Tibet Seeks Independence.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 9, 1913:
Would Make a Treaty with Mongolia and Defy China.
    ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. 28.— Great Britain, having received peculiar concessions from Tibet which, however, have not been recognized by China, is likely to be drawn into a dispute with Russia over the latter's scheme of developing Mongolia, another Chinese fief.
    The terms of the Russo-Mongolian Treaty negotiated last Fall by which, in spirit if not in letter, Mongolia was made a part of the Russian Empire, are now pretty well known although veiled by the recognition of Mongolia's freedom from China by Russia. Acting upon this fancied recognition, Mongolia, as an autonomous nation, wished also to be recognized as such by other European powers. This privilege was recently denied by the St. Petersburg Government.
    And now another and far-reaching element has appeared. The Novoe Vremya publishes a message from Uga, in Northern Mongolia, where the famous Russo-Mongolian Treaty was signed, to the effect that the Buriat Djorjieff has arrived from Lhassa, the capital of Tibet, and has announced the independence of that country and the accession of the Dalai Lama to the throne.
    The Buriat Djorjieff also declared that he was empowered to negotiate a treaty between Tibet and Mongolia and to approach Russia with a view to an agreement by which Tibet would be protected by Russia and Great Britain. In the event of such an agreement the Dalai Lama would grant his protectors the rights of trade duty free, of exploitation of the country's natural riches, and of her construction of railways and telegraphs, &c.
    It is believed here in diplomatic circles that Great Britain having feared to do with Tibet on Account of her trade relations with China what Russia done in Mongolia, Russia is about to repeat the experiment in Tibet. In other words, the story of Persia and Anglo-Russian domination there would be repeated were it not for the fact that herein we have a third power, China, whom Great Britain cannot afford to ignore.