The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-10
GREAT BRITAIN'S MARCH
INTO HEART OF THIBET
IS NOT FOR CONQUEST
Object of Mission Is to Have I'm
derstanding Regarding South
ern Boundary.
WANT THIBET FOR BUFFER
England incidentally Endeavoring
to Safeguard Eastern APP
proach to India. 4
PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY
Little Opposition on Part of Thib-
etans Looked for by Soldiers 4
of the Expedition. ]
WANT THIBET FOR BUFFER
PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY

chen Jong on Dec. Is the Thibetan general,
finding the mission deaf to entreaties to
halt, retired to Phara, where the mission
has by this time phobably arrived. The
troops attached as escort TO the original
political mission, who were encamped at
Khambo Jong, returned to Sikkim on Dec.
II The advance into the Chumbi valley
has greatly surprised the Thibetans. The
mission found a number of small Chinese
officials in the valley. who, as wei as the
residents We're friendly.
The Indian troops are cheerfully bearing
the intense hardships OF the march and the
severe cold. The roads are described as
execrable. The conveyance of supplies pre-
sents exceptional difficulties. They have to
be transported a distance OF over twenty
five miles across the snow at an altitude OF
1900 feet. 1t is believed the Thibetans will
oppose the advance, If they do so at all. at
Phara, and that If they do not interpose
there. any opposition to the further adj
vance Of the mission will entirely collapse.
No white man living has ever seen Lhas-
sa. There in half dozen words, you have
the real interest Of the present expeci-
ton into Thibet. The fact that the Indian
government has at last decided to act
open questions between itself and the
government OF the Grand Lama to remain
unsettled any longer win. we have no
DOUBT remain uncredited 10 the end OF
the chapter. In England the present
movement which involves the POSSIBILITY
of entering into formal political relations
with the capital OF Thibet, will probably
always be regarded excuse for at
last reaching the long-coveted goal On
the continent Of course. the expedition
cannot fail TO be made the excuse for the
usual TRADE against the arth-grabbing
proclivities OF the English. Nothing. as a
matter OF fact, could be farther from the
intention of the Indian government. But IL
is necessary to set out simply possi-
BILE the history Of the present difficulty.
KINGDOM IN CENTER OF ASIA.
Thibet is a large kingdom in the GEN.
ter of Asia, wholly under religious gov
eminent, of which the nominal head is the
Grand Lama, who resides in a magnificent
palace called Potala, in the Forbidden City,
Lhassa. Nominally Thibet is under the
suzerainty OF China, but the Thibetans
have taken such advantage of continual
political embarrassments OF the Celestial
Empire that this dependence has been prac-
tically denied for several years I'm the form
of definite refusal TO pay taxes. and with
in the last few months the somewhat over
step of dsmissing from Lhassa the Chinese
representative has probably-at any rate,
from the Thibetan point OF view-terminat-
ed a protectorate which had long been a
mere farce. IT is for this reason that the
Indian government has now decided that IL
would be mere waste of time TO prolOng the
fruitless negotiations with Picking, and are
attempting to treat directly with the Grand
Lama upon the questions In dispute.
These questions are simple enough. One
relates to certain grazing rights which the
Thibetans claim over the northern plains OF
our vassal, the Raja of Sikkim; the other
OF vastly greater importance, is nothing
less than that OF the final delimitation OF
the boundary between Sikkim and Thibet
The treaty upon which the rights OF the
two parties are based is that OF 1893, and
II is not unreasonable that some effect
should in ten ten years be given to its pro
hitherto prevailed upon the two points
noted has caused, and continues to cause,
ceaseless friction between the Sikkimese
and the Thibetans. On one occasion the
latter went far TO invade the country,
and even erected a fort at Ling-Tu within
sight OF Darjeeling. This insolence was
ton Of 1883, and the subsequent agree
ment between the neighboring states.
The refusal Of the Thibetans To carry out
its clauses led inevitably TO a demand on
the part OF the Indian government that n
commission should be Jointly nominated
for the purpose Of discussing and deciding
the two main issues. This the authorities
in Lhassa promised readily enough to
grant, but the three English representa-
tives have been waiting on the frontier for
months, and there does not seem even
now to be the slightest chance OF the ar
rival Of the latter. From an Oriental
point of view this is not a breach OF faith:
IL is merely an obvious ruse. IL places the
other nation in false and even humiliating
position commits Thibet 10 nothing which
might reduce the rights Of trespass and
other irregular privileges which many OF
her inhabitants now enjoy, and ena bles her
to make preparations for defence IN the
event Of her inactivity being resented.
INDIA AND THIBET.
Nothing is further from the thoughts
of Lord Curzon than the annexation OF
Tibet The more the country is shut up
from all exterior communication the better
from their point of view The avenue be-
tween India and Thibet lies between two
adjoining countries which should assure
the Thibetans Of the genuine nature OF the
registrations Of India. on one side NepauI
is. and seems year by year more likely 20
remain an entirely forbidden state. Along
the high road TO and from Khatmandu,
the capital, white men may indeed pass
by permission. But there is not square
mile of the interior or the north which
is not strictly closed 10 white men. as is
Lhassa itself on the other side lies Blu
tan. Ii is not too much TO say that IL would
be safer for an Englishman 60 try 20 force
his way unlimited 10 Lhassa than into the
heart of the unknown and mountainous
country which lies nominaly. and pre-
cariously within their sphere OF interest
All wish 10 secure Is that the riveting
plate which joins and OverlaDs the two
shall be equally free from foreign influence.
These are considerations which are little
known in England. but they bear impor-
family upon the present mission Any at
tempt TO annex the wild and unacceptable
upland kingdom would be the act Of a mad
man. This the Niceroy sees well enough.
and If the result OF the present expedition is
10 turn the key in every gate OF Thibet with
a double turn the utmost hopes OF the In
dian government Will have been accom-
plished.
H. IN short, we can secure In Thibet an
impenetrable buffer 10 the east OF the
Himalayus. We have attempted by our
guarantee and subsidy OF Afghanistan 10
obain one on the west. one OF the few
remaining points OF anxiety on the FROM
tier of India viii have been laid 20 rest for
a hundred years.
THREE IMPORTANT POINTS.
There are three important points In
southern Thibet. OF these I-hamba Jong.
where our mission is already sitting. Is an
important monastery browning a steep
hnl-like most OF the religious houses OF
Thibet Walls OF almost cyclopean size