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THE POLITICAL POSITION OF THIBET,
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[September 17, 1898. territory and as soon as possible opened up to trade and regular communication through the passes via Šikkim with India.
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Buddhism. Thibet is governed by the Buddhist hierarchy, and the Dalai Lama is at once their Pope and the sovereigu ruler of the wide mountain ranges and wind-swept plateaux of this remarkable DK. MOMMSEN ON ANGLO-GERMAN country, which from its physical features affords a tolerably secure fastness and re- treat for this ancient but degenerate faith.
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It would suit neither China nor India for
severe
KELATIONS.
(Daily Press, 13th September.)
It is curious to note how very far astray those persons who set themselves up as exponents of public opinion sometimes find themselves. Very recently Reuter tele- graphed out a report, made on the authority of the Pall Mall Gazette, of a coming alliance between Great Britain and Germany, which
some
(Daily Press, 12th September.) When Dr. DUDGEON gets away from the opium question, on which he is more than slightly prejudiced, he becomes interesting, and though we can perhaps hardly agree with all his opinions, we are quite disposed to see with him in some matters. Thus, for in- stance, while we should hardly care to endorse his belief that in a few years Japan "will be the second naval Power in the 'world," we are inclined to think there is a soupcon of probability in his assertion that "it is the design of Russia to eventually "occupy Thibet. Concerning this conclusion, Dr. DUDGEON is pleased to give reasons for the faith that is in him. He says:-" I doubt very much if the British Government is aware that the PREJVALSKI mission had for its chief object the establishment of Russian power in Thibet. I only heard "of it through the Secretary of the Chinese Resident at Lhassa. It appears "that two letters were despatched by the Russian Mission to the Dalai Lama, these communications being marked respectively "'1' and 12'. It is necessary to point out "that at this time the British were operating " on the Thibet frontier in connection with "the Sikkim troubles. No. 1 letter informed the Grand Lama that if the British at- tempted to occupy Thibet it was only ""necessary to immediately forward the "letter to St. Petersburg, and if no
respouse came, No. 2 letter should then that it should full under the rule of Russia. be despatched and Russian troops would in- India like China swarms with Buddhists mediately be sent to their assistance. The who regard Lhassa as the very focus and letters were handed over by the Lama to headquarters of their religion, though the "the Chinese Resident, and are now pre- Grand Lama, it must be confessed, does served in bis Yamen at Lhassa." Pre- little to uphold the sanctity and prestige of sumably this story is worthy of some credit, his capital beyond keeping the sacrilegicus for it is in keeping with Muscovite methods, foot of the stranger from entering its pre- but we are not disposed as a rule to readily cincts. The trade of India with Thibet is accept statements that rest on Chinese also a mere trifle, and though no doubt testimony only. Having regard to pro-likely to develop considerably in course of babilities, however, it may be assumed that tine can hardly be expected, under existing the statement is correct. Russia has long conditions, to attain such magnitude as to been silently working to bring about the render it a matter of much significance if im annexation of Mongolia, and has made good perilled. But it is the interest of the In- progress in the direction by ingratiating dian Government to uphold Thibet in its herself with the Mongol population, among present position as a dependency of the whom the Great White Czar in probably Celestial "Empire, or, if China becomes un- even now far more popular than the able to maintain its supremacy at Lhassa, obscure myth termed the Son of Heaven. then to extend a protectorate to the Dalai We know that the Russian Government Lama, and appoint a Resident to reside in made great efforts prior to the Treaty of his capital. Mongolia may come within the 1881 to secure possession of Kashgaria, and sphere of Muscovite influence later on, but clung to the Kuldja, of which they obtained whatever aspirations Russia may have after possession in the time of YAKOOB BEG, with Thibet they should certainly not be en- obstinate tenacity until the Peking Go-couraged. A glance at the map will show that vernment, moved thereto by the stern denunciation of CHUNG How's Treaty by CHANG CHIH-TUNG, made it apparent that they would not let it go peacefully, when the necessary evacuation kras made. And although little has been said, even un- officially, on the matter, there can be slender doubt that the mountainous region known
the land of the Dalai Lama to fall into the clutches of the great Bear. Although the Chinese power is almost nominal-the Chi- nese Resident at Lhassa interfering little in the internal administration, but confiuing his attention to the external affairs of the country-nevertheless it would be
if not true was ben trovato. The action of blow to Chinese prestige in Central Asi for Thibet, the home of the religion of pro-diately thereafter seemed to point very the Emperor WILLIAM at Hanover imme- bably half the Chinese race, to fall into the
distinctly to hands of Russia. Thibet is a poor country, between the two countries then has of late ncarer rapprochement though its undeveloped mineral resources
existed. Such an alliance, between the two are believed to be great, and the sum total great branches of the Teutonic family, the of Chinese trade with this vast but thinly
two great Protestant states of Europe, the peopled dependency is comparatively insig two peoples that have never exchanged uificant. The tie is one more of sentiment blows, would, moreover, be most natural. than that of commercial or even political in English and German interests are almost terest. Yet the Chinese Government would indissolubly mixed up, their commercial suffer a severe wound to its self-love and a
relations are so intimate, and their social blow to its prestige (if it have any prestige ties, through German inimigration into remaining) by the loss of Thibet. Nor could
British colonies, are so strong, that it would the Government of India regard with equa
be both disastrous and unnatural for nimity the extension of the Russian froutiers
them to fall out. There is a strong com- down to the borders of Sikkim. If Thibet mercial rivalry, but that exists anong is the "Roof of the world" it might perhaps the be more particularly described as the "Roof of India," and it would be most undesirable
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best of friends all the world over, and should not prove A bar to the most complete, political under- standing. Competition is the life of trade, and it should serve to rouse the British manufacturer, who was at one time in danger of falling into the mistaken notion that he had undisputed control of the markets of the world and that purchasers must take what he chose to produce. His eyes have been opened to the fact that there are others ready to compete with him
evcu
on his own special reserves, and a stimulus has accordingly been given to him, which should prove very valuable. At one time it seemed as though a wave of opinion in Germany was carrying that country into the arms of Russia, and that she was even ready to embrace her hereditary foe and, possibly, give back the Rhine provinces to cement a new pact of friendship. This was when she, in an evil moment for her own interests, joined Russia and France in de- priving Japan of the fruits of victory after the latter had laid the blubber whale China at her feet. That hallucination, however, Dever afflicted the commercial classes in Germany; it never blinded the eyes of those Teutons who had lived abroad.
But up to મે very recent date the hallucination just mentioned would seem to have possessed the mind of one per- sonage who claims to he au courant with na- tional feeling and opinion. So recently as the commencement of last month the Ber lin correspondent of the Neue Freie Presse, in the course of au interview with Dr. THEODOR MOMSEN, put the following lead- ing question-“ Do you believe in the possi
naturally and geographically Thibet should be a dependency of China, and that it forms the northern boundary of a great stretch of India. Suggestions have from time to time been made as to the practicability of establishing European colonies on the table lands of Thibet, where a population could grow up which might not only live and "The Roof of the World" has not thrive all the year round, instead of wither- escaped the eagle eye of the Chief of the ing under the heat of the plains of India, Russian Foreign Office. The successive but might also furnish a source from whence
bility of an alliance between England and Russian Missions of exploration sent to to draw upon for the defence of that Empire. "Germany?" Dr. MOMSEN, replied in the Thibet were not despatched thither in the This is, however, all in the nature of specu following terms:-"Among us, this suing interests of science alone. That gallantlation; it is by no means certain that Cau- on the part of the English is received with explorer Colonel PREJVALSKI no doubt had casians would thrive in the rarefied at- (4 some scorn. I do not believe in the real- his instructions, and though he achieved mosphere of the Thibetan plateaux. In any isation of an alliance between the English only a limited measure of success he paved case, that is a question of the comparatively "and the Americans, and still less in a great the way for future operations. Unlike the distant future; but China, Great Britain, Teutonic alliance, which would include Mongols, the Thibetans have no great love and India are all alike concerned to see that the Anglo-Saxons and the Germans. The for the Russians. No doubt the Lamas are the southern trend of the Muscovite hosts
English, it is true, need allies, as they are well aware of the proselytising zeal of the does not take the direction of Thibet. That "threatened by the Russians and the Greek Church, and have no mind to allow great lone and mysterious land, if not much French. But who will consent to do their that aggressive and vigorous Church to longer preserved as a terra incognita, should "business for them? On the contrary, I invade the stronghold and headquarters of at any rate be rendered practically neutral" believe that one day France, Germany,
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