WITH THE RUSSIANS IN MONGOLIA
INTRODUCTION
"HOW does Russian influence affect British interests?" is the first question which arises in the mind of a Britisher when reading of any Russian advance in the Far East.
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 they fear that China may become some day too strong for Russia. Russia has had one experience of the rapid growth of an Eastern nation's military prowess, and she does not intend to allow China to balk her well-laid plans. She fears Chinese insidious commercial enterprise, Chinese admirable colonial methods. She does not want China along her frontier, and the subsequent expense of a frontier line to guard. From a 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 cases consists of fanatical followers of their respective spiritual leaders, the "Dalai Lama" of Tibet, the "Hu-tuk-tu" of Mongolia, the former being the spiritual head of the faith of both countries.[1] Lamas from Lhasa are constantly visiting Urga, and many Mongol Lamas receive their education in Lhasa. The dominating influence in either Mongolia or Tibet means the eventual dominating influence in both these countries. Russia is obtaining this influence in Mongolia. Great Britain might have obtained the same rights over Tibet as Russia has obtained over Mongolia, and Russian Diplomats quite expected Great Britain to take this action.
In December 1912, Agban Dordjief, a Buriat, the accredited representative of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, who was on his way to St. Petersburg, visited Urga to discuss with the Mongolian Hu-tuk-tu religious questions of import to both countries. He took the opportunity of informing the Mongols that the Dalai Lama had returned to Lhasa under British protection, and was inclined in future to seek the protection of both Great Britain and Russia. He therefore proposed that Mongolia and Tibet should adopt a scheme of mutual support against Chinese aggression. He told them that such a step would produce a very good impression on the whole Buddhist world, and materially strengthen the position of both countries.
The Hu-tuk-tu being much flattered by this proposal of the Dalai Lama, seeing that it stipulated that he should be equal politically to his spiritual superior, naturally accepted it, and the result was the signing of an Agreement between Mongolia and Tibet which formulated a scheme of mutual support and promise of assistance to one another in case of emergency. This Mongol-Tibetan Treaty, which is given at the end of the Introduction, is of interest, inasmuch as it is believed to be the first copy to be translated into English. The delightful way in which the chronology is expressed, and the oriental names and titles of the signatories, carry one's mind back more to the reading of the Arabian Nights than to modern diplomacy.
Russia's advance in the East of late years has been rapid,—far more rapid than would have been expected. She has chosen her opportunities well. Her manipulation of the Mongolian question was admirably carried out during the Chinese Revolution, at a time when the eyes of Europe were riveted on the Balkan States, and the consequent questions which were arising in the near East. Russia is a 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.
The relations of the Russians with the Mongols compare very favourably with those that have always existed between Chinese and Mongols. This no doubt is partially accounted for by the intermarrying for many years between Russians and neighbouring tribes on the frontier. The Chinese rarely intermix in this way with the Mongols; rather have they ousted the Mongol from his pasture grounds in Inner Mongolia, to make room for Chinese colonisation. Russia has made but little effort to convert the Mongols to Christianity. Peter the Great attempted to convert the Hu-tuk-tu himself about the year 1700, but met with no success. Urga itself can only boast of one solitary priest of the Russian Orthodox Church. The very nomad habits of the Mongols prevent them from ever becoming westernised, and disease and insanitary conditions aided by Lamaism are very gradually reducing their population. A race that is too lazy to till the ground, and that looks upon trade as almost degrading, devoting itself cheerfully to obtaining its livelihood by the easy method of tending flocks and herds, could never be expected to adopt Western habits. The only gold-mining concern, the Mongolore Mining Company, started by Mr. Victor von Grotte, to develop the enormous mineral wealth in North Mongolia, was obliged to import Chinese labour from 1000 miles away, simply because the Mongols refused at any price to work the mines. This company so far has merely scratched the mineral wealth in one small area of the Yero River, and the country cries out for capital and enterprising men to undertake the development of gold, silver, coal, and lead, that abound in the northern valleys. With a railway from Verhne Udinsk to Kiachta, Kiachta to Urga, and from Urga across the Gobi Desert to join up with an extension of the Peking-Kalgan Railway to the west at Kweihua-Cheng, trade possibilities will arrive for the employment of much capital and commercial enterprise. Russia will welcome foreign traders, and before many years this railway, which will bring Peking four days nearer to London, must be a "fait accompli." To the commercial man, the miner, and the sportsman, Mongolia opens up a fine field in the near future, and even the eastern portion of the Gobi Desert could, by the employment of artesian wells, be converted into grazing land.
At present the Russians are endeavouring to counteract the deleterious power of the Lamas by stimulating the Mongols to form a military force. It is necessary to uphold the temporal power of the Hu-tuk-tu. At present he owes this power to his fanatical followers. Education, it is feared, would so contradict the absurd teachings of the Lamas as to make them antagonistic, and a force sufficiently strong to counteract the Lamas' power is thought to be the only method.
With the object of training a Mongol army on modern lines, Russian instructors have been introduced.
The Mongols, though fine horsemen and descended from a race of warriors, do not care for anything but the militia form of soldiering.
With wise training and leadership they should compare well with the Chinese as soldiers, though they would be inferior to the Sikh; but it behoves the Russians to choose carefully their instructors, and for that matter their civil advisers, and to continue to inculcate into the Mongols absolute loyalty to their chief the Hu-tuk-tu. Mongolia is a country which, if wisely administered, has a future before it. The administration of the Chinese failed. The country of Mongolia is crying out for reform. It remains now with the Russians to carry out its development.
In Mongolia to-day there is about as much Russian influence as there was in the Caucasus at the time of the Crimean War. What amount of Russian influence will be felt in Mongolia sixty years hence?
A glance at the map will show that in Unknown Mongolia Mr. Douglas Carruthers describes his travels on the border-line of Mongolia proper. In the course of his journey he explored the district of Uriankhai, in the extreme N.W. of Mongolia, whose ownership is disputed between the Mongol and Russian Governments. His interesting book deals with all phases of life on this rugged frontier of Mongolia. The authors' journeys described in this volume took them practically N. and S. and E. and W. through Mongolia proper, an entirely different country many miles away from Uriankhai. Mongolia proper cannot be said to be unknown, but it is certainly very little known. Between them the authors visited the majority of important places in the country.
Captain Otter-Barry's visit to Mongolia took place very shortly before the outbreak of the Chinese Revolution, when Mongolia still owned allegiance to Hsuan Tung, the last Emperor of the Ching dynasty of China. He travelled from China across the Gobi Desert, then viâ Urga, and the Yero mines to Kiachta and Siberia.
Mr. Perry-Ayscough journeyed in Mongolia when China had become a Republic, and when Mongolia was autonomous under Russian protection. The authors have therefore been able to compare the state of affairs in Mongolia, and Chinese, Mongol, and Russian relations at two distinct periods.
Mr. Perry-Ayscough was at Urga shortly after the conclusion of the Mongol-Tibetan Treaty, and was fortunate enough, thanks to the kindness and courtesy of the Russian officials whom he met, to be given every opportunity of seeing for himself the actual state of affairs in the interior of Mongolia at Uliassutai and Kobdo, where Russia has troops and consulates.
The concluding portion of his journey from Kosh Agatch to Novo Nikolaievsk viâ Biisk and Barnaul took him through the Altai Mountains amongst the beautiful scenery of the Chuyan Alps, and was of interest as showing the rapid strides in progress and colonisation that Russia has made in the Altai district—the richest and most densely populated in Siberia.
Monsieur Korostovetz has rendered the authors every help and assistance, and has kindly supplied many of the photos. It was he who, as Plenipotentiary of the Russian Government at Urga, concluded the Russo-Mongolian Agreement in November 1912.
The authors are much indebted to Sir Claude MacDonald for writing the Preface, and for his helpful suggestions regarding the book.
The authors' thanks are also due to Dr. Morrison, Political Adviser to the Chinese Government, for his advice and encouragement, and for so kindly lending several of the photos printed in the book, and to the various officials and merchants, Chinese and Russian, with whom they came in contact.
The spelling adopted by the Chinese Postal Service has, as far as possible, been used for places mentioned in China and Mongolia.
The first three chapters of the book contain a description of the connection of the Russians with Mongolia, the general political situation, and a short account of the Mongol race.
Chapters I., II., III., VII., VIII., and IX. are the result of collaboration. Chapters IV., V., VI., X., and XI. are written by Captain Otter-Barry; and Chapters XII.—XVIII. by Mr. Perry-Ayscough.
- ↑ The Dalai Lama of Tibet resides at Lhasa. The Hu-tuk-tu of Mongolia at Urga. Mr. Douglas Carruthers in his Unknown Mongolia refers to the "Dalai Lama at Urga."