November 14, 1908.]
break through all traditions, and study for himself the language and institutions of this strange country. England was the first to move in the affair. Under the inspiration of the Russian DORJIEFF Tibet commenced to think that she had a grievance, and to show signs of uneasiness under the rale of China, and a general movement against Chinese rule and Chinese methods was the result. Sluggish as usual the Chinese Government only woke up to the position of affairs when it found that Tibet was well nigh lost, and that nearly all the important positions had, one after another, been occu- pied by Tibetans, the Chinese garrisons being quietly expelled. The Indian Government was more alert, and soon became acquainted with the position in St. Petersburg, and how DORJIEFF had actually been received at court as an acknowledged envoy from the DALAI LAMA. It was clear that affairs were becoming serious, and that something bad to be done at once On the affair being explained to the Chinese objection was raised and an advance on Lhassa was de- termined on. No opposition was possible, the army marched into the capital, and the representative of the DALAI LAMA, who had himself fled asked for terms, which, every thing apparently being settled, the British Government was only too ready to grant. But if China had been inactive when any thing had to be done, she in her usual style saw her opportunity to hoodwink the British Government, who only dimly saw the game. On one pretence or other negotiations were delayed while the Chinese officials were taking steps to recover their lost prestige, and re-establish themselves under cover of the army of occupation in their old quarters. As soon as this was done, the Chinese openly declared that Tibet was their possession, and warned the British off the land. But by this time the Tibetans who had been looking to China to get the English out began to see the trick that had been played on them, and to find that while Great Britain had been content to beat them with whips, China had quite made up her mind to chastise them with scorpions. Such was the cause that brought about the small revolution in Lhassa, and we can readily see how grievous must have been the awakening, But perhaps the most curious incident in a curious chapter remains to be told. The DALAI LAMA had found in his talks with DORJIEFF that Russia was profuse enough with promises, but when the time of need had been preci- pitated responsible statesmen were not prepared to put in practise the things promised by irresponsible talkers on their behalf. The DALAI LAMA had evidently left Lhassa under the impression that all the good things spoken of by DORJEFF were at hand, but Lhassa was permitted without a word of protest to fall into British hands, and TUBDAN GYATSO found himself stranded with no one to take pity on him. It was a strange revelation to him of the methods of government, and, however unwilling, he thought it better to accept the only course left open.
·
345
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. unprecedented honours. So far so good, but the end is not yet. TUBDAN has ex-
“This hardship will be lessened by the gradual operation of the Deores which given ten foara bibiteu no great alacrity in returning to his
as the limit for total cessation of cultivation, capital, even with his accessions of dignity, discontent may show itself in some form or other and the court at Peking is at its wits' end to and it is doubtful if the energetio Viceroy of but it may reasonably be anticipated that
get him there. Meanwhile the Resident in Yannan was acting prudently in reducing the Tibet has evidently been inspired to tele-time limit of total osenstion of poppy cultivation graph that order has been restored in Lhassa, from ten to three years." but the LAMA has not yet left Peking. Oa the whole everyone connected with a very curious piece of business seems to have been more or less disappointed in the result, Chinese Government, The Dalai Lama, the Tibetans, and even the Russian official, in Siberia. Of the whole there is, however, no doubt that the most sold have been the British Government itself, which after pay ing the piper for the whole, has found itself in the end in a worse position than when it commence.
CHINA AND THE OPIUM
QUESTION.
Two principal reasons assigned for the growing apathy of the provincial authorities is that so many public officials are still addicted to the drug, and, further, the question of provincial finances and of finding revenue to replace that at present derived from opium. This apathy, the raport says, is to be noticed chiefly in a growing indifference as to whether the rules of the Decree of November 1908 are stringently carried out or not.
"Gane: ally speaking, sm kers do not take out licences, Deas, though officially closed, are in many cases surreptitiously opened. Opium shops are only spasmodically inspected, while Anti-Opium Societies are gradu illy dying a natural death from lack of funds or interest or both.
Though there are exceptions to this state of affairs in certain districts due to enlightened officials, especially in the coast provinces, the report adds "it cannot be said that officials in general have fully carried out the duty of leading the move- ment imposed upon them by theCourt. "
1
It is important to bear in mind that the production of native opium has in recent years been nine or ten times greater than the amount of opium imported into China and we presume that one of the principal objects of these half-yearly reports is to enable the Imperial Government to judge whether China is satisfactorily fuldlling the pledges she has given to the British contains no Government on the subject. But this report official statistics, though, wa presume, statistical returns are periodically sent from the opium-growing provincas to the Government at Peking. One of the Regulations certainly
too upon authorities provincial
periodically furnish detailed reports of the area in cultivation," while at the same time they are enjoined to enforce the annual reduction. Possibly, however, Mr. LEECH regards the observations of local residents,
(Daily Press, November 11th.) Twelve months ago Sir JOHN JORDA the British Minister at Peking, sent home a general report on the opium question in which the sincerity of the Chinese Govern- ment was unquestioned, but its competence to sweep away in a decade habits which have been the growth of at least a century, was seriously doubted. Taking it as a proved fact that the Central Government had largely lost the power to impose its will upon the provinces, Sir JoHN JORDAN doubted if the Anti-Opium Edicts would prove effective seeing that the production of native opium at the time was about ten times the amount of the imported drug. At of the Legation, came to the conclusion that that time, too, Mr. Leɛca, the Councillor in general no attention up to that time had been paid throughout the Empire to the Imperial edicts directing growers of the A further report, prepared by Mr. LEECH is published as a Parliamentary paper. Jou JORDAN, in a covering dispatch, sɩys Mr. LEECH has devoted much care and attention to the preparation of the report, and his conclusions rm an impartial estimate of the situation after au crhaus-
or of travellers, as of more-value than statis- tive examination of all the evidence avail. tics of the kind one usually gets in China, able. The two most noticeable features ad so he ends his report with an interest- during the past twelve months, the reporting series of statements of
the present states, have been "the continued interest position of the anti-opium movement is and energy shown by the Central Govern- each province of China. It should not be ment in the question, as compared with the overlooked that, though the report was only growing apathy evinced by the provincial published in London a month ago, it was officials and their lack of sustained effort written last June. We are not aware to eradicate continues:-
poppy
to restrict cultivation.
the evil.'
"
now
Sir
The report
$2
calls
to
4
however, that there have in the meantime been any marked developments which materially affect the conclusions Mr. LERCH has drawn. In Chili, little is being done "; in Shan-si, the movement generally is described as a farce"; in Kansu general indifference is noticeable; in Shan-tang Anbui the dens are merely nominally closed, "most conflicting"; and in reports are
and the movement is not generally popular. The province of Kinog-so, on the other hand, continues to be am ingat those fores smoking, though the poppy is but slightly most in energy in combating the evil of grown in the province. In Chekiang the though smoking is slowly and surely be official attitude is one of total iudifference, • coming discredited. In Hu-nan the mea- "No proposals for compensation are contem- sures taken are so genaine that in soms plated to those who are called upon to sbindon places it is impossible to purchase the drug. hitherto legitimate and lucrative form of In Ho-nan and Hu-pei little or nothing is agriculture, chiefly aarried оп ia remote
being done, but in Sza-chwan, which grows districte, where the farmers will, no doubt,
perience considerable difmoulty in fading" it is confidently asserted that the culti so large a proportion of Chinese opium, other remunerative crops owing to the of transport.
vation is on the decrease rather than
evidence from many provinces of the reduction "In contrast to this there is the gratifying of the area under poppy cultivation. This reduction, which varies greatly according to local conditions, seems to be as much a voluntary step on the part of the farmers, prompted by exhortation or of a desire to obey the authorities. self-interest and fear, as the result of official
"The poppy is easily distinguishable, especial The Chinese Government only when in fower, and the dread of increased learning after the occupation of Lbasea of his taxation, fines, punishment, or destruction of flight had officially deposed him from his the crop seem to have been powerful motives in cralted position of Sovereign Pontiff, and bringing about this reduction, whiob, though both sides now came to the conclusion they out the Empire; though it is only fair to admit slightin actual amount, is fairly general through- had made a mistake. So negotiations were opened and the DALAI LAMA asked to retrace determination of the local authorities have been that in some instances the personal energy and his steps. TUBDAN GYATSO may not be an able man, but he has learnt the trick of supporting his dignity, and has apparently only yielded on receiving ful assurances of being completely reinstated, and under mises of the sort he has permitted himself to be cajoled to Peking, and the EMPEROR and DowAGER have had to receive him with
pro-
the direct ca 11868.
expense
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