Consul General, Mr. Combe, after spending three months on the Tibetan frontier, was robbed on his, way back to Chengtu. This was indeed unfortunate as the Consul carried with him a number of very valuable curios, including six handsome scrolls, depicting—various tibetan gods and a very interesting Picture of the Wheel of Life.
Mr. Combe left Tachienlu August 17, with a caravan of 40 carriers and an armed escort of four soldiers. -All went well during the first six days travel. On the seventh day, when only two days from Yachow and only seven miles from where the party spent the night, a band of armed robbers appeared and seized hold of Mrs. Lee, who was also travelling with the party. The brigands grabbed hold of Mrs. Lee by the hand and demanded all she carried. In a jert time the robbers had all they wanted and no doubt would have waken more but for the fact that they were warned of the Consul coming behind with a guard. When he arri scene the robbers had decamped, carrying off all Dr. Crook's belonsings, a good part of the Consul's baggage and some of Mrs, Lee's boxes.
The party continued its journey to Yuinching with an escort of two inarmed men—the supposed hei yeort the robbers feared, Yuinching the party found that the local magistrate had gone to Chengtu, s0 very little could be done there, Ax the next day's journey being. 'y between the bord to Yachow was the most dangerous,
lo world, the I
Yachow.
ort to ace the party ately
There in a good dead of surrounding the present men escorted the party. Why was the strength of escort so reduced and the men disarmed several days after.leaving the frontier?
Chinese in Tachienlu firmly be-Vieve that the-attack was deliberately planned and they are now busily asking themselves for what rea son? It is quite true as some gest that the Consul and his party was not the real object of attack but that the brigands had notice that under the Consul's es-cart and unknown to him were travelling a number of wealthy Chinese merchants from the border. Unfortunately these Chinese mere) ants must take advantage of some-travelling to the outside world with an armed escort in order to get their goods to Kinting, Chung-King and "Shan When Mr. Combe went out two weeks ago, large numbers of merchants travel-Ted out at the same time somes day ahead or a day behind, but somewhere on the road while an official was travelling out, During his residence here Mr.
be received the C.B.E. Those familiar with Mr. Combe's admin= istration during his term of office in Chengtu will appreciate the honour conferred upon him by his Every foreign resident ina remembers the very able way in which he handled the Watt and Witeside ease, From beginning to end he held on, con stantly dealing with breva ating, procrastin insinuating Chinese rough a change of administration he steadily held the authorities recognized the seriousness and importance of the murder of the two men, Those who followed the case will appre: Jeiate the British Consul's wisdom and his Scotch tenacity. He put his Aberdeen teeth firmly into that ease and held on tightly till it was finally settled, ut anid Tibet avd ove of ott heavily travelled. roa it oeeuved when a party of were travelling with ofieit escorts It took. place on. road in the vicinity wf which thous funda "of soldiers. nie. atationel, When the party Left Tachieny the official supplied any aimed guar then the robbery secured the aad The British Consul had alt passed the of Third Army From thence his coming must have been known and notified. in almost one day of Yachow the party was attacked by brigands and the baggage of three Europeans taken and carried into the mountains. A British Consul when travelling frequently has an armed escort of 30 or even 100 soldiers. On this occasion only two unarmed
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