6 AUGUST 1904, Page 23

much about the geography of the country as any man.

He traces the story of Tibetan exploration. It is interesting throughout, though of Lhasa there is little' to be said. No European has seen the place since 1846, when the French missionaries Hue and Gabet reached it ; no Englishman has been there since 1811, when the eccentric Thomas Manning, better known to most people as the friend of Charles Lamb than by any exploits of his own, made his way thither in the character of medical attendant to a Chinese General. He had the honour of receiving the blessing of the Grand Lama, a child of eight, with whose grace and beauty he was much charmed. The introduction, in which Mr. Sandberg touches on current Indo-Tibetan politics, is worth attention. He has a decided opinion that Lord Curzon's Mission was something like a political necessity. On that point we have here no opinion to pronounce. It may be permitted, however, to recall what Tigranes ie said to have remarked when he saw the army of Lucullus : " This is too big for an embassy, too small for an army."