Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/855

 CHINESE DEPENDENCIES AND FRONTIER PROVINCES 733

The prevailing religion is Lamaism, a corrupt form of Buddhism, but along with it there exists the Bon, or Shamanistic, faith. In some jilaces agriculture is carried on, barley and other cereals as well as pulse and vegetables being grown. In some favoured regions fruits, including peaches and even grapes, are produced. In other places the pursuits are pastoral, the domestic animals being sheep and yak (often crossed with Indian cattle), while in some regions there are buffaloes, pigs, and camels. Wool-spinning, Aveaving, and knitting are common, and there are many hands skilful in making images and other decorations for religious edifices. The chief minerals worked are gold, borax, and salt. There is a large trade with China and considerable traffic across the Indian frontier.

For the removal of hindrances to the Indian trade a treaty was made with China as suzerain of Tibet) in 1890, supplemented by a second treaty in 1893, but the hindrances still remained. Consequently, in 1904, the Indian Government seut a mission with an escort to arrange matters directly with the Tibetan Government. The mission met with a good deal of armed opposition, but at length, on September 7, a convention was executed at Lhasa. The convention provides for the re-erection of boundary stones (alluding to former pastoral disputes) on the Sikkim frontier ; for marts at Yatung, Gj^angtze, and Gartok for Tibetan and British merchants ; for the demolition of forts on the trade routes ; for a Tibetan commissioner to confer with British officials for the alteration of the objectionable features of the treaty of 1893 ; for tbp settlement of an equitable customs tariff ; for the repair of the passes and the appointment of Tibetan and British officials at the trade marts. The Tibetans have paid an indemnity of 2,500,000 rupees (166,666/.), and the evacuation of the Gliumbi valley by the British began in February, 1908. Further, no Tibetan territory may be sold, leased or mortgaged to any foreign Power, nor may Tibetan affairs, or Tibetan public Avorks, be subject to foreign management or interference without the consent of the British. The adhesion of China to this convention Avas secured by an agreement signed at Peking on April 27, 1906. Under the Convention of August 31, 1907, Great Britain and Russia agree not to enter into negotiation with Tibet except through the Chinese Government, nor to send represen- tatives to Lhasa. But this engagement does not affect the provisions of the British-Tibetan conA^ention of September 7, 1904, ratified by China in 1906. Negotiations were begun at Simla in Sept. 1907, for the conclusion of Trade Regulations betAveen India and Tibet, and Avere brought to a satisfactory conclusion in April, 1908.

In ]\Iarch and April, 1912, Presidential Orders were issued which claimed to regard Tibet and Mongolia as integral parts of China, and proposed to put them on exactly the same footing as the provinces. H.M. Government demurred to tliis as far as Tibet Avas concerned, and insisted on the fact that, as laid doAvn in the Lhasa Convention of 1904, Great Britain recognised only China's suzerainty and not her sovereignty in Tibet.

The Chinese forces in Lhasa having been besieged theic ])y the Tibetans, Avere eventually alloAved to mareli out without their arms, and were sent back to China A'ia India. In March, 1913, all Chinese officials, civil and military, had evacuated Tibet.

In the meantime, a treaty betAveen Tibet and Mongolia was signed on January 21, 1912, the princi]>al provisions of A\'hich being that each country recognises the independence of -the other. They both undertake to promote and spread Buddhism, and to open their frontiers for mutual trade and intercourse.

The province of Sin-Kiang, consisting of Chinese Turkestan, Kulja,