In 1903, as a result of continued disputes, and in particular from the fear of Russian penetration, the Indian Government des patched a mission with an armed escort to Tibet. The Tibetans, however, refused to negotiate, and the Chinese were powerless. In 1904 the mission advanced further into the country. It was op posed, and fresh troops were sent, so that it became a military expedition. It withstood the rigours of the climate, dispersed without much difficulty the Tibetan levies, who were untrained and poorly armed, and succeeded in reaching Lhasa. Lt.-Col. (now Sir Francis) Younghusband, the political representative with this force, effected a treaty there in September 1904 with the Tibetan delegates, the Dalai Lama and his entourage having fled to Mon golia. After modification by a Convention with China in 1906, the main terms of the Lhasa treaty were : (a) The opening of two fresh marts to foreign trade, one at Gyantse between India and Lhasa, and one at Gartok in western Tibet.
(b) The abolition of trade dues between Tibet and India.
(c) Tibetan territory not to be ceded, leased, etc., to any Foreign Power.
(d) An indemnity of two-and-a-half million rupees (Li66,000). Chinese Suzerainty.—The Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 recognized Chinese suzerainty over Tibet, and stipulated that neither Russia nor Britain should interfere in the internal admin istration of Tibet, seek concessions there, take any part of the revenue, or depute representatives to Lhasa. But, as a result of the Russian Revolution, this Convention is believed to be no longer in force.
The Chinese Government were alarmed by the British Expedi tion to Lhasa in 1904, fearing a repetition and the establishment of British power there. The Peking Convention of 1906 and the Anglo-Russian of 1907 placed them in a strong position. Tibet was enfeebled by the British attack, and perhaps somewhat mazed by the crowd of events. So China organized a military Expedition of her own, which eventually, in February 1910, reached Lhasa.
The Dalai Lama and his Government fled again, this time to Darjeeling in India. Here the British Government treated them hospitably, and being on Indian soil, they were safe from personal attacks by the Chinese, who contented themselves with consolidat ing their position in Tibet. While observing strict neutrality as regards Tibet, Britain took occasion to inform China that she would tolerate no interference with the Himalayan States, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan.
order among the Chinese troops ensued, and the Tibetans were able to drive them out of Lhasa, and to recapture most of their country. The Dalai Lama and his Ministers returned to Lhasa. They were now hostile to China, and friendly to Britain. In 1917 the Chinese attacked again, but were defeated, and the Tibetans pushed them back more or less to the positions which had been held since 1720.
During 1912 Russia, by a treaty with Mongolia, gained further influence in that country. The following year a conference was held in India by Britain, China and Tibet to discuss the political status of Tibet, but achieved no decisive result.
Then followed the World War. The Tibetan Government offered a thousand soldiers to fight on the British side, a striking change from their former attitude of hostility.
In 1920 Mr. (afterwards Sir Charles) Bell, the British repre sentative in Tibet, was deputed to Lhasa at the request of the Tibetan Government, the first white man to be invited to Lhasa. As a result of his visit the growing friendliness between the two nations was still further strengthened. In 1922 the Forbidden City of Lhasa was linked with India by telegraph. The Dalai Llama died Dec., 1933 and, according to Tibetan tradition, his successor was conceived as an incarnation of his spirit. The task of identifying the infant was proceeding in 1936.
Mount Everest.—Permission was obtained for the Royal Geo graphical Society of England to despatch a climbing expedition to Mount Everest through Tibetan territory. Three such expeditions followed, in 1921, 1922 and 1924 respectively. The last attained to within 800 feet of the summit. Mallory and Irvine, two of the climbers, lost their lives in the last attempt. Since 1912, Tibet has been politically independent of China.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--Markham, Tibet (1879) ; Sarat Chandra Das, Early History of Tibet (Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal No. III., 1881, pp. 211-245) ; Rockhill, The Dalai Lamas of Lhasa (Leyden, 1910) ; Francke, History of Western Tibet (1907) ; Sven Hedin, South ern Tibet (1916-22) ; Sandberg, Exploration of Tibet (Calcutta, 1904) ; Waddell, Lhasa and its Mysteries (1905) ; British Government's Blue Book (ed. 5240 on Anglo-Tibetan relations, Sept. 1904–May, 1910) ; Teichman, Travels of a Consular Officer in Eastern Tibet (Cambridge, 1922) ; Bell, Tibet Past and Present (1924) ; The People of Tibet (1928, bibl.). (C. A. BE.)