China
Agreement Between the Chinese and Tibetans (August 1912) [p.178]
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND TIBETANS
12 AUGUST, 1912
Translation of the Tibetan version
The representatives of the Chinese and the Tibetans met together in the presence of the Gorkha witnesses to discuss the three-point proposals, approved by the Dalai Lama in his answer to the letter submitted by Ambans Len and Chung on the 29th day of the 6th month. On the 30th the parties carefully discussed the matter and decided to have the three-point proposals drawn up in the Chinese, Tibetan and Nepali languages, and to sign and seal them.
Point I. All the arms and equipment including field guns and Maxim guns in the possession of the Chinese at Dabshi and Tseling in Lhasa shall be sealed in the presence of the representatives of the two sides and witnesses and entrusted to the custody of the Government of Tibet. Before the departure of the Chinese officials and soldiers from Tibet, all the arms and equipment shall be removed to the Yabshi Lang Dun house within fifteen days; the bullets and gunpowder shall be collected and deposited in the Doring house. All the arms and ammunition shall be removed to the Doring house on the expiry of the fifteen-day limit, and the witnessing Gorkha envoy shall arrange to guard the house.
Point II. The Chinese officials and soldiers shall leave Tibet within fifteen days. According to the dates given by them for their departure in three batches, Tibetans win depute an official to accompany the different batches and will arrange to supply the necessary pack animals and riding ponies. The Tibetans will supply against adequate payment and according to local rates foodstuffs such as rice, flour, tsampa, meat, butter and tea to the Chinese at the halting stages up to the frontier, through the Tibetans escorting them. There shall not be any delay in supplying pack animals and riding ponies on the way. The Chinese shall not take by force any pack or riding animals beyond the frontier.
Point III. The two representatives shall remove all Chinese officials and soldiers from the Yapshi house and the Tibetan soldiers from the Doring house tomorrow in order to keep the arms and ammunition in these houses.
All the arms and ammunition belonging to the Chinese government at Dabshi and Tseling in Lhasa, including those in the possession of the Chinese private traders from China, shall, according to the letter of the 29th day of the 6th month from Ambans Len and Chung, be produced before the representatives of the two parties and witnesses on the 1st day of the 7th month together with an inventory. No part of these arms and ammunition shall be given away, sold, hidden or thrown away. Ambans Len and Chung for their protection shall, as suggested by the witnesses, be allowed to retain sixty rifles and ammunition. All other arms and equipment shall be kept in the Doring and Yabshi houses, which shall be scaled by the two representatives and the witnesses. The two representatives and witnesses shall arrange to place guards as stated above. After all arms, equipment, field-guns, and Maxim guns from Lhasa, Dabshi, and Tseling and from the Chinese government and private traders have been collected, they shall be deposited, without giving away, selling, hiding, or leaving out any. A list will be made of the arms genuinely belonging to the private Chinese traders, and the representatives and the witnesses shall discuss matters concerning their return to them.
This agreement, signed and sealed by the two parties and witnessed this day, will be considered void in the event of any party infringing any of its provisions.
Joint seal of the Dalai Lama's representatives:
Sertsa Thitul and Tsedon Tangyal
Seals of the representatives of Ambans Len and Chung:
Luchang Krang Lungrin
Yulji Lu Langrin
U Yon Krephu Hai Kru
Krephu Wang Chiujin
Thung Krikung Buhu Hai
Sru Phun
LuLu Kon Kon
Ngan Khru
Seals of Five Sris' witnesses:
Envoy of the Gorkha Darbar
Major-Captain ]it Bahadur Khatri Chhetri
Lieutenant Lal Bahadur Basnyat Chhetri
Dittha Kul Prasad Upadhyay
Subedar Ratna Gambhir Singh
Khatri Chhetri
30th day of the 6th month of the Water-Mouse Year.
Notes
1. Source: Ram Rahul, "The 1912 Agreement Between The Chinese and Tibetans," Tibetan Review (Feb. 1979), pp. 20-21. Reprinted by permission. The text of this treaty is kept in the archives of The School of International Studies, New Delhi, India. Compare to the version in FO 535/16, No. 258, Inclosure 4.