Page:Three Years in Tibet.djvu/556



Tibet may be said to be menaced by three countries—England, Russia and Nepal, for China is at present a negligible quantity as a factor in determining its future. The question is which of the three is most likely to become master of that table-land. It is evident that the three can never come to terms in regard to this question ; at best England and Nepal may combine for attaining their common object, but the combination of Russia with either of them is out of the question. Russia's ambition in bringing Tibet under her control is too obviously at variance with the interest of the other two to admit of their coming to terms with her, for Russia's occupation would be merely preparatory to the far greater end of making a descent on the fertile plains on the south side of the Himalayas by using Tibet as a base of operation. As circumstances stand, Nepal has to confine her ambition to pushing her interests in Tibet by peaceful means. This is evidently the safest and most prudent plan for that country, seeing that when once that object has been attained her interest would remain unimpaired whether Tibet should fall into the hands of England or into those of Russia. After all, therefore, the future of Tibet is a problem to be solved between those two Powers. At present Russia has the ears of an important section of the ruling circles of Tibet, while on the other hand England has the mass of the Tibetan people on her side. The Russian policy, depending as it does on clever manoeuvres and a free ase of gold, is in danger of being upset by any sudden turn of affairs in Tibet, while the procedure of England being moderate and matter-of-fact is more lasting in its effect. Which policy