+
284
TIBET.
(Daily Press, October 17th.) DR. BYEN HEDIN, who is now on his way to Europe after spending many months in Tibet, is reported to make no secret of his belief that the domination of Tibet by the Chinese will effectually destroy British influence in that country. He considers that it will cost several millions of pounds to regain the prestige which he believes to be totally lost in consequence of the arrange- ment whereby China assumed responsibility for the payment of the YOUNGHUSBAND WRI indemnity which brought about the British evacuation of the Chumbi Valley. The Chumbi Valley, no doubt, from a geograph ical point of view really belongs to India. Great Britain, however, has always recognised China's sovereignty in Tibet. The Chinese, Dr. SVEN HEDIN says, have reaped all the advantages of the YOUNGHUSBAND Mission and "a future mission of the same sort will mean, not a military promenade across the Himalayas, but war with China, The Allahabad Pioneer says this view coincides with that expressed by all who have bad knowledge of Tibetan politics and of the measures which the Peking Goverament are taking to reduce Tibet to the level of an ordinary Chinese province. The Govern- ment at Peking has certainly been taking measures to strengthen the very shadowy authority it has in recent years exercised over Tibet, but we cannot see in this any
1
THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
[October 26, 1908.
intriguing to recover her waning influence | persecuted it still professes, and persecution in Nepaul, which for more than a century will grow again as naturally and necessarily was a tributary of the Chinese Government. as a seed in a dongenial soil. Then it will The recent visit of the Prime Minister of once more come in collision with the secular Nepaul to Peking has a strong significance intelligence which now passes by it with in this connection, but it is hoped in India disdain. The struggle ended in blood be- that the Government at the first sign of any fore; and it will end in blood again, with meddling with the States South of the further results not difficult to anticipate." Hima'ayas will make it clear that there is a It is noteworthy that there appears to have limit to Chinese aspirations in that region. been an entire absence of any such forabod- ings in the cominents on the Congress which have appeared in the great organs of British public opinion which may be said to repre sent what the historian calls the “secular
THE REVIVAL OF ROMANISM IN ENGLAND.
(Daily Press, October 19th.) There has been no event in England in holding of the Eucharistic Congress in Loa- recent times of greater signicance than the don. The growth of Roman Catholicism in Euglaud during the last half century has been enormous. FROUDE, the historian, in one of his Essays recilla that in bis boyhood the Roman Catholic religion hang bout a fow ancient English families like a ghost of the past. "They preserved their creed as an heirloom which tradition rather than convistion made sacred to them. À convert from Protestantism to Popery would have been as great a monster as a convert to Buddhism or Odia." In the
course of a single century what a change has been effected! Not only in England is this the case. While the influence and ceptibly weakening in countries which had power of the Roman Church has been per long heen exclusively her own, it has been steadily rising in the countries which have constituted the stronghold of Pro- testantisin in Europe.
intelligence." While it is true that since FROUDE published this impressive warning the revival of Romanism in England has mide astonishing progress, we are inclined to believe that the essential principles of the R formation are so deeply rooted in England as to make the prospect of any conflict of the Roman Catholic Church with the secular intelligence extremely remote.
JAPAN AND PARI-MUTUEL.
(Daily Press, October 20th.) Immediately prior to the visit of the American Fleet to Japan the topic of most lively interest. judging by the translations the English papers give from the vernacular cause for alarm, basing regard to the agree.
at race meetings. We believe we are correct press, was the prohibition of the pari-mutuel ment negotiated with China little more than
in saying that five years ago there was not two years ago. In the minds of the British
more than one race club in Japan-the Government there was no idea of a pernian
Nippon Race Club at Yokohama. In recent ent occupation of the Chumbi Valley at the time of the YOUNGHUSBAND Mission, and manifestation of the rivival of Romanism like mushrooms, with the direct encourage- Such a striking yars Japanese race clubs have sprung up although Colonel YOUNGHUSBAND, in nego-as the bolding of a Eucharistic Congressment of the Government. It appears that tiating a Convention with the Tibetan in London must have get most thought-horse-rating with the pari-mutuel as a authorities, made a stipulation that British ful minds speculating not only as to the feature was actually the outcome of a troops should occupy until the completion of the indemnity able a change,
the Chumbi Valley causes which have produced so remark-uggestion by the KATSUKA Government a payments, which were spread over a period significance of the movement.
but alan upon the final few years ago and the system was endorsed These are by the succeeding Government led by of seventy-five years, the Imperial Govern- questions, however, which in a single article by Marquis SATONTI. Now that Marquis ment showed no hesitation in modifying can only be briefly touched upon.
Wecin ATCRA is in power again he has been this and agreeing to the evacuation as soon
here only suggest that the causes try he forced t smother his own child. We may as China made herself responsible for the found, on the one hand, in the growth of a forced advisedly, for the prohibition of fulfilment of all the other terms of the materialistic philosophy breathing a spirit the pari-mutuel does not appear to have Convention. What Great Britain desired of indifference to all religious forms and heen
the willing act of the Executive. was that Tibet should recognise the validity ceremonies, and
& the other to that Indeed, only од
fortnight before the and carry into full effect the provisions of the increasing love of ritual in the Church of prohibition was issued, the Prime Minister Anglo-Chinese Convention of 1890 and the England which brings it daily into closer informed a deputation representing the Trade Regulations which were agreed upon affinity with the Church of Rome. For good race clubs that the Government had no three years later. As a result of the British advance to Lhassa, the Tibetan authorities, in England is des'ined to continue.
or ill, the advance of Roman Catholicism intention of abolishing the pari-mutuel, but There that some steps would be taken for its better by a Convention, bound themselves to do has been no great ebullition of national this, and a great deal more, which the feeling over the holding of the Eucharistic Chinese Government subsequently confirmed, Congress such as might have been expectel and expressly undertook to secure fulfilment of the terms of the Convention. history, and the confidence of the Po
perhaps, when we remember our English While Great Britain has engaged not to | in British tolerance has been fully annex Tibetan territory or to interfere in justified. Had the authorities in charge of the internal administration of Tibet, the the Congress arrangements not committed
the
Government of China has undertaken not to permit auy other foreign State to interfere with the territory or internal administration of Tibet. Russia, moreover, bas formally recognised that Great Britain, by reason of her geographical position,' has a special interest in the maintenance of the status quo in the external relations of
66
"
Tibet. She has also engaged on her part to respect the territorial integrity of Tibet and to abstain from all interference in its internal administration. We can therefore see no reason for contemplating a future British military expedition to Tibet for the purpose of securing the fulfilment of existing agreements. China is not likely, we think, to provoke a war by disregarding ther Treaty obligations in Tibet. If any rou ble is destined to arise in that part of the world the danger rather lies in China
aa
error
of judgment in arranging for a procession of the Host through the streets adjoining the Roman Cathedral at Westminster, contrary to the provisions of the Emancipation Act of 1829, the world
whether Protes antiam might have been left in some doubt as to bad not ceased
to be a force to be reckoned with in
regulation. The Government, however, has been forced to follow the Judiciary in the matter. The Judiciary demanded its total abolition on the ground that its operations
were contrary to law. On the 1st inst. new Criminal Code came into operation. Under the old Code the law against gambling, as it is translated into English,
"Persons who have, is in these words: actually gambled, putting valuable stakes, shall be punished with major confinement above one month but under six months, with a fine above five yen bat under fifty yen." Under the new Code the law is tuat Whosoever shall have played, bet, or wagered a valuable thing as a stake withị England. FROUDE, in the Esay to which regard to a mitter depending upon obance allusion has already been made warned the or contingency, shall be punished with an English people that "Catholicism has learnt ordinary nne not exceeding one thousand nothing and forgotten nothing. It is yen, or police fine. This provision does not, tolerant now because its strength is broken. however, apply to a case where & mere It has been fighting for bare existence, and article of momentary amusement or plea- its demands at present are satisfied with sure is wagered." And the next article in fair play. But let it (he says) have a the Cuda provides that “Whosover shall numerical majority behind it and it will have made a regular practice of wager- reclaim its old authority. It willing or gaming shall be punisbed with again insist on coutrolling all departments penal servitude for a period not ex- of knowledge. The principles on which it ceeding three years." We are unable to
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.