Part 5 (1/2)

Both publicly and privately Khudayar Khan advised that the Athalik Ghazi should overn failed to induce Khudayar Khan to put pressure on Yakoob Beg, appear to have arrived at the same conclusion as that set out in the letters of Khudayar Yakoob Beg n, and they would reat benefits accruing from a Muscovite alliance The authorities at Tashkent went so far as to flatter themselves that they had attained a solution of one of their chief annoyances They had, by one so far as to open the door for Yakoob Beg to abase himself Such condescension was unheard of, and no doubt was entertained but that this proud Maholadly hasten to avail himself of the last chance accorded him by the cle without their host Yakoob Beg quickly perceived that the bold exterior of the Russian de purpose, and that a pohich would go out of its way so far to bring about an arrangement, would yield much more when the discussion became directly carried on He had evidently impressed the few Russians who had visited hinified his resources, and converted his sular and trained arame was almost in his hands too, all the favourable i his career, which his policy for four years had succeeded in creating about his personality After a suitable delay his formal reply to the official letter of Khudayar arrived, and its contents eneral terotiations with the Russians, because they had refused to acknowledge his own government, and had ever supported the cause of his enemies the Chinese But, not content with this blunt refusal to the offer made from Tashkent, he went on to minor matters and dealt with the question of Russian policy in specific language The coionists was not worthy of any consideration from him or his allies, the rulers of Khokand and Bokhara ”The Russians that have coar, look at these localities and become acquainted with the state of the country, and therefore it is better to forbid their co, for they are a treacherous and crooked- speak of a pohich could without any serious risk have crushed hiht of prudence, and succeeded when perhaps a less decided attitude would have completely failed The Russians were fairly deluded in their esti been exhausted for inducing Yakoob Beg to abandon his indifferent attitude towards thean to be seriously discussed at Tashkent whether, if si accurate infore the existence of a ruler who had for nearly six years been established as responsible sovereign of a very large portion of Asia The path was s sending a letter to the governor of Turkestan, stating that it was useless for the Czar to atteood offices of Khudayar Khan; but that if the Russians really desired to enter into alliance with him they could send an embassy to hi the trade and other agreenified piece of writing, such as one European sovereign would have sent to another in the Middle Ages

”He did not deny,” he said, ”either the power or the resources of Russia, but as a brave man he placed his trust in God, and he would never shi+rk the contest, because all he aspired to was to die for his faith” This letter produced a great impression at Tashkent, and it was resolved to send an a the narrative, it may be as well to suar up to this period, for henceforth these two states were to stand in a completely different relationshi+p towards each other The Russians strove to induce Yakoob Beg to make the most favourable commercial and political concessions to therant hie from the produce of Russian manufactures” They even added insult to injury by openly proclainized the Chinese as the rulers of Kashgar, and refused to discuss the arguments advanced by Shadi Mirza in favour of his uncle's clain They adopted an attitude of bullying towards this Asiatic prince, and loudly proclaiht is right They backed up their verbal threats on several occasions by a show of military preparations, but not once did they put those threats into execution On the other hand, Yakoob Beg's policy was consistent throughout and dignified While studiously avoiding any aggressive measures, even under the excuse of defensive precautions, he was always firnize any of the semi-official overtures that were repeatedlyin the light of a suppliant, as according to all precedent he should, he assue aria, or else there is an end to all negotiation Send a properly accredited ambassador to me, and he shall be honourably received A representative of recognized rank shall then convey rant dom is closed to your merchants and officials without exception Admission shall only be obtained over my own body and that of my devoted army” For the first time in the annals of Russian history an Asiatic ruler had tired out the finessing and intrigue that had become customary with that e was the only sovereign who refused to be subservient to the Czar, and eventually achieved a diplo of 1872, Yakoob Beg was at the very acme of his prosperity Not yet had he coani, whichelse tended to weaken his power and to raise discontent against his administration; and, fresh from his diplomatic success over the Russians, he appeared in the eyes of many Asiatics as a fit champion to redeem their fortunes in a conflict with Russia Excusable as their enthusiasm undoubtedly was, it is tolerably certain that the power of Yakoob Beg was exaggerated both by the adulation of his friends and by the nervous susceptibilities of the Russians It is noteworthy that Russia proved herself on one occasion to be quite as liable to this latter disease as England is assumed to be

To Baron Kaulbars, the explorer of the sources of the Syr Darya, was entrusted the delicate overnment for the first time at the court of the Athalik Ghazi, and to no better diploned He set out froe collection of presents for the ruler and his chief advisers, and arrived in Kashgar without any mishap in June of the same year Here he was received in the most cordial manner, and the consideration and hospitality exhibited towards him by the ruler were beyond all expectation In the picturesque phraseology of the East, the Athalik Ghazi, at his first audience with Baron Kaulbars, said, ”Sit upon uests sent me from heaven” The most complete freedom of action was accorded, for the first time, to all the members of the embassy, and twothe country received a safe-conduct to go on to Yarkand and Khoten Yakoob Beg scarcely atteratification at the presence of the Russians; possibly his pleasure chiefly arose from such an unmistakable admission of his skill as a diplomatist But in every way facilities were afforded his visitors for seeing all objects of interest round Kashgar Revieere held in honour of the occasion, and as there happened to be a considerable nuh to operate against the Tungani beyond Kucha, the shoas ih The Russians were favourably impressed by what they saw, and Baron Kaulbars expressed himself surprised at the military exactitude hich the , always open to flattery, exclaimed in an enthusiastic moment, ”I look upon the Russians as my dearest friends; if I had not, should I have shown you my military power? assuredly it is not usual even with you to make known one's actual condition to an enemy” Matters were now in a fair way to a pleasant solution Baron Kaulbars and Yakoob Beg were hted; but, after the time for pleasant talk had expired, it was necessary that soements should be drawn up for the political and commercial relations of the two countries in the future

The chief objects the Russians had in viehen they sent Baron Kaulbars to Kashgar were three In the first place they wanted to acquire general infor was as powerful as report had asserted In the second, they wished to put their relations on such a recognized basis with hiht knohat policy he was disposed to adopt in Turkestan and Kuldja; and in the third they desired to secure the ht forestall British enterprise, already beginning to direct its attention to this quarter, since the journeys of Messrs Shaw and Forsyth The last of these was the easiest to obtain, and the Athalik Ghazi considered all the Russian proposals with regard to trade in a very aard to the second _desideratueneralities could all the tact and ingenuity of Kaulbars succeed in obtaining froeographical and scientific information was concerned; but the precautions taken by the Athalik Ghazi to deceive the Russians as to his power and hold on the country appear to have been successful Baron Kaulbars certainly confirmed much that had previously rested on mere hearsay; the question is rather, did he not vouch for ? The result of his mission was, that the Athalik Ghazi was elevated to a position on a level with the Ameer of Cabul, and there is no doubt whatever that such a coned by the Athalik Ghazi and Baron Kaulbars, on the 2nd of June, 1872, but according to the Old Style, still adopted by the Russians, this was the 21st of May, St Constantine's day There are two stories with respect to this coincidence, and there is as much evidence for one version as there is for the other

It was said at the tioodwill to the Russians that he had insisted on signing it on that day in honour of the Grand Duke Constantine Now there were two or three improbabilities in this statement that struck several observers In the first place it was extre kneas St

Constantine's day at all; and again, in the second place he was quite as probably ignorant of the existence of a Grand Duke Constantine At all events, there was no valid reason why a Central Asian ruler should conceive that his politeness to that Grand Duke in particular would deeneral The other version, which, like es of Mr Schuyler, is altogether more probable, and is not open to the sa to this, it was Baron Kaulbars, who of course are of the saint's day, who demanded that the treaty should bear that date, and who, as soon as it was signed, sent off athat the Athalik Ghazi, out of friendshi+p to that general, had specially requested that the treaty should be signed on that day in honour of General Kaufeneral and governor may have felt at the delicate attention of his ambassador, he had to decline the proposed honour; and in the despatch that was sent to St

Petersburg, describing the event, the name of the Grand Duke Constantine was substituted for his own There is little doubt that this is the correct stateests quite a revelation as to the systereeable to one another, always, however, assuree of power and pomp reserved for his Excellency General Kaufnature of this treaty, which bears the name of its framer, Baron Kaulbars took his departure, with oodwill froements were, however, made, before he left, for an envoy to visit Tashkent froned stipulations to be ratified, and was received at Tashkent with every deovernar would, if only for a short period, be satisfactory, that special care was taken to arian envoy, and after a short residence in the capital of Turkestan, the nephew of Yakoob Beg, Hadji Torah, who had followed the train of the treaty on a special , where he was entertained by the Czar, taken to the reviews, and treated in a most hospitable and princely fashi+on The contrast between the reception accorded to him in 1873 and that to Shadi Mirza in 1869 clearly marks the difference that was considered in well-informed official circles to have taken place in their relations with Kashgar

We have now to consider whether the Russian Govern so confidently that it had secured the permanent friendshi+p of the Maho his visit at St

Petersburg, Hadji Torah turned south, and after stopping for a brief delay at Moscow and Odessa, he arrived in Constantinople, where he already hadtoo deeply into his actions at the Ie best by the sequel--ill here si also concluded his residence on the Golden Horn, he took passage by the Suez Canal for India, and arrived there in tilas Forsyth, then on its way to Kashgar Hadji Torah therefore brought to his uncle a vast a the three Powers chiefly concerned in the fortunes of Kashgar--Russia, Turkey, and England But even before his return horee The year 1872 had not closed, before the Athalik Ghazi concluded so for some time with the Sultan, and this chaht to Asiatics as Eed the suzerainty of the Porte; and, not content with this fornificance to the event by issuing a fresh coinage, bearing on one side the head of Abdul Aziz The Russians were, it can well be iined, displeased at this alliance between two Mahoht both be considered hostile to their interests, and a very large party in military circles claainst the insolent Mussulman At one ain the day, for the testiar showed that each day Yakoob Beg was becoovernment of Tashkent, and General Kaufmann seemed half disposed to acquiesce in the proposal to inflict summary chastisear, the Khan of Khiva had been an older offender in the eyes of the Russians, and the Ho taken in the regions bordering on the Chinese Empire It is sufficiently clear that the moderation of the home authorities was a wiser policy than the impulsive demands of certain officers in Tashkent; but it is not so evident why Yakoob Beg abstained fro in the _role_ of the liberator of Khokand, at so opportune a ainst Khiva in 1873 The treaty of Baron Kaulbars had stipulated for the free admission of Russian merchants into the state on the payment of a 2-1/2 per cent _ad valoreood treatuaranteed to such Russian subjects as desired to travel in Kashgar, and who came provided with a passport, and per Baron Kaulbars' residence in the country, nothing could be more considerate than the treatment extended towards the members of his suite, and the merchants ent on to Yarkand were afforded facilities for disposing of the sht with them on this journey This friendly reception of suchthe period over which these negotiations extended down to the departure of Yakoob Beg's own ambassador from Russian territory; but with the arrival of Hadji Torah at Constantinople, and the procla had been elevated to the dignified position of Ee came over the spirit of his policy towards Russia Indeed, Yakoob Beg saw hier in this treaty of commerce He had formerly been averse to the presence of Russian arded them as spies; but now that the necessities of his position had to some extent coovernment, he perceived that his little state literally ran the risk of being invaded by the Russian merchants and traders who flocked to Kuldja for the purpose of participating in the spoils to be obtained by trafficking with the inhabitants of Eastern Turkestan He had always been averse to trade He was a warrior, and inclined to feel and to express conte tricks of Muscovite or Khitay

But as the former could provide him with better weapons for his army, and warmer clothes for his people, in addition to trinkets for his _serai_, their presence, if only they came in limited numbers, and at stated intervals, could be tolerated; but when he perceived they were about to descend on his state, like so many birds of prey on an abandoned carcase, and when he surmised that in all likelihood they would endeavour to ar as they had in Bokhara and Khokand, he determined to inificant 2-1/2 per cent

on goods that returned a profit of cent per cent He had given his plighted word, however, that merchants should receive fair treat what he had pro about an open rupture with the Russian Government Theproved himself equal to the occasion It was not to be expected, however, that Yakoob Beg could accoiving soovernment

Despite the friendly reception of Baron Kaulbars, there still remained some uncertainty in the minds of individuals, whether the Athalik Ghazi was as sincere in his protestations as he would have it believed There was, consequently, so the ar They were all willing enough to share the profits, but it was a risky experihbour should inaugurate the enterprise

In commercial circles, there was much discussion on the new state, and the prospects of trade therewith, and there was much talk as to ”who should bell the cat” The hesitation, if indeed so natural a sentiment deserves to be specified here, soon passed off, and Mr Pupyshef, a e business connections with nar Mr Pupyshef was, however, unable to go in person, so his caravan set out under the charge of his clerk Soar, where Mr Somof was provided with accon e was at once perceptible in the sentiments of the ruler, as the personal freedom of the members of the expedition was curtailed, and all theirsurveillance; and the residence of Mr Somof was brief in the extreht up the whole of his stock of merchandise Viewed as a commercial speculation, this result should have been eminently satisfactory; the Russiana purchaser for his articles There was, however, another matter to be taken into consideration, and that was the mode of payment by the purchaser Mr Somof received so many Chinese coins at a value fixed by the Ameer himself, and Mr Pupyshef, on the return of his representative, estiovernment took up the case of their subject, and presented a re the immediate restitution of the loss incurred by the Russian 's reply to this sumether that Mr

Soentleo where, he pleased, and he was quite oods

The Badaulet had nothing whatever to do with trade, which he left entirely to his subjects He was simply a warrior and a follower of the Prophet He had nevertheless instituted inquiries into the matter, and he had discovered that some of his officers, who should be punished, had purchased thethereby to obtain it at a cheaper rate The Athalik Ghazi expressed his regret at the occurrence, and would be overnment considered their subject had lost by the transaction A commission was appointed at Tashkent, to inquire into all the circumstances of the case, and after some discussion the demand of Mr Pupyshef was reduced from 15,000 to 12,000 roubles The Ameer acquiesced in the decision, but many months elapsed before Mr Pupyshef received his e We are justified in assu that this was all planned, and that the obstacles thrown in the path of Mr Pupyshef were part and parcel of a systear The Russian government, too, was afforded no clear case for coret without reserve for the occurrence, all the responsibility of which he shi+fted on to the shoulders of some of ”his officials whom he had ordered to be punished” He paid without a murmur the fair demands of Mr Pupyshef, and if there was so of the money, it must be attributed to the poverty of his exchequer, and not to any want of goodwill The burden of his complaint was, ”I am a poor prince; my country is impoverished by the wars that have occurred since the departure of the Chinese; and you will find little therein to repay you for your trouble and expense in entering it Why therefore will you persist in coood by doing so, and you only causeyour countrymen from insult and injury, which you must admit I have ever done” There was an under-current of truth in this stateh it was not credited in Kuldja, where everything that went a had, however, succeeded in throwing cold water on the enthusiastic preparations that were beingso had been quite original and characteristic Few rulers would have foreseen that the best way to get rid of a troublesoht to sell to the people; and that the si in a questionable currency would suffice to deter hundreds fro, however, was not satisfied with leaving well alone Having paid the claiht have been supposed that he would maintain a discreet silence on his intentions in the future with regard to Russian ht have let the question, indeed, find, as it would have found, its own solution; but, in a weak moment, to place his own _bona fides_ beyond suspicion, he desired the Russian governar, and then it could judge by his reception whether the Ameer was not amicably disposed towards his ”close allies,” the Russians The Russian authorities took him at his word, and after an interval of ar had been unvisited by a Russian merchant, another, a Mr

Morozof, ca's assertions to the test True to his word, the reception of this gentleetting purchasers of his articles, and the Aht for his arsenals such of them as see how cordially he had been welcomed by the ruler himself, and how the enterprise had commercially been a success

Others followed his exa the last two and a half years of his rule Russian ents, found its way in considerable quantities into Kashgar But this trade was always liable to periods of depression through the clouds that frequently darkened the political horizon, and the Russians did not derive the advantages from trade with this state, that they had previously convinced thelish manufactures, after the year 1873, entered into keen coar, and had driven their goods out of the market of Yarkand at all events before the close of the year 1876 But this fact only served to impress more forcibly on the Russians the necessity either for annexing Kashgaria or establishi+ng on its throne some puppet, ould be content with the post of deputy of the Czar

Indeed, ht back; but then they were so far off, and apparently so weak The party advocating the absorption of Kashgaria every day becaree that it was only a question of tio forth for the extinction of the rule of Yakoob Beg Colonel Reinthal was sent in 1874, to endeavour to place , but with little success In addition to the question of trade privileges, the Russians, in negotiating with native states, or securing treaties at the point of the sword, always deents in the chief cities of the state

The ostensible duty of these official representatives was to look after the interests of their government, and to protect the lives and property of Russian subjects as best they ht be able So far as these very necessary functions were concerned, Russia had a perfect right in deuards, when such were deemed to be required But unfortunately for the reputation of that country, the experience of Asiatics had amply demonstrated that these declared duties were the least important part of their office

Their secret instructions were to lose no opportunity of discovering the drift of public sentiment in the state where they were stationed; to learn all the raues that unfortunately form the chief incidents in the history of these states, and to proreat empire into whose service they had been admitted When such latitude was allowed in their instructions, and so many private and public inducements were offered to raise their zeal, it cannot be overns of public opinion in the independent and se was keenly alive to the dangers that would arise to hiar, where the discordant eleanization were far fro completely healed If the presence of a mirza in Khokand and Bokhara had entailed a decade of troubles and of gradual subjection, as he to expect, a ner in the land, from their presence in Eastern Turkestan? But Baron Kaulbars had demanded this concession, perhapsin form, if he did not surrender reat favour he consented to the appointment of _caravanbashi+s_, or superintendents of the personal comforts of the merchants when they should arrive; but a _caravan-bashi+_ was an uneducated, uni need be feared This did not at all please the Russian administrators, and all their subsequent efforts were mainly devoted to the attee into the prying and inquisitive _ was no less firmly resolved, and the history of the embassies, from that of Baron Kaulbars to that of Captain Kuropatkine, was one long course of fruitless efforts to force the hand of the Athalik Ghazi on this point Colonel Reinthal was sent in 1874, after the successful journey of Mr Morozof, to see if any better arrangeh the Ameer entertained him very hospitably, he fared no better than any of his predecessors In that year, too, Yakoob Beg's position had becoani had been driven back north of the Tian Shan beyond Turfan, and into the regions east of Lake Lob; the disaffection, too, in the cities of Kucha and Korla was also, to all appearance, dying out; but, above all, the vast aegis of English protection had appeared to be thrown over the integrity of his state However unjustified this supposition was by the treaty with Sir Douglas Forsyth, the Ameer made as e section of Anglo-Indians, and authorities in this country on the affairs of Central Asia, who, either out of sympathy for the man, or from a belief in the identity of British interests with his cause, proclairession, gave a colourable excuse to his declaration that England had extended for the first time in her Trans-Hi north of her natural frontier The Russian governments in Siberia and Turkestan, eive this country no cause for ue, were at first inclined totheir friendly relations with the Ameer; but their advances were not reciprocated, and as it became more clear that the ierated by the representations of the Ae of the Russian authorities beca In short, ressed to the condition they were in before the Kaulbars treaty The Russians had not obtained their chief desire, the establish, as in the past, boldlyon his increased reputation as the most orthodox and the most puissant of Maholand would intervene between the Russians and the collapse of his state, he even went so far as to temper his defiant, and al incident is a characteristic specih hter of the Czar; and Yakoob Beg seized the occasion to send a ratulation to the Czar of All the Russias on the auspicious event--saying, that he had heard that the son of his good ally, the Queen of England and of India, was about to wed the daughter of his friend the Czar, and that he hastened to send hiratulations upon the event To this effusive epistle no reply was deigned, and it is doubtful whether it ever got farther than Tashkent There is no difficulty in arriving at the conclusion that such exhibitions as this is an instance of detraction fro characteristics of the ruler of Kashgar His opposition to Russia was es as an independent ruler was prudent and worthy of our respect; but his petty insults to Russia were neither wise nor dignified He was clearly in the right in checking the aggressive instincts of Russia, clothed in the specious garb of coe; he coetic and persistent manner in which he thwarted every endeavour to introduce Russian espionage and intrigue into Kashgaria; but why should he have weakened the effect of these splendid achievements, why should he have risked all he had secured, by so senseless an insult as the e to the Czar that has been just referred to?

The authorities in Tashkent, perceiving that it was doubtful whether English public opinion was ripe yet for an active interference in Central Asia, reverted, despite all orders froinal intention of coercing the ruler of Kashgar In 1874, therefore, all preparations for co were made ready Provisions and munitions of ere despatched to Naryn, and an auxiliary division was to make a flank movement by the Terek Pass on the west It has been laid to the charge of the Russian generals in Asia, that expeditions are arranged for their her rank and orders So seriously bitten had every officer since Perovsky become by the desire for proenerally known as the St George or the St Ann Cross fever Now during the seven years previous to the date at which we have arrived, if there had been a fair share of distinction and spoil for the soldiers and the lower ranks of the officers, sorieved by the monopoly of supreme credit obtained by General Kaufmann This, indeed, had shown itself very clearly after the fall of Khiva, a success for which Kaufmann obtained all the credit, and yet towards which the division under his co The etiquette, too, al state observed by the successful general, were irksome to officers more accustomed to the licence of a ca eneral officers who filled the subordinate posts in the service of the Czar's representative Pro to distinguish himself, clamoured loudly for some expedition which, when accomplished successfully, would be reco as General Kaufood opinion of his superiors, he was unable to resist, if he were inclined, the demands pressed upon him by Scobelef and his father, and the more warlike portion of his forces It is said, that in addition to these palpable reasons there were others touching the family rivalries of the Kaufmanns and Scobelefs, who appear to have been at feud with each other when younger men in the service of the palace, when Nicholas was Czar To remove these differences, and to satisfy the demands of his other subordinates, General Kaufainst Kashgar, and entrusted to the coer Scobelef Towards the end of 1874 the war-cloud was drawing ominously over the Athalik Ghazi, and to all observers it seemed as if it were about to break with destructive violence on his devoted head Loudly was it asserted that nothing but British intervention would save hiuided by events The Viceroy had certainly not advised that an active participation should be undertaken in this question The failure, too, of the Granville-Gortschakoff negotiations to define a neutral zone had convinced this country of the inutility of solving the question between the two countries by treaty