Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-03-24


piace-nay, it is already taking place
through east Turkestan, a province
which is set down in geography books
as Chinese, but is known by diplomats
to be Russian.
AS yassal state, Tibet would ma
terially contribute to the success of the
great ASia-Europe railway which will
one day be built. Adjoining Ku1dja at
the northwest with the valley of the
Weiho and its chief town, wher ali the
great routes converge, most desirable
Is the possession of the Weiho valley
the finest strategical position in the
empire. Here Russian troops would be
absolutely safe from an attack coming
from one door open to an enemy-the
sea, for the district in question is con
sidered the strategical key to China.
1t is not SO much that the India gov
eminent desires Tibet, but she has al
ways been watchful Of any Russian ad-
i vance. Only few years ago Russia
sent a secret exploring party along the
borders of India, and at that time they
I made complete maps and thoroughly
studied the conditions, and when the
secret matter was published in an
English journal it gave the English
public bad quarter of an hour 1t is
generally conceded that by the present
advance the Indian government desires
to install a British resident.
Russian Embassy in Tibet.
For some time past Russia has been
maintaining what is practically an en-
bassy in Tibet. Two Russian expedi-
tons were fitted out for Tibet this
year. Russia has frequently us
patched what, for diplomatic purposes,
she called merely scientific expeditions
to Tibet, but the diplomats of the DC.
cident have by this time become ia
miliar with Oriental diplomacy and the
true significance of Russian 'escien.
tific" expedition on Tibet is not lost.
Although it is called the Forbidden
Land, it has not always been closed to
European intercourse. Indeed, so late
ly as 1916, two Jesuit missionaries
AS matter of fact they were dis
guised as Buddhist pilgrims and when
they were recognized were compelled
tot leave the country. The first Euro
pean to visit the sacred city was the
Friar Odoric, of Pordenone, whI
passed through it or his way to India
from China in 1925 Three centuries
later two priests resided IN the city
for two months and to them is OWED
the first picture of Potala, the palace
of the Dalai-Lama. This was pub
/ lished in Europe in 1867. The Jesuit.
j had mission in Lassa in 1716 ant
transferred their work to the Capu
chins. who continued in the Mecca O
Buddhism until 1850.
About that time they put an embar
60 on European visitors, although
Thomas Manning, in 1911 am the
Lazarist fathers already mentioned
visited the city in 1916. Since tha1
time all outsiders who have entered
this city and who have brought bacl
i descriptions of it have been Buddhists
The only photographs we have o1
ASA were taken by Buddhists SO re
Gently as 1901.
Attempts to Invade Lassa.
Since 1916 the attempts to invade
the sacred city Of Lassa have been
numerous. The Russian, Prjevalsay
set the example in 1879. He crossed
the whole of northern Tibet, but was
obliged to turn back when he had
reached a point situated 100 miles
from Lassa. Ten years later two
Frenchmen, Bonbalot and Prince Hen
ry of Orleans, were stopped when
within sixty miles of the red hill Of
the holy city. The English Captain
Bower. in 1891, and the American trav-
eler, w. W. Rockhill, in 1892, were
able to reach points about $50 miles
| distant from Lassa In 1898. three
other Frenchmen, Dutreuil, De Rims
the Englishman. failed to get beyond
the region previously reached by the
Prince of Orleans. In 1897, A. Henry
| Savage Landor spent nearly nine
months in attempting to reach Lassa
His terrible experiences, it was
thought. would discourage any other
from making the attempt. but he had
hardly returned before the Swedish
| traveller, DR. Sven Hedin, pushed his
way into the forbidden land, but was
unable like all the others, to reach
/ the golden-domed city.
Adventures of Sven Hedin.
DR. Hedin entered Tibet from the
north, crossing the great Altyn-tagh
range When within 200 miles OF
| Lassa he disguised himself as a Bud
dhist pilgrim. and in company with one
servant left his caravan and attempted
to reach the capital. He was inter
cepted. however, before getting very
far. DIR. Hedin's account of his recep-
ton is most interesting. He was
treated with the greatest considera
/ ton The Dalal-Lama sent ENJOYS to
meet him, provided him with an escort
meet him, provided him with am
pie provisions and supplies as long as
he was in Tibetan territory. Never
theless, he was given to understand
| that under no circumstances was he to