The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-04-20
ENGLISHNAN
las PERlL0Os
ADVEn TlRES
Man VINO Headed Commission
to Lhasa, Tibet, Tells Of
Thrilling Experiences.

WASHINGTON. b. C., April %
The perils Of a mission into hostile
country through treacherpus noun
tain passes, TO negotiate a treaty with
people who refused to enter INTO
any negotiation, are described in e
communication to the National Geo-
graphic society, at Washingt TOM y.
C.. by Sir Francis Youmgnusband,
who headed the famous British Mis-
sion to Lhasa, Tibet Sir Francs IS
now paying his first visit to Amerlca,
after having spent more than ~
yC afA5n the frontier and in the Mn
terIand OF india.
instability along the Indian front
Ter and the approach Of rival pow
er in Tibet drove England into tne
latter country, explains the solder
diplomat. It was suspected that Sc
cret Negotiations were being carried
on between the Tibetans and Russia,
which would work to the detriment
of England with her vast interests IN
India. Finally, no progress having
been made by attempted tong-dls-
lance NEGOTIATING, since the Ttbetans
refused to negotiate, it was decided
to send a party to the sacred city OF
Ihasa itself. The escort of Sir Fran
els at the start was 200, but later the
detachment was swelled to 1920 ma
tive Indian and 500 British troops.
Slow Progress.
eve started In May" says Sir
Francis. 1--WE halted IL miles within
the border to discuss with some CHM
csc ofIiclaIs the matter of a treaty
regularizlng our relations with tne
Tibe.ans, Tibet being under The SOW
ereignty of China. We lnade little
progress, however. and, in Deem Der,
decided to push on to LhaSa. Ihs
hardshIps of the winter trip over the
Iimalayas, the endless and fruitless
negotiations with the Pibetan mill
tary leaders and priests, and the siege
endured by sir Francis and 500 OF
his men for two months, while sur
rounded by 10000 Tibetans In
small Enclosure on one of the nigh
plateaus, are described, together with
the final kruition OF his efforts, the
signing OF the treaty in the palace OF
the Lalai Lama himself in the forbid
den city, the attendant celebration
and the peaceful Journey back to In
dia.
Il thought at one time 1 had gone
o. step too Tar In insisting that the
treaty be signed IN such a sacred and
famous place, Knowing that my gov
eminent would be as we'll satisfied
with a document ratified in my own
tent or anywhere else. so long as It
was valid contfndes Sir FRANCIS
But 1 chung to my point, feeling sure
tR1GlL5 the aAltluSdl@S VI 1uNAA q sSSsSAttS
on the Tibetsns and the people of the
territories that bound their land
would greatly enhance the value Of
their agreement, and 50 it turned out
Altitude Causes Slow Retreat.
Sir Francis tells amusingly of the
newspaper accounts which comm ented
on and admired the dignity and BRAY
cry of the Tfbetan troops, who. when
forced to retreat, moved slowly on at
the rate OF but two miles an hour.
ut was not bravery or dignity so
much as altitude" he says. Later
we had occasions to retreat for short
distances ourselves, and although ex-
tremely ,desirous of InaQtng good time,
we found 1t Impossible to run or walk
at a faster pace than two miles an
hour. In addition, owing to the rarity
of the mountain atmosphere, shells
from guns of our mountain battery
Travelled about twice the distance on
the game charge of powder as they
would have done at sea level. Bull
lets from rifles behaved the same way
ana we were compelled to revise conn
pIetely our system of sighting our fire.
arms
The people OF Tibet believe the soul
of the Dalahis Lama never dies. Upon
his death it passes to the body of
babe born as near as possible to the
time of the dissolution. The new
lama comes into his full rights on his
eighteenth birthday
n0UI IRIFRlITn