Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-11

ress of the Mission sent there by the
English government in the year
1904. Written, with the help of all
the principal persons of the Mission,
by Perceval Landon, special CORE
| spondent of the Times" 1ntroduc-
ton by Colonel Younghusband. IL
Illustrated New York: Doubleday,
Page e Co.
1t may be doubted If any of the '9fttle
wars" conducted by England in distant
corners of the world was ever so closely
watched by politicians, military experts,
explorers scientists and observant lay
men alike as was the expedition which
started somewhat over a year ago from
Darieeling. India, to cross the Himalayas-
to revert to the more familiar spelling
for the purpose of securing from Tibet an
agreement treaty to respect the lndlan
trade rights For the first time in modern
history Tibets southern neighbor was
about to force her to conduct hersef prop
erly. even though she might insist upon
remaining exclusive. The expedition was
in two parts - the mission, under the
charge of Colonel Francis b. .1ounghus-
band, and the military escort, under COM
mand of Brigadier General ). X. l.. Mac
donald. There were. all told, some 4,070
officers and men in both mission and es-
cort. Mr.. Perceval Landon went as cor
RESPONDENT of the London Times, and the
great volume now published is the result
of bis observations during the months he
spent in Tibet.
II &c g hook to be read carefully from end
to end. for in the course OF It's nearly ooe
large pages will be found vast amount OK
information about TINS iohs n riiu a,.arv evi.
and its peculiar people. 1t bears every eVl-
dence of having been carefully prepared:
There is nothing hasty or slpsnoo apou ,
it. as might be perhaps eXpecleu IL ooo
hi Ito ON a
rushed forth to an eager pupil? on ~
of political Importance. lndeeu, thele aie
signs that Mr.. Landon has held hlnseil III
restraint in some particulars, as lol an
instance his studied avoidance OF any Ileh-
ton of the name of Mr.. "A. f1ei l, ea aoa5d
Lander. whose own book on ms secoliu
,rihetan expedition was reviewed In THESE
columns last week This omission 10 olie VI
the most serious flaws in the Whoie MARIA
tive. for it cannot be disputed that Lai ~
has been a factor-howeVer dlsquletlng anu
unoffcial-in the shaping of recent BRUSH
Tibetan relations. Nor can his explorations
in that region be ignored in summary OF
prior visits by strangers TO lipet wlthou s
arousing disturbing questions In the fiho
of the reader or the hlstoiS VI 'iie p'"' ~"
years -o, -
the excellent qualities of Mr. Lahaoli
hook or the multitude of interesting lacls
regarding Tibet and the Iibetans ne re-
cites He entered upon his task with en-,
thusiasm and keen appreciation %
his opportunity. His commendaoie price zoe
in his part in the Opening of Tibet
TO the view of the world appears at every
turn, and reaches climax in the adventure
which closed his visit no less than per
sonal inspection of the "Jo-Kang, the holy
of holes of the Buddhist world, or cathe-
dral at Lhasa, where rests the celebrated
10" a golden Buddah which is supposed
to have been craven from Gautana hlmseii
as model. - 49,,
Mr. Landon describes the progress OF the
mission the fighting at Guru, at karo la ana
at Gyantse At the last-named place the
British were besieged andShept IN DANGER
Gus plight for some weeks, ana there were were
several heavy encounters, with great loss
to the Tibetans and comparatively niue ~
the British Mr.. Eandons remarks make
it clear that while there was unuoupteoly
bad faith on the part Oh the o "a -,
Gyantse, the British attack at karo la upon
fine Tibetans there assembled was really I'M
warranted. a.,
The author is. of the opinion that While the
British mission was not lntendeo as d ineo lIs
of rescuing the Tibetans from the mlsruie
of the priests, it has incidentally had the Ell
feet of greatly weakening the power Oh tile
grand lama and his subordinates. When the
mission withdrew the srana lanlA Ma4
Urgu a long journey to the north whither
he he d fled upon the close approach OF the
intruders. 1t is naturally to be supposed
that he returned soon after the hated Eng
lishmen left the country. Mr.. Landoh hoioS
to the view that Tibet is once more trebiy
barred against the foreigner but ne peneVes
that the friendly attitude OF the common
people toward the members or the eHpeol
tion-they were invariably hospltaple ana
friendly and were always fairly treated ana
well paid for services and suppHes-may NC
accepted as a sign that an influence Is Gre
ated that will eventually work upward u
affect the ruling classes. This Would Seem
to be a faint hope, for the class lines are
rigidly drawn in Tibet and the power is
jealously held in the hands OF lie" Iaihi-
lies.
many letters-the most important and inter-
esting details are in the postscrlpts. 1here
are several appendices, which supply mosl
of the vital facts regarding the people, their
manner of living, the form of government,
the fora and fauna, etc. Perhaps the pest
part of the whole book, SO far as real lnior-
nation is concerned, is that comprised Wlth-
in the brief limits of an appendix prepared
nv Cant. w. T. F. O'Connor, who was sec
rotary and interpreter to the mission ana Is
now serving as British agent at Gyantse'
the nearest approach ever MADE 10 the es-
tablishment of diplomatic relations with
Tibet Captain OConnor should himself
write a book on this subject. 1t would De
intensely interesting and most important.
But with all the text and the appendices
there remain many interesting items the
curious reader would like to have explained.
For example, nowhere in the whole big DOCK
is there any mention of the sources from
which the lamas obtain the gold Whlcn tney
use so lavishly in the decoration OF tneir
temples even the roofs of some of which
being covered with this precious metal, OF
the gems which they hang SO generously
about their greasy, sacred statues. Ihere
is no lack of rather unpleasant detali re-
garding the filthy habits OF the Ilpetans,
and it is to be regretted that some OF the
space devoted to the personal shortcomings
of the unspeakable peasantry was not given
to an account of the mineral resources OF
Tibet
Mr. Landon paints some vivid word pic
lures In description of the Himalayan ana
Tibetan scenery, and pays close attentlon
to the color scheme of the country through
which he and his companions travel An
interesting chapter is devoted to his record
ride from LhaSa to Darjeeling the end OF
the railroad line in India, undertaken at
the suggestion of the officers of the mission
and the authorities at Simla, to ascertain
the possibilities of communication. He COW
cred the 400 miles of the route in eleven
days. three hours and ten! minutes an
achievement that won for him, 1t Is known
from other sources than his own narrative
high praise in both India and England.
THE CAMBRIDGE MODERN HISTORY.
Planned by the Late Lord Acton,
LID, regius professor of modern
history Edited by A. w. Ward,
Ltd, G. w. Prothero, Litt.D., and
Stanley Leathes, M.A-Volume III,
THE WARS OF RELIGION. New
[Nrvr NVNnr