually placed on the right of the door, and in this stands ;l wooden stick. Here the koumis is made from mare's milk, and every person entering the hut is supposed to give it a turn with the stick ;' "Koumis seems to act as food and drink to the Mongols when travelling hard, and I can well understand this, since I have often found, a small drink of koumais revived me in a remarkable degree. The uninitiated, however, must be careful as to the quantity they drink, as- it is a very intoxicating liquor."

Oncer travellers are met in the desert, including horse traders, caravans and beggars. Among the queerest encountered by Captain Otter-Barry were two Chinese:

"Between them thev were trundling :i wheelbarrow. On this thev had rigged im a sail, which with the prevailing wind "from the north helped them considerably. They had packed on their barrow their few,goods, but very little food, as they depended on getting this given them bv other travellers or by She Mongols.' They told me they covered an average of thirty-five miles a dav." . .There were also merchants in the de•sert: - ■

•'•We came upon a small Chinese encampment of merchants selling cloth, grain, black tea and other necessaries. The Mongols come in from all around tjie district to buy at this st-ores

"Their usual method of payment is to hand over a sheep, horse ox to the merchant, who keeps a tally and informs the Mongol when he has taken the value of the- animal out iu stores. This <loes not seem very satisfactory for the Mongol, but then tlie Chinese ■merchants expects to make huge profits for liis trouble, and as the Mongol is- as innocent as a child it is very easy in cheat him.'"

Of Chinese methods. Captain OtterBarrv writes:

"Here is n race which at one time supplied the ruling house -to China, bullied and cheated, by the Cliinese now that they are in subjection. The Chinese system of governing a subordinate race consists in a process of absorption, a system whereby they prey upon the people in subjection under them. _ "There is "something ■ in their insidious, patient way which eventually absorbs races and" even individuals with whom thev come into contact. -Europeans are"not free from the effect the Cliinese have on them. A. European after monv years' residence in China becomes verv" pro-Chinese. His ideas, thoughts, even actions an physiognomy become Chinese, and this in twenty or thirtv years. "If the Yellow peril is over realised it will not come with, force of arms, but it will come very gradually by_ the Chinese characteristic of absorption. The race of Han hare won their territories not bv force, but by infinitesimal trade and absorption of the- people they have come into contact with.' 1