Mr. Weakherbe, an English traveller, has again clearly demonstrated that 463,000 sq. miles in central Asia is closed to the general public. M~. Weatherbe arrived in Batang: one month ago. To get there he crossed the Salwen, the Mekong, and the Yangtze. To do this at such time demanded no small amount of courage and required some skill in travelling. The Salwen country is an éxtremely unknown part of Asia, the Mekong basin protides - enough danger to satisfy any traveller, and the upper reaches of the Yangtze bring you to a territory ruled and, conirolled by Tibetan brigands and Chinese outlaws. Through all this country Mr. Weatherbe and Chinese outlaws, Through all this country Mr. Weatherbe passed and passed safely till he reached what may be termed the door of the "Great Closed Land." Beyond this he essayed to go but very soon discovered it was closed to the general public." Like a wise traveller, without the necessary credentials he accepted the inevitable and turned back. Report says he returned to Yunnanfu and as far as we know has safely reached that place.
The question we-wish to ask is, why are 463,000 sq. miles in the very heart of Asia closed to the "general public?"'-Why can you go thus far, but no farther? Who opens and closes this mysterious door?. Some people believe it is possible to get to Lhasa and the only thing to do té*get there is Suppose the province of Hupeh in the heart of China, 70,000 so. miles, was closed ko the general public." Suppose you wanted to cross it and couldn't do so. Some-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.