Situation in Tibet. (Hansard, 10 October 1912)

§ Mr. HAROLD BAKER

(on behalf of the India Office); The hostilities at Lhasa were brought to an end in the middle of August last, when an agreement was concluded between the Tibetan authorities and the Chinese garrison in the presence of the Nepalese representative. The Secretary of State has not yet seen an authenticated version of the text of this agreement, but it is understood that its main provisions were as follows:—(1) All arms and ammunition belonging to the Chinese to be restored at Lhasa under the charge of representatives of both parties and of the Nepalese; (2) within fifteen days of the fulfilment of the above condition all Chinese officers and soldiers to return to China viâ India, food and transport being provided by the Tibetans to the India frontier; in accordance with these conditions, the bulk of the Chinese troops, after giving up their arms at Lhasa, proceeded in several parties to the Chumbi Valley. Some delay took place at this point, but I am informed that they will have crossed the frontier into India by the 11th instant. Colonel Willoughby, late Military attaché at Peking, is supervising, on behalf of the Government of India, the arrangements for the repatriation of the Chinese soldiers. The ex-Amban Lien Yu is believed to have left for the frontier with the troops; but the Chinese general. Tung Tung-ling, is stated to have remained at Lhasa in contravention of the agreement. As a consequence, 542W further fighting is reported to have broken out between the Tibetans and the Chinese remnant. There are said to be some 400 local-born Chinese at Lhasa. The number of Tibetan troops at the capital is estimated at 5,000.