earch of wealth and adventure, did the Chinese
by a seemingly irresistible impulse spread over the continent of Asia.
In doing so they were actuated as much by calculation of possible profit
as by any desire for military renown. The Emperor Keen-Lung himself was
flattered by the triumphs achieved beyond Gobi; but his lieutenants and
viceroys aimed at more mercenary objects, and but for the golden promise
held forth by a permanent conquest of Turkestan would have induced their
master to direct his efforts to some more profitable undertaking. The
Chinese, having acquired Kashgar, were far too sagacious to use up its
resources by an organized system of pillage, and they accordingly, let
it be granted chiefly with a view to their own personal aggrandizement,
devoted their attention to the development of its natural wealth by
means already detailed in a previous chapter. For three generations the
officials grew rich on the prosperity of their dependency, and for the
same period the people themselves were scarcely less flourishing. The
Chinese had accepted no slight responsibility in undertaking the
government of Kashgar on principles identical with those by which they
held authority in Tibet; but, owing to wonderful perseverance and good
management, they triumphed over every difficulty. The revenue raised for
state and local purposes was very great, and it sufficed to preserve
good order for many years, and to add permanent improvement to the state
in every direction. The task voluntarily undertaken by the Chinese was
far more onerous than that Yakoob Beg found he had to execute; but they
came to it with many advantages that he wanted. They had a large and
faithful army; he had only an uncertain gathering, which might flee or
desert on the first symptom of disaster: they had the resources of a
great and powerful empire at their back; he had nothing but his own
energy and determination: and above all, they had a reputation that
added to their strength and facilitated their undertakings, while he was
regarded as a mere military adventurer, receiving the contempt of Tungan
and Khoja alike. The very nature of things made the Chinese turn most of
their attention to commerce, while for years Yakoob Beg's sole thought
was to consolidate his military strength and form a large standing army.
For many years, then, Yakoob Beg only spent money on the drilling of
soldiers and the purchase of weapons. Now and then, when some danger
seemed t