New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-10


torial art, though entirely conventional has
been highly developed the larger frescos and
decorations in the temples and the houses OF
the wealthy being at the same time marvels OF
mnutest detail and broadly effective in the
general massing of colors. In the handicrarts'
too, they have gone far along certain INES
producing many articles Of great beauty ana
showing fine capacity for design ana a rare
skill in execution. The organization OF the
Tfbetan Government like Tibetan art is of
broad simplicity in its general outlines ana IN
tricately complicated in its details. An excel
lent description of 1t is furnished In an append
dix written by Captain w. +. L. OConnor'
CT E the only member Of the expedition who
spoke the language fuently. The Dalai Lama
is. or was. the head Of the state, with four
Shapes or executive ministers under him.
There is besides, the Tsong-du. or national as
senbly, composed principally Of ecclesiastical
dignitaries and off1ceholders. A regent is al
ways appointed to serve through the minority
of the Dalai Lama, and the performance OF his
functions has generally proved so agreeable to
himself and so satisfactory TO his associates
that Il has long been impossible for a Dalai
Lama to attain his majority The present
though deposed, Dalai Lama was allowed to
assume the actual reins of government through
a political deadlock, backed by his own strong
individuality. AS It through his determine
ton to throw off the recognized. though largely
nominal suzerainty of China, and, as Mr. Lam
don believes, to play off Russia against England
in an effort TO maintain his country's indepen-
dence that provoked the British invasion. IT.
betan politicians doubtless now roget that the
time honored precedent was violated in his case.
If in 1.-THE Unwilling of Lhasa," Mr. Gambler
is less philosophical in style than Mr.. Landon,
the personal note is stronger. To him the ex-
petition takes on more the nature of an ad-
venture and his story more intimately concerns
itself with the military operations. This is. per-
haps. natural since the author was active
participant in the first engagement. at the Hot
Springs and lost his left hand in the fight
Although compelled to spend several weeks in
the hospital at Darjeeling, he pluckily returned
to his post, and stayed with the mission until
the end. The description of the siege at Gy-
antse from which he absent, is supplied
by Henry Newman, Reuters representative with
the column It is not TO be inferred that Mr..
Gambler was not keenly observant of all the
interesting things he along the route, but
they to him. in a way, incidental to the
main purpose of the advance. His account is
that of an alert newspaper correspondent, alive
to the value of action and incident in his mar
rative but with less regard to their underlying
meaning than to the effect they produced on
his own mind as going to make up the sum of
his own experiences. He has considerably sup
plemented his book with map, which, If not
entirely accurate, is yet of great assistance to
the reader in following his descriptions The
failure of Mr.. Landon to provide such a chart,
or even sketch maps of the localities he de-
scribes, is a very serious omission, and should
be supplied in future editions of his book. IT,
he says he desires it to be "a work of Tibetan
reference"
The principal difficulty with which the mis-
sion had to contend in its military capacity was
that Of carrying supplies over the lofty and we'll
nigh impossible passes Of the Himalayas. which
strained to the uttermost the resources of the
transportation department and limited the
Der Of troops that could take part in the opera
lions. The Tfbetans themselves proved but
slight obstacle to the advance. In the first
place, the general population evinced only
friendliness toward the mission. and apparently
welcomed its approach. with its promise of in
creased trade and improved commercial condi-
lions. 1t was only when forced to it by the
thorities that they would fight; and then, in
deed. they showed themselves individually brave
enough, even to recklessness. But without
training or efficient leaders. and armed only
with obsolete or Ineffective weapons, they were
quickly seized with panic when faced against
the magazine rifles, Naxims and artillery of the
British. The descriptions of their wholesale
slaughter, they fed on various occasions from
their ngeniousy and laboriously constructed
defences, do not make pleasant reading
As military strategists the Tibetans DO not
shine No real attempt was made to cut the line
of supplies or to obstruct the general advance by
destroying bridges or blocking the narrow trails.
Their dilatory diplomacy was far more effective
in delaying the advance than any show of force
they made. even when they kept the mission and
a small advance guard under fire attGyantse for
several weeks. Colonel Younghusband's per-
however, overcame every obstacle, al
though had he not been supporte1 'vi ct errnis''
there is every probability that he would have
been talking there yet. 1t is not even certain
row that the engagement finally entered into by
the Tibetan government may not be repudiated
by it ingenious pretext.
In a class by itself, although titularly as
ISOLATED with the two preceding volumes, is Mr..
Savage Landor's Tibet and Nepal." In It the
author describes a trip he made five years ago In
Nepal and extending into the very southwest
corner Of the forbidden land" for the purpose
of climbing some of the lofty peaks of the
Himalayas and making as much trouble as he
could for the British authorities of the North
west Provinces Of India. 1t is difficult, perhaps
unnecessary, to take Mr.. Landor altogether seri-
ously His statements, where they relate to
feats which he claims to have accomplished, are
of Munchausenlike audacity that gravely i'm
pairs the confidence which the reader may have
placed in the author at the start. The present
volume is illustrated throughout with colored
drawings by Mr.. Landor, and represent him and
his party in large number of astonishing situa-
lions. Mr.. Lander sneers disdainfully at those
mountain climbers who seek to scale the lofty
Hmalayan submits with the aid of alpen-
stocks ice axes hobnailed shoes and exneri-