El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-09
~ HE recent fight of the Grand
Lama of Lhasa from Thibet to

Lama of Lhasa from Thibet TO
India. pursued by band of Chi
nese soldiers. probably means the end
of one of the most remarka BILE reIig
ious-p political dynasties in the history OF
Asia
What the pope at Rome is to Chris
tianity, that was the Grand Lama OF
Lhasa TO Buddhism. For generations
Lhasa remained In inpenetrable mys-
terry, a populous little city Inhabited
mainly by priests, women and dogs"
No foot of infdeI foreigner was per-
mitted to. tread its uncanny streets. It
was known to civilization as Lhasa, the
forbidden city of gold and turquois. and
such a weird fascination attended its
mysteries as to excite the spirit OF
adventure in many bold explorers and
investigators. But il the city was
mystery to the outside world mystery
that could be penetrated by no amount
of daring and audacity, the personality
of the grand lama was even more Of
an enigma.
His name even was unknown TO
man. He was the incarnation Of Gods
VIII on Earth. Shreds OF his clothing
were sold at great price toward the
maintenance of his mysterious citadel
Even his spittle and his nail parings
were subjects of commerce-represent
to be a specific for all diseases If used
in the proper" spirit
Flight of the Grand Llama
The flight Of the grand lama to Brit
ish protection is the elimination of a
series of events running back several
generations. About 1920 Thibet had a
civil war which it could not settle,
and the Chinese emperor was appealed
to- He sent an army into Thibet, put
n
ceeded to exercise suzerainty over the
Himalayan nation.
Two Chinese represc atatives were
stationed at Lhasa, and although the
grand lama and his Iieutenants were
permitted to rule the Chinese ambans
assumed TO be the power behind the
throne.
Things progressed in this fashion.
with frequent unimportant clashes OF
authority, until about 1900 Prior to
this the English and the Russians had
both endeavored to get surveys of Thi-
bet, for it was the middle ground over
which they would have to fight If they
should clash for supremacy in Asia. The
English secured rather accurate sur
veys by the use of Monaghan survey
ors, who carried their cOmpasses III
their prayer wheels and used their ros-
England Prevents Alliance
One Of these. Main Sing. reached the
Hermit city and got a look at the
grand lama. He found that one of the
tutors Of the living Buddha was a nat
uralized Russian who had acquired
such influence that the grand lama was
persuaded to open negotiations for an
alliance with Russia. This had gone so
far that a personal audience had been
arranged between the car and the
representative of the grand lama, and
the cushion OF gold upon which the lat
ter would sit when comforting with the
car had been sent ahead to ST. Peters
burg.
When the English learned OF these
negotiations they resolved that Rus
STA should not be permitted 10 have
such an advantage in the political fight
FOR the mastery of Asia They tried
to get in touch with the grand lama TO
arrange treaty, but no foreigner was
allowed on Thibetan soil. The grand
lama issued an edict that any Thibetan
who let a foreigner pass without kill
ing him should pay the penalty with
his own life.
Negotiations by correspondence also
failed. China was unable or at least
declared herself unable to bring the
grand lama to terms, so England de-
cided to send an expedition to Lhasa
to demand a treaty OF peace and friend
~ trade relations The grand lama
heard of its coming and fed, leaving
his palace to the control of his subordi-
mates.
BritOns Explore City.
In August, 1904. the English arrived
in Lhasa, explored the mysterious city.
lama, forced the desired treaty. At
ter they left the grand lama concluded
il would be best for him not to return
at once to Thibet. so he travelled around
through Asia. becoming sort Of royal
sponger, whose entertainment cost his
hosts about $4,000 a day
In 1908 he reached Picking. remained
awhile with the royal family there. and
then returned TO Thibet The grand
lama was stubborn in his hatred of
foreign influence at his capital. and
after mis- return decided TO put a check
TO the power of the Chinese ambans
1t was this that led China to drive him
out of Thibet.
It is said that China intends to dispel
the idea that Thibet IS a closed reser-
walton for the support of the religious
dynasty of Lamalsm. Heretofore, of the
80, 600 people in Lhasa, 10000 were
monks, a single monastery containing
mora than 1000 of them. The Chinese
are going TO leave only a hundred or