It is difficult to estimate precisely the importance of any
Mussulman rising against China, if it occurs within the State itself. There can be no doubt, however, that the Court regards such a rising as a formidable danger. It crashed the Mussulmans of Yunnan, known as the Panthays, with most energetic cruelty, and nearly extirpated the Mussulmans of Kashgar. There is now another rising in ICansu, on the south-west border of Chinese Tartary, and no less than twenty-five thousand troops have been despatched for its sup- pression. The Mussulmans, however, locally called Dangans or Tangans, are fighting with great determination, and, according to the Times, recently defeated General Tang at Lanchan-fa with a loss of three thousand men. It is said that the rebels have been joined by great numbers of discontented "Buddhists," which means, we fancy, that some of the Lamaist Tartar tribes are siding with their Mahommedan kinsfolk. We shall be curious to hear if Thibet remains quiet when the news of the Japanese victories has fairly penetrated into Lhassa. Chinese authority on the great plateau is by no means firmly based ; and if the Thibetaras threw off the yoke, it would take years to re- establish the present system. There are formidable tribes in Thibet, and the Chinese keep their ascendency by terrorising the great Lamas.
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