Jan. 14.
The fierce, cold, snowy weather still continues in Tachienlu. During the night snow fell, deepening the mantle that has covered the border since January 1. The lowest temperature, recorded so far this winter has been 19 Fahr. The con-Linuance of the cold snowy weather makes it impossible for the woodcutters to o out to the mountains end bring in wood. door, and when he is moving camp he is even minus that. How to fix the nomad's tax was a, problem the Lhasa army cireumvented rather dexterously, Every opening, inherited by birth, in the nomad's head, declares the soldiers, must be taxed.
Needless to say the woolly one stronuowsdy, resists this new form procedure and as the general rule seems to be that all in military' service are exempt from taxes, the ornad immediately' puts some unworthy member of his family in the army.
'The question is now being disjcuxsed thus: an increased army, will necessarily mean in the long' run, somehow or other, an increase in the taxes; and as an increased army means a decrease in the produetion and revenue of the country, the problem confronting the Lhasa Jeavernment. ix inerensing in _perplexity. The Spiritual Head of Lamaland, in his present dual eapicity, spiritual and temporal, will vot, we presume, seek to tax the large lamaseries. Although exceedigly wealthy, the monasteries seattered throughout Tibet, have never jeeased to function ax benevolent Dexging instutions; and there is imply no use taxing the travelling mendicant Deeause his sphere of influence covers a large part of the map of Asia, The idea of becoming defunct is quite repellent to the Lhasa troops, expecially with th Knowledge of English and their bility to play the bag-pipes. will be interesting to see just what happens in the future, The Dalai Lama, like Charles the First, ie nbitious to establish a standing, army and his object in doing ay be to dispense with the incubus 'oe spiritual power. There ix a erowme dissatisfaction in Lamaland towards the Lumistic head of Lam-
The different Boards connected with the border administration have rigorously cut down to a inwum, thereby greatly decreas ing the expenditure necessary for frontier affairs. Unfortunately in tone sense this has thrown a num-her of minor officials on the market with a strong Micawber propensity. However the public offices seem to provide a public kitchen and there always a tittle rice and vegetable to be had. Those now without a oh will no doubt trek slowly back to China, many of them with not Very happy memories of their order experiences, and perhaps somewhat wiser regarding—the fabulous wealth to be picked up jen the frontier.
Aw the Chinese New Year draws near the poor people will certainly appreciate this year what the "Good Deeds Society" hax to give them.—'Thix border town is very fortunate in having an active, energetic, benelovent society, How: ver, after such a bad year's trade we ure wondering what the merchants will have to give the poor.
The Lhasa army for some eon-siderable time hus mustered its troops around Chamdo. We now hear that a aystem of taxation Leing imposed upon the Tibetans around Chamdo, Derge, and beyond Kanze. "Heretofore, the Tibetans have not been troubled much with this public nuisance, but their tura la coming and apparently coming quite heavily. Like all innovations its will meet with some opposition, The Tibetan army, ofganized by the Lhasa government, to protect the Lund of the Lamas from the aggressions of the docile Republic of China, needs a little nourishment like any other army, and to provide this the people must bbe taxed. And this is how they do A Tax on Doors, 'A Tibetan house has so many doors and for each door the Tibetan army is demanding the sum of one rupee—whether this is a life tax or a daily tax is not clearly stated. However, daily or yearly, the woolly 'Tibetans' in Lamaland are stoutly repudiating it and the easiest way do-so is to enlist in the Lhasa army. A nomad's tent, no matter which way you turn it, han only Jan. 23.
Tachienlu is once more in that happy position of being without an army. Soldiers, officers, and generals, have all moved off, probably to spend the new year in some janieter and warmer clime. Like the sun the process of going round continues. Sometimes this frontier towY is crowded with thousands of soldiers, at other times there are conly a few hundred, and occasionally the border ix without a single soldier. At present the Chinese are joying what might be termed clf-protection"—that is, they are Hrepared with the help of the armed Tibetan merchants to defend the town against all comers. The Tibetan merchants are accustomed, night and: day, and wherever they: fare to defend themselves and their belongings. Their modern rifles and their supply of ammunition is never very fe distant and on the wide Plateau their eye is ever ready to detect friend or foe. Thus the Position among the Chinese and Tibetan merchants on the frontier at the present moment is merely one one of "self preservation." No sooner do the Chinese soldiers move from the border down on to the warm plain than trouble ix report ed at Kanze in the interior.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.