July 24. idea of China as a modern civilizing agency will seem strange to many minds, but such indeed is the part she is called upon to perform in Tibet and is performing consciously and with some determination. For nearly two hundred years Tibet has been a dependency of this empire, but the relations between the two ples have never been close. the ligations of the vassal kingdom have been met by entrusting the military: and foreign administration of th country to representatives of China and by sending at stated intervals tribute missions to Chengtu and Peking. Trade there has naturally' been between the two countries, every Tibetan is more or less a trader, and in this respect resembles his more powerful neighbours. But what may be styled a definite forward policy in Tibet on the part of the Chinese is of recent growth and may be attributed to the stimulating influence of British action in that Hermit country. It was only in April of last year that China's' formal adhesion' to the Lhasa Convention of September 1904 was secured by an agreement signed at Peking, and within less than six months the final instalment of the indemnity exacted three years ago will have been paid and the British occupation of Tibetan territory will terminate. From January 1908 China will once again be restored to the undisputed overlordship of Tibet; but it would seem that the interest shown in the country by the Indian Government has suddenly aroused the Chinese authorities to an appreciation of its potentialities and considerable activity has of late been remarked on the Szechuan frontier.
Within the scope of the new forward policy falls the decision to increase the Chinese garrison in Tibet, which now numbers considerably less than 5,000 men, to provide military training schools for Tibetans and to send annually a certain number of the more promising students to military colleges in China. A more—practical method of developing the resources
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