dogu-turkistan-sempozyumu

FREEEAST TURKISTAN SYMPOSIUMYakub Khan as the new boss in the region.The Amir of Kashgar, who had accepted the British delegations andrepresentatives from the very first day, sometimes sent representatives anddelegations to India. The first British-Kashgar trade agreement was concluded in1872. 19 Article 6 of this trade agreement, signed by Sir Douglas Forsyth on behalfof Great Britain, stipulates that Britain was entitled to keep a political agent inKashgar. 20 After innumerable visits and negotiations to Kashgar, Forsyth notesthe following about the economic, social and judicial order there, as well as aboutthe level of civilization in this state: 21“People live in comfort and are pleased with their new leader, who rulesseverely, but wisely and fairly. A powerful state is emerging in a land that isdestined to play a significant role between two rival empires in Central Asia someday. Our government in India has to improve her relations with this state anddefinitely with Atalik Gazi; otherwise we can be sure that the Russians shall doso. Kashgar is a region which has been blessed by God with food and welfare andsettled by people who are willing to display hospitality and a warm welcome totheir guests. Mirza Shadi feeds his guests in a grand manner; delicious rice, spicysoups and delicious roasts… The chiefs of Yarkent are true artists. They wearextremely elegant aprons, keep their kitchens as clean as possible, stew their foodand use high-quality butter. Travelers pass through a town called Kargalik. Themain street is 15 feet wide and most parts of the street are covered. All along theroad are bakeries, butchers, tobacco-shops, groceries, a university and a school;at the end of the road is a gallows erected to hang two criminals. Their roofshave small gardens on which they plant Chinese flowers. Signs of a progressiveand strong government are visible everywhere. The last stop-over before Yarkentduring our travels was a place called Yungu Bazaar; the roads were well-kept andthere were bridges and canals under construction. This place used to be a swampuntil recently. The swamp has been drained by the government and allocatedto farmers in a highly liberal way... Thus, a peaceful industry is now working inYarkent.” 22Forsyth, who came to this region in September 1873, accompanied by a verylarge delegation whose aim was to once again improve trade relations with Kashgar,was also given another important mission. The delegation was instructed not only298