A wor ice in the Peking Gazette of the 23rd August, investing the Chinese Captain-General'at Urumtsi, but really residing at Hami, with the rank of Imperial Commissioner, seems to point out that there is some truth in the report of efforts being made by the Russian Government to stir up hostilities between the Ameer of Yarkand and the Chinese. We commented some weeks ago on the part Russia was attempting to play in this matter, and her specious attempts to gain by fair words and offers of assistance a footing in Eastern Turkistan, and an extract we give from the Russian Turkistan Gazette seems to fit in with the short notice in the Peking Gazette. Yakoob Beg, who seems to work more or less in connection with the Fungaries, has it seems lately taken Uramtsi, and is thus brought face to face with the Chinese forces engaged in the reconquest of Kansu. Yakoob Beg not unnaturally wishes to consolidate in one kingdom the fertile country forming the basin of Lake Lob, and stretching along the southern flanks of the Tienshan, and which is separated from China proper by a series of deserts, marking a suffi. ciently distinct boundary. The Chinese, on their side, wish to recover the territory over which they succeeded in the last century in extending their sway, and though that sway was in many respects only nominal, they are as firm believers in the non possumus as can be found elsewhere. In their efforts to ro. gain these districts, they seem to find a difficulty in recruiting, but it so happens that the terms which, offered to a Chinese, would be rejected with scorn, hold out a high temptation to the tribes of Turkestan. Hence recruits cross the frontier from what is now Russian, or nominally Russian, territory, and at once the occasion of a quarrel is opened up. Our papers and general public opinion at home have been lately exercised to no small degree on this Central Asian subject. It is useless to say anything from this end of Asia on the Khivan question, but we may be listened to when we give a word of advice on what may one day affect ourselves. We have with some degree of difficulty established friendly relations with Yarkand, We have likewise, or ought to have, some influence at Peking. Russia is busily occupied in fomenting quarrels between the two. Her agents at Peking and Yarkand, we may be sure, are steadily, if unobtrusively, engaged in keeping up the difference. Yakoob Beg is reported to have mentioned the state of affairs between him and Russia, but in the reply, both our representative and the Government of India seemed to have forgotten, if we could strike no direct blow at Yarkund, we bad, nominally at least, a representative at Peking, whose influence might be directed to smoothing over matters between the Ameer and the Chinese Government. An understanding come to between the ruler of Eastern Turkistan and the Chinese Government, would at once deprive the Russians of the opportunity of interference, as effectually as the presence of British troops in the slopes of the Tienshan. The Foreign Office has not as yet learnt that China can no longer be considered as outside the rest of the world. Questions have to be argued there intimately affecting Indian, and as it now proves Buropean matters, We doubt if any communications with respect to Russian complication have lately passed between Peking and the Foreign Office, yet Russia is making Peking an important point in her designs on Central Asia, It would at least be well that more intimate communication should be instituted between the Government of India and Her Majesty's representative at Peking. It is a matter of paramount importance to preserve the independence of Eastern Turkistan, yet the most effectual means of doing
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.