THE TIBETAN MISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 29, 3 February 1904, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE TIBETAN MISSION.

ITS REAL OBJECT. THE RUSSO-JAPANESE QUESTION. A GENERAL'S INTERESTING VIEWS. (By Telegraph.— Own Correspondent) WELLINGTON. Friday. General Sir Robert Cunliffe Low. G.C-8., who lias just completed five years command of the Bombay forces, and who arrived in Wellington this week on a holiday visit to New Zealand, gave a "Post"' interviewer some extremely interesting and instructing particulars concerning questions of moment in the Ear East. Speaking of Colonel Younghusband's expedition into Tibet, Sir Robert, who, il will be remembered, commanded iv the Chitral Campaign, and knows something of Indian frontier life, said it was a mistake to suppose that the expedition had been undertaken with the object, of keeping Russians out of the country- It was a diplomatic mission, ancl Colonel Younghusband is a political not a military agent. Sir Robert thought that the military leader of the expedition would probably be Colonel MaeDonald, of the Engineers. Fourteen years ago, en the conclusion of the. Sikkim Expedition, Tibet entered into certain trade agreements with Britain through the Indian ('ov-ernment- Those agreements have never bren carried out. satisfactorily, and during the past, two years Tibet has practically refused to observe them a 1 all. Tibetans have also aggravated the position by ill-treating British subjects on the border, and by raids and pillage when traders from India have sought, to enter Tibet, according to lhe terms of the agreement. No doubt this conduct was partly the result of tho underground work of Russian agents. Two years ago Russia seat what was called a scientific mission into Tibet- Now Russian missions of this kind are always political in character, and its members might be expected to magnify the power of Russia and do their best to minimise. Britain's influence and power. The object of the present expedition was to insist upon the terms of the agreement being carried out, and on fair treatment being shown to our subjects on the border. The result of the expedition, which would not meet with serious opposition after some shots bad been exchanged, would probably be the establishment of a British resident in Lassa and the opening of the. country tn trade. The Indian Government would not. object, to Russia, trading with Tibet, from her side of tlie. mountain ranges any more than it interferes with he.r trading with Afghanistan. Tibet is a miserably poor country, and if such a policy were possible the Covernment would leave the country severely alone. But that is impossible, as Tibet extends along the north-eastern boundaries of India, and tlie Government had to protect its subjects. There is no likelihood of England and Russia quarrelling about Tibet. If the country was opened to trade a big business might he done by Assam and Darjeeling growers of tea. "India's frontiers need constant watching." s-.iid the General. "There is no knowing 1 the moment, trouble may come out of the north-west, for instance, where there are four turbulent, tribes, including the Afridis, and with Afghanistan behind the qnartett." "How do we stand to-day with Afghanistan ?"' "Well," replied Lie General, ''we are just as friendly as ever.'' Russia, he explained, seemed to have abandoned Afghanistan as a sphere of agitation and influence, and nowadays was much more active on the Persian Border. Persia is friendly with Britain, and we had our political agents residing in the country. Russia's influence, however was supreme in Northern Persia, whilst ours was greatest in the South. p was the Southern sphere thai Russia was striving for now. because that way lay the sea. THE RUSSO-JAPANESE DISPUTE. Sir Robert did not think war would ensue between Russia and Japan. Russia's greatest 1 rouble was how to come out of the ati'air without loss of prestige. There were great, possibilities if lighting took place. If lhe Pussinus proved victorious in the lighting England might have to '-look in."' whilst if Japan proved the victor it would give a tremendous fillip to the coloured races, which was a possibility for Australians aud New Zealuuders to consider. COLONIAL DEFENCE. The General understood there were 40,00(1 able-bodied men in New Zealand who c-ould carry a rille if called upon to defend their country. The important ciuest ion was, "Could the colony arm all its possible defenders'.'" The same question was of importance to Australia. 11 wrus repugnant, lo the British idea to have compulsory militarism, but our youths should, be trained as possible defenders whilst attending school. "Should the colony have a coastal defence system V"' Certainly, for we were not far distant from China and Japan. We should, of course, look to the. British navy as our most effective defence on the water. It would be far too expensive to go in for a colonial navy apart from thai of th. Old Country. AFFAIRS IN INDIA. India's internal conditions were touched upon. Sir Robert, said the. country had almost recovered from the effects of the great drought and famine. The great rna-ss of the people of India were passive towards, tho governing powers, but many of the native papers were seditious in tone. This was one of the results of the education system, which partly educated the natives, who lost, the taste of their fathers for trade and wanted to become Civil Servants in a service which had not room lor a tithe of the turn-out of the educational institutes. Tbe Government was introducing technical education into the colleges, and it was hoped this would help to overcome the problem of the young men who had a distaste for trade. Under present, conditions v remarkable development of modern India was the rise of a volunteer force of European civilians. Today India had a force of 30,000 volunteers outside of the army. In the year of the mutiny there, were no volunteers and only 30.000 troops distributed over the whole of India. NEW ZEALAND'S FIGHTING STRENGTH. In reference to the General's statement that he understood that there were 40.000 able-bodied men in .his colony capable of carrying a rifle if called upon to defend their country. I believe . that 75 ; 000 -would be nearer the mark.