Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-08-10
LHASSA is NOW INVADED.
British Expedition Enters Sacred
City of Buddhist World.
READY TO SIGN TREATY.
The March of English Soldiers Into
Thibet Astounds the People
of Asia.

|
Simla, British India, Aug. S.-The
British expedition into Thibet reached
Lhassa at noon on August 3, with no
further fighting than was reported in the
last dispatches.
Camp Near Sacred Mountain.
| Lhassa, Thibet, Aug. 3.-Oelayed in
transmission.)- THE British expedition is
encamped a mile from the sacred noun
tain of Potala, on which is situated the
dalai lama's palace, and in the immediate
| vicinity of the dalai lama's private gar
dens. The dalai lama fed to a monas-
! terry eighteen miles distant.
! Col Younghusband has received a cere-
,monlal visit from the amban, who prom
lsed to assist in arriving at a settlement,
and made gifts of food to the British
| troops.
The appearance of the city shows the
accurate. The surroundings are fertile,
and the whole place gives evidence of
great prosperity.
5000 Troops Enter Sacred City.
| London, Aug. S.-Maj.-Gen. MacDon-
aid, with 5000 British and Indian troops,
occupied Lhassa, the capital city Of
/ Tibet, known as the sacred city, at noon
last Wednesday.
| The marching of British soldiers into
Ihibet is the most astounding event In
thousand years of Asiatic history. For
1900 years Lhassa has been the most
hallowed spot in Asia 1t is the religious
metropolis of the Buddhist world
Has Been Forbidden Land
For centuries Thibet has been the for
! hidden land. It's capital has been the
worlds one unsolved mystery. Lhassa
has been seen from a distance, but never
! before has the white unbeliever stepped
| foot on its sacred streets.
! The lamas fought the British advance
foot by foot all the way through the mar
row passes in the Himalayas. Defeated
at every turn, they implored the British
troops to turn back and not set foot with
In the precincts Of their sacred city.
Col. Younghusband Obdurate.
| Col. Younghusband, the British COM
missioner, replied that the proposed treaty
must be signed in Lhassa. He promised
| that none of the British would enter the
| monasteries if they were not fired upon.
1t is not known how long the British
/ troops will remain in Thibet. Russia has
! been watching the British expedition with
Il jealous eye and fears that Thibet is to
be annexed to the British empire. Lord
Lansdowne has assured Russia that Brit
| ISL occupation of the city will be only
/ temporary. unless unforeseen circum-
| stances occur What the unforeseen cir
No Menace to Russia.
Foreign newspaper writer's who revel
in Machiavellian explanations of every
| move on the political chessboard have
| been pleased to see in this forward move
ment an attempt on the part Of Great
Britain to utilize the opportunity of Rus
! sian embarrassments i'll the far east to
settle finally the destinies Of Thibet. The
explanation Of the advance into Tvhibet,
! however, is quite unsensational, and has
no essential connection whatever with the
larger issues Of Anglo Russian rivalry in
Asia.
Ever since the establishment of the
1 British protectorate over Nepal, Sikkim,
and Bhutan rendered England respOn-
sible for the peaceful relations of those
states with Thibet, England has had
! troubles with the government at Lhassa.
/ Every possible impeachment has been
| placed in the way of Indian traders, and
the Thibetans have been encouraged to
raid the frontier. and assert claims for
which there is no justification. Indeed,
in 1889, the Indian government was COM
| PEELED to send q small expedition to
chastise the Thibetan raiders, who had
! invaded Sikkim.
Thibetans Ignore Treaties.
l.. LII IOJU anu 1870 fresh treaties were
! signed providing for the delimitation of
| the Sikkim-Thibet frontier, the opening of
Yatung in the Chumbi valley to trade,
| and the free passage of certain mer-
chandise across the frontier. Once more
both the Chinese and the Thibetans re-
fused to observe their pledges.
| In reply to remonstranees from Eng
land the Chinese government proposed
last year that commissioners should be
| sent to the frontier to arrange a new
modus vivendi, and it was in conse-
quence of this invitation that the Young
| husband mission was organized and dis
patched.
Treated as Hostile Force
The mission reached Khamba Jong last
| July, only to find that it was treated as a
! hostile force. 1t has been met by no
commissioners on the part of the grand
| lama, and it has had to complain of gross
/ dscourtesy and even serious menaces on
the part of the Thibetans.
Under these circumstances punitive
measures Of some kind became inevitable
| The only alternative was to Withdraw
| the mission, and thus to confess in the
| face of all Asia that Great Britain was
| poweress to insure the observance of her
| treaties with Thibet and the protection Of
! her Indian subjects in that country
Fight Over the Mountains.
Gen. MacDonalds expedition was
| thereupon decided upon. He was given
| a force Of 5000 men to escort Col. Young
| husband and three other commissioners
| to Lhassa The troops fought their way
| over the mountain trail to Gyangtse, a
distance Of 100 miles. After numerous
| battles the la1mas made no further resist
ance and the troops marched into Lhassa.
TRY TO ASEASSINATE