Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/814

 762 CHINA

to Antung, 170 miles). On August 1, 1917, the whole of the railway system of Korea (some 1000 miles in length) passed under the management of the South Manchurian Railway giving the latter a through line under its own management from Fusan, the Korean port nearest Japan, to Changchun, where connection with the railway system to Harbin and thence to Petrograd is effected. Besides the South Manchurian Railway, Manchuria is traversed by the Chinese Eastern Railway and the Chinese Government Railways. The Japanese have 198 post offices and the Chinese 335. Telegraph and tele- phone systems extend to over 2,400 miles.

In 1919, the imports of Manchuria amounted to 40,535,384Z., and the exports to 44,818,63R

Tibetj extending from the Pamir region eastwards between the Himalaya, and Kwen-lun mountains to the frontiers of China, has an area of 463,200 square miles with a population estimated at between 1,500,000 and 6,000,000. Probably 2,000,000 is near the mark. The only census ever taken was by the Chinese in 1737 and showed a population of 316,300 lamas (monks) and 635,950 laity. Lhasa, the capital, has from 15,000 to 20,000 inhabi- tants. The country being bleak and mountainous and strangers having been jealously excluded, wide regions are still unexplored.

Chinese authority was in the past represented by two Ambans who had charge, respectively, of foreign and military affairs. There were three Chinese commandants of troops at Lhasa, Shigatse, and Dingri where the permanent military force of about 4,600, provided by China, were mostly quartered. There were a few other Chinese officials, but the civil and religious administration of the country was left almost entirely to Tibetans. The head of the government is the Dulai Lama, who resides at the Po-ta-la (or palace) near Lhasa. He acts through a minister or regent appointed from among the chief Tibetan Lamas and assisted by five ministers. Early in 1908 the territory of Western Szechuen and the adjoining territory of Eastern Tibet were united into a new province, H.si-Kan, with Batang, re-named Baanfu, as capital.

The prevailing religion is Lamaism, a corrupt form of Buddhism, but along with it there exists the Bon, or Shamanistic, faith. In some places agriculture is carried on, barley and other cereals as well as pulse and vegetables being grown. In some favoured regions fruits, including peaches and even grapes, are produced. In other places the pursuits are pastoral, the domestic animals being sheep and yak (often crossed with Indian cattle), while in some regions there are buffaloes, pigs, and camels. Wool-spinning, weaving, and knitting are common, and there are many hands skilful in making images and other decorations for religious edifices. The chief minerals worked are gold, borax, and salt. There is a large trade with China and considerable traffic across the Indian frontier.

The trade between India and Tibet has to be carried through lofty passes between 14,000 and 18,000 feet high, most of which are practically impass- able during seasons of heavy rain and snow. Sheep and also crosses between yaks and ordinary cattle are used as beasts of burden. The most important route into Tibet from India is from Siliguri, near Darjeeling in northern Bengal, and across the small Frontier State of Sikkim to Gyantse and Yatung in Tibet, the two leading trade marts authorised by the existing Convention. The other chief means of access to Tibet are from Almora in the northern part of the United Provinces, and from Simla over the Simla- Tibet road to Gartok in western Tibet, which is at about 14,200 feet elevation above the sea. From Almora to Gartok the direction is almost due north,