Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/856

 734 CHINA

Zungaria, and outer Kau-su, comprehends all the Chinese dependencies lying between Mongolia on the north and Tibet on the south. It is under the control of a Military Governor, being now regarded as a separate province. Its area is estimated at about 550,340 square miles and population at about 1,200,000. The inhabitants are of various races, mostly mixed Kirghiz, Persian, Kalmuck and Chinese. The chief towns are Kashgar, Yarkand, Khotan, Kiriya and (towards the north) Aksu. The country is administered under Chinese officials, residing as Urumtsi, the subordinates being usually natives of the country. In some regions about the Kashgar and Yarkand rivers the soil is fertile, irrigation is practised, and cereals, fruits and vegetables are grown. Other productions of the country are wool, cotton, and silk. Jade is worked, and in some districts gold is found.

Mongolia.

Ruler. — Djebzoun Damba-Khutukhta. The Cabinet is made up as follows : —

Presiderit of the Council of Ministers of Mongolia. — Sain-noin Khan Namnau Souroun.

Minister of the Interior. — Tchin-Souzouktou Tziu-van Lama Tzerin- Tchimet.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, — Daitzin-van Handa dorji.

Minister of War. — Erdeni Dalai Tzun van Gombo-Souroun.

Minister of Finance. — Touchetou Tzun-van Tchakdorjab.

Minister of Justice. — Erdeni Tzun-van Namsarai.

The vast and indefinite tract of country called Mongolia stretches from the Kinghan mountains on the east to the Tarbagatai mountains on the west, being intersected towards its western end by the Altai mountains and the Irtish river. On the north it is bounded by Siberia and on the south by the outer Kan-su and other regions which arc united into Sin-Kiang. The area of Mongolia is about 1,367,600 square miles, and its population about 2,600,000. A wide tract in the heart of this region is occupied by the Desert of Gobi which extends south-westwards into Chinese Turkestan. The inhabitants are nomadic Mongols and Kalmucks who range the desert with camels, horses, and sheep. Even in fertile districts they are little given to agriculture. The chief town or centre of population is Urga, about 170 miles due south of Maimaichen, Avhich is a frontier emporium for the brisk caravan trade carried on with China across the Gobi Desert, goods being easily transported to the Siberian frontier town of Kiakhta, which stands about 100 miles from the south end of Lake Baikal. The imports at Urga in 1908 amounted to about 1,560,000^., and the exports to about 990,000/. The chief exports were wool, skins and hides, furs, horns, &c. The commerce between Mongolia and China will no doubt be stimulated hy the projected railway from Kalgau to Urga (530 miles) and the Urga Kiakhta railway (170 miles), both being Chinese undertakings.

During the Chinese Revolution an independent Government was set up in Outer Mongolia under the leadership of the Hutukhtu (living Buddha) of Urga. The Chinese Government having desjjatched forces to reduce Outer Mongolia, in defiance of the frequent representations of the Russian Government, the latter in October despatched to Urga an envoy, who has recognised on behalf of his Government the independence of Outer Mongolia. On Nov. 3rd, 1912, a Kusso-Mongolian Agreement Avas concluded, by Avhich the Russian Govern-