The Washington herald., 1913-10-16
THE PASSING OF TIBET.
rom the Indianapolis News.

From the Indianapolis News
The suzerain state of Tibet hangs in the
diplomatic balance II Indications count
for anything, Tibet will shortly 90 the
way of Persia and Mongolia, and the
Chinese republic will be left with little
honor and much less provincial terri
tory. The modern history of Tibet is
bound inseparably with the clashing
ambitions Of Russia and Great Britain,
and for that reason any change in Its
government must vitality affect the inter
ests of London and ST. Petersburg. Tibet
is located in Central Asia Aside from
its political Importance il is a county
Of mysterious interest Situated along
the Himalayas, its l,0l0.odO or more square
miles of territory lie higher than any
other country in the world. Its valleys
extend no lower than 1900 feet. while
some Of the peaks tower to 1900. tibet
is bounded on the north by Turkestan.
on the east by China proper. on the west
by Kashmir and Ladak, and on the south
by India, Nepal. and Bhutan.
1t is on account Of the proximity Of
Tibet TO India that Great Britain's diplo-
matte interests at Lhasa are 50 import
ant In a recent issue OF the Revue Dip
lomatique, French publication, a writ
er on foreign affairs arraigns Great Bri-
tain for what he views as an abrogation
of its treaty with China, in which Tibet s
position was defined There seems to be
a good deal of truth in the charge, for
England, while at one time looking to
the Pekin government as the direct power
over Tibet. can no longer recognize this
suZerainty. The reason is Russian ag-
gression- II is the same old fear, in a
modern form. For the Bear walks as
much like man over the steppes of
Turkestan and down through Tibet to
India as he does through the plains Of
Manchuria or the mountains Of Mongolia.
History may shortly repeat isself in
Tibet The establishment OF a British
protectorate over Tibet is highly prob
able, now that Russia has literally an
nexed Mongolia 1t would have come
eventually, of for no other reason than
the classification OF Northern Persia
The struggle over this strange land
dates back to the Indian activities of
Great Britain. The real factors have
always been England and Russia China
has been a figure head, and the Tibetan
government, awed, suspicious, but never
theless susceptible to fattery, has been
the prize. England does not intend that
this prize shall be lost especially when
II would leave a part OF the north
frontier OF India open to the attack of
Russia AS far back as 1872 Indian Of
fcials tried to trade with Tibet, but they
were repulsed. In 1880 a lama, a Mon
golian Buriat by birth, and a citizen of
Russia, whose Russianized name was
Dorjiev, appeared at Lhasa- Then began
the insinuating work of Russian intrigue,
which aroused England to keener sense
of danger. The Younghusband expedition,
in 1905, and the subsequent treaties with
Tibet and China, in which IL was ex-
pressly agreed that mo outside power
should NEEDLE with the suzerain rights of
China, placed Great Britain in the COM
manding position. But when the time
comes to cast of Chinese authority in
Lhasa-which is expected soon-Tibet
will not be found on the Russian side
Of the scales IL the British foreign Office
can help it