278
THE DALAI LAMA.
A PERSONAL INTERVIEW,
A correspondent who has lately arrived in Shanghai from travelling in Shansi has given to the N. C. Daily News the following interest. ing details of a private interview, which be was privileged to have with the Dalai Lama, while the latter was yet staying at the W'utaishan Of the enormous retinue of lamas and Tibetan guards with which the Dalai Lama was yet surrounded-a retinue, says our correspondent, on the support of which the Chinese Government is reported to have allowed that Buddhist Pontiff Ils. 100,000 a month-other writers bave given descriptions already. But it is worth noticing that only Tibetans (and an occasional privileged visitor) were admitted to the interior of the principal lamasery on the P'usating which was the Dalai Lama's residence. The Chinese guard of hon. our appointed by Peking was kept strictly out- side the lamasery and it was noticeable that the Chinese soldiers and their officers were the object of great dislike to the Tibetans and of continual gratuitous insults.
On the introduction of his visitor the Dalai Lama was discovered seated on a low stool in the middle of a large hall. The Chief Pontif is of slight somewhat slender build, lighter in colour than the eastern Tibetans who are in general deeply bronzed. His face. which was curiously expressionless even when he was deep in conversation, is slightly marked with small- par. His age has been incorrectly reported as about twenty. In reality the Dalai Lama was born in the year in which the Emperor Kuang Hsi came to the throne, which would make him about thirty-four years old allowing for the difference of Chinese reckoning. He was dressed in a yellow silk robe trimmed with deep, blas cuffs.
The great man did not, of course, rise from his seat, and throughout the interview, which was conducted through an interpreter in Chinese and Tibetan, for the Dalai Lama is ignorant of the former language, the visitor remained standing. But the Dalai Lama was altogether gracious. The interview began with the orthodox Tibetan salutation: the visitor carries in his bands a k'a-tag, or long scarf, which as he stands before the Pontiff he allows to unroll. Then the scarf is taken up by an attendant and given to the Pontiff, who at the close of the interview gave in exchange a scarf of his oWD. This was a special mark of favour. The scarf was laid across the visitor s shoulders and when he left the presence it was impressed upon him that he must on no account remove his decoration till he was far from the lamasery.
The Dalai Lama spoke of the English people. He asked for news from the outside world
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
THE NORTH CHINA INSURANCE By Londo a
COMPANY, LTD.
The report for presentation at the fifth ordinary general meeting of shareholders, to be held at the Offices of the Company, No. 10, The Band, Shanghai, on Tuesday, the 20th inst, states:-
The Directors beg to submit, for the informa- tion of shareholders, the annexed duly audited statement of the Company's accounts to the 30th June 1908.
1907-The Balance at credit of this account is Taels 204,097.00, and after deducting au interim dividend of 7 per cent, aggregating Taels, 30,252.10, paid on 1st May last, there remains a sum of Taels 173,844 94, which the Directors recommend should be appropriated in the following manner :-
A final dividend of 7 per cent, on the paid- up capital.
A bonus of 15 per cent. upon contributory Premiums.
Taels 5,000.00 transferred to silver reserve, bringing that fund up to Taels 150,000.00,
And the balance to be transferred to Under- writing Reserve account, closing the account for 1997.
19 8.--The balance at credit of Working account to 30th June amounts to Taals 160,512.05.
Directors. In accordance with the provisions of the Articles of Association the Directors all retire bat, being eligible, offer themselves for re-election.
Audit. The Accounts have been audited by Messrs. Wingrove and Hayter, who again tender their services to the shareholders.
By Order of the Court of Directors.
H. G. SIMMS,
Secretary.
Shanghai, 15th September, 1908.
BALANCE SHEET, 30th Jane, 1908.
To capital account :--10,000 khares at £5 - £50,000 at 2-51
To sterling reserve fund To silver reserve fund To underwriting
account
reserve
To exchange and invest- ment fluctuation account To working
account
1 907 :- amount brought forward
from below Tls. 201,097.00 Deduct :
interim sharc
dividdend Tls. 30,252.10
To working account 1908 :
Amount brought forward from below
To sundry creditors
brauch-- balance viz London free-
hold premises 38,307 3 7 Cash at ban-
kors British Go-
vernment
6,525 3 0
securities 21,281 4 8 Indian
Go-
vernment
securities 18,816 4 5 Colocial
Go-
vernment
Becurities . 33,617 16 11 Foreign Go
vernment
loana English rail-
26,834 19 0
way securities 5,214 11 1 Colonial rail.
12,390 0 0
954 19 4
162 0 0
way securities20,501 11 0 Chinese rail.
way loans Pennsylvania Railroad Co. 4 per
cent. mort. bonda Furniture ac. counts-Lon+ don and Manchester Premia
standing, bills receiv- able, policy stamps and drafts in course of collect io na 5,731 3 9
£196,336 16 9
381 0 6
out.
Less-Due to
sundries
By balances at branches By furnitures at head office
and branches
By sundry debtors
[October 17, 1908.
-1,607,842.56 195,955 16 8
62,930.13
7,669 12 2
1,729.05
210 14 7
33,116.74
4,036 2 1
(Ex. 2-3 per taela) Taels 2,297,839.87 £280,019 4 8
WORKING ACCOUNT 1907, 30th June 1908.
Dr.
To net premis
d.
To interest
To transfer and certificate fees
Taela...
Taals.
577,888.38
Taels £
77,903.42
81,00
410,256.41 50,000 0 0 1,025.641 03 126.000 0 0 100,000.00 12,187 10 0
3/3,747.65 37,018 411
Dr.
654,979.75 Taels,
157,163.36
By directors and auditors' fees
5,650.00
By income tax...
11,056.60
By depreciation furniture sccount By losses and claims
158,66
276,817.13
By balance carried forward.
204,097.00
Taels
654,978.75
118,276.92 11415 0 0
By commissions and charges at head
office, branches and agencies
WORKING ACCOUNT 1908, 30th June 1908.
Dr.
Taels.
To net premia
274,999,79
To interest
42,750.25
lo transfer and certificate fees
21.00
173,841.90 21,187 611
Trela
Cr. By commissions and charges at
317,711.04 Thela.
head
office, branches and agencien............ By directors and auditors' fees.. By income tax
85,965,17
8,200.00
8,157.50
65,576.82
160,512.05
317,711.04
160,512.05 19,562 8 2 5,560,01 67714 8
and expressed gratification at the receipt of a complimentary
Also, and message. the point is worth noting, he showed con. siderable and spontareons friendliness in speaking of Great Britain and of her relations with Tibet. The interview lasted a quarter (Ex. 2-51 per tael) Taels 2,297,839.73 £280,049 4 8 of an hour. Then the visitor departed through long lines of guards and spectators and followed by an escort bearing the presents received from the Dalai Lama. He could not help noticing that he was treated thenceforward with marked respect throughout the district. It is not everys body that is admitted to converse with Haofo- Living Buddha.
are
whatever
According to our correspondent the reports of the Dalai Lama's haughty delay to go to Peking probably imaginary. Apart from the fact that he could not have disobeyed an order from the suzerain who, the Dalai Lama may be in Tibet, is a vastly greater person than he in China, the Chinese Government might easily have fetched him up to Peking, had it wished to do so, by, the simple expedient of cutting off supplies. Is it not a more likely suggestion that the Govern ment, which is known to be most anxious to reorganize Tibet on Linese lines, preferred to postpone its discussions with the Dalai Lama until its plans could be presented to him in a more developed condition? At least this view would help to explain, among other things the animosity shown by Tibetans towards the harmless Chinese guard of honour at W’ataishan.
By cash on current and de-
posit accounts in Shanghai By Chinese Imperial Govt.
Loan of 1823 (E. Izane) By Shanghai Municipal
Loana
By Shanghai Land Invest. ment Co., Ld.'s 5 per cent. debtra
By Shanghai Land Invest- ment Co., Ld. ́s 6 per cent. debtrs.
By Shanghai Waterworks Co., Ld.'s 5 per cent. debentures
By Shanghai Waterworks Co., Ld.'s 6 per cent. debtentures
By Shanghai and Hongkew
Wharf Co., Ld.'s 6 per. cent debts.
By Shanghai Mutual Tele-
phone Co., Limited By mortgages on properly
in Shanghai
Government By Japanese
5 per cent. yen loan of 1895
By Japanese Government 4 per cent. sterling loan of 1899
ઈં
Taels £ A
154.56250 18,837 6 1
12,500.00 1,523 8 9
95,000.00 11,578 2 G
7,000.00
69,700.00 8,194 13 9
9,600.00 1,170 0 0
20,000.00 2,437 10 0
By losses and claims.
By balance carried forward...
WITHDRAWAL TROOPS FROM
Taels...
OF JAPANESE NORTH CHINA,
As to the withdrawal of the bulk of the 326 Japanese garrison in North China in view of conditions there, we hear, mys the Japan Gasette, that it will be carried into effect upon Imperial sanet on being given. Garniany's initiative for the total evacuation a few years ago was considered by other Powers to be premature, Japan, however, now withdraws the greater part of bør garrison without reference to other Power It is an outcome of the pesos and retrenchment policy of the Katsura Cabinet of 10,000.00 1,21815 which, we believe, not a few other proofs are forthcoming. It will be seen with interest bow China and other Powers ressive Japan's action. A Tokyo news agency reports that the existing Japanese garrison in North China consists of seven companies of infantry and a small body of cavalry under a Lieutenant. Four companies of infantry and all the mvalry are to be withdrawn shortly, socording to the recent ministerial decision.
800.00 97 10 0
130,000.60 15,842 13 0
11,077.11 1,350 0 5
71,984.78 8,772 15–7