The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-04-20
ENGLISHIhbN
has PERIL Gus
ADVElT JRES
Man Who Headed Commission
to Li1asa, Tibet, Tells OF
Thrilling Experiences.

VAsf4It S9TON, D. c., April 20
The pefiIs Of a mission into nosLlle
country through tFeacherous noun
tain passes. TO negotiate g treaty VI ~ "a
q people who refused to eater into
any negatIationy are described ia
comFaunfe cation to the National Geo-
graphic society, at Washington, Y.
81. by sir Francis Younghusband,
who headed the famous British MIS-
sion to L.hasas Tibet. Sir Francs 1s
now paying his first visit to America,
after having spent more than 20
yt ars on the frontier and IN the mn
teriand of India.
Instability along the Indian front
Ter and the approach OF q rival pow
er In Tibet drove England into the
latter country, explains the soldler
diplomat. 1t was suspected that Sc
cret negotiations were being earE1eG
on between thSs Tibetans and RUSSIA,
which would work to the detrime nt
of England with her vast interests IN
India. Finally, no progress having
been made by attempted long-d1s-
lance negotiating, since the Tibetans
refused to negotiate II was deeluea
to send party to the sacred city OF
Lhasa itself. The escort or S1r Fran
CHS at the start was 200s but later the
detachment was swelled to 1890 ma
tive Indian and 500 British troops.
Slow Progress.
1--WE started In May" says Sir
Francis. I'VE halted 12 miles within
the border TO discuss with some Gh4n-
ese officials the matter OF g treaty
regulating our relations with the
TiLesans, Tibet being under the sov-
ereignty OF China. We made little
progress, however, and, in December,
decided to push on to 19hasa. Ths
hardships Of the winter trip over the
HiInalayas, the endless and frutuess
negotiations with the Ttbetan mli1-
tary leaders and priests, and the siege
endured by Sir Francis and 900 or
his men for two months, while SUIT
rounded by 10000 Tibetans IN
small inclosure on one of the high
plateaus, are described, together with
the final fruition of his efforts, the
signing OF the treaty IN the palace OF
the Lalai Lama himself IN the fornld-
den city, the attendant elebrauon
and the peaceful journey back to In
dia.
I Thought at one time had gone
a step too far in insisting that the
treaty be signed in such a sacred and
famous place, knowing that my gov
eminent would be as well satisfied
with a document rathied in my own
tent or anywhere else so long as 1t
was valid continues SIR Francis.
But 1 chung to my point, feeling sure
that Ehe 1IlEiuSfbFS. OIL StS41 X s9StSttA9
ON the Tibetans 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 nted
on and admired the dignity and BRAY
ery,' 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-
tremeIy DESTROYS of making good time,
we found it 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 same charge of powder as they
would have done at sea level. Bull
lets from rifles behaved the same way
and we were compelled to revise com
pletely our system of sighting our fire.
arms"
The people of Tibet believe the soul
of the sDalahi Lama never dies. Upon
| his death 1t passes to the body of a
babe born as near as possible to the
time OF the dissolution. The new
| lama comes into his fun rights on his
eighteenth birthday.