THE THIBETAN TROUBLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2747, 28 February 1910, Page 5

THE THIBETAN TROUBLE.

CABLE NEWS.

BRITAIN OBSERVING (STRICT

NEUTRALITY

United Press Association —Copyright LONDON, Feb. 25.

Lord Morley, in reply to Lord Cur-Eo-n said that Britain was observing strict neutrality in regard to the Thibetan trouble. The Ear! of Minto would receive the Dalai Laima as a spiritual ruler venerated by many millions of Indians.

:Sir Edward Grey is in communication with the Pekin Govermmenet regarding the unexpected situation.

THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE

(Received February 27, 5 pan.) PEKIN, Feb. 26. The Dalai Lama has arrived at Jxaliimpomg. He suffered great hardships while crossing tlie Jolap Pass, which was filled with deep snow. A Buddhist of Sikkim, lent the Dalai ‘Lamahorses and mules.

The Chinese cavalry pursued him to the Chu-mbi Valley, but the Thibetans opposed them. The ‘Chinese Government is perturbed at the Dalai Lama’s flight. Troops were sent tio protect trade, strengthen, the garrison, and maintain China’s sovereign authority. An edict was issued deposing the Dalai Lama, and ordering the election of a successor. The illicit accuses the Dalai Lama of disobedience, intrigue, and refusal to pay tribute. It is reported that the Dalai Lama intends to proceed to China to interview the Emperor. England and Russia are acting jointly in the matter.

A PREVIOUS FLIGHT—TASHI LAMA’S GREATER PRESTIGE.

Originally, the spiritual authority of the Dalai -Lama and the Tashi Lama were equal, but- the DaLai Lama, through having his seat at the capital (Lhassa), became a greater political force than the Tashi Lama, whose seat is Shigatse. But the Dalai Lama’s previous flight—at tlie time of the English expedition—has undermined his authority in Tibet-. In the story of his last expedition, Dr. Sven Hedin writes:

“As in the two preceding years the New Year festival of 1907 was of a more solemn olmract-er than usual, and had attracted large hands of pilgrims, for the Dalai Lama had taken flight when the English advanced t-o Lhassa, and this cowardly pope dwelt, misunderstood and despised, in Unga, in Mongolia, after abandoning liis country, where all was in confusion, to the mercy of the invaders. Many a pilgrim. who would otherwise have gone to Lhassa, now resorted to Tashilunpo in preference, where the Panchen Rinpoche (the Tashi Lama), the Pope of Chang, had stuck to his post when the country was in danger. “The Chinese had posted up a long proclamation -a-t all the streetcorners in Lhassa, in which they declared that the Dalai Lama was deposed because he bad exposed his people to danger instead of defending them, and appointed the Tashi Lama- in liis place as the highest administrator of the home affairs of Tibet. True, the mob had torn down this proclamation and trampled it in the dust, and the Tashi Lama had refused his acquiescence, hut nevertheless it was still apparent, two and a half years later, that the Tashi Lamaf enjoyed a far higher reputation than the Dalai Lama. For though the Dalai Lama was supposed to be omnipotent, all-seeing, and omniscient, his troops had been defeated by infidel strangers; although lie oromised liis warriors invulnerability,’they had' been shot down like pheasants by the English machine guns; although he had solemnly sworn that no harm could befall Lhassa, the abode of the gods, the enemy had occupied the town, while the invincible blie, the almighty, the incarnation of the deity, had taken to headlong flight like the most cowardly of marauders, more cowardlv and meaner than the worst mercenary from Kham. The Tibetans may he forgiven for beginning to doubt the infallibility of the Dalai Lama- after the butchery at Guru and Tuna, though the priests * were ready with plausible explanations of these events. “The Tashi Lama, on the other hand, had stuck to his post, and' was the object of the reverence and respect traditionally paid to the chief priests in Tashilunpo. He wiag tihe highest prelate in Tibet, while the Pope of Lhassa was wandering a homeless fugitive about Mongolia. At the New Year festival of 1907 it was easy to perceive what great prestige and what boundless confidence were attached to the person of the Taslii Lama.”