In 1870, Tsarist troops occupied Guldja in the north-west of the province. The same year, and again in 1873, the British agent Douglas Forsyth led a mission to Yarkant to establish diplomatic relations with Yakub Beg, the feudal warlord of Kashgaria, who was consolidating his rule over the area.

After a while we left the engine, but not before André had examined the 4-6-4 very carefully, with hammer and torch, both outside and underneath. And that was the end of my footplate work on this particular weekend.

Americans who amass new fortunes today race to cover their walls with art that proclaims their status, but the status symbols of ancient North Africa’s megawealthy lay literally at their feet.

Nixon and Kissinger had established a blank check policy, giving the Shah a free hand to buy as many American weapons systems as he wanted, even the most technologically advanced, so long as they were not nuclear.