On the 9th June, 1902, it was decided that our treaty rights' should be asserted. in respect of the Sikkim boundary, and Mr. White, with an escort of 150 Gurkhas, was ¢ would be absolutely necessary that we shor impasse." Bre months Bier Se. Sale? sent to Gino; ing of 2 Russo-Chinese agreement, in that the Chinese newspapers were
which China relinquished all her interest 1 Tibet to Russia, in return for a guarantee by the latter of Chinese integrity! Prince Ching complained about White camping on our Sikkim frontier. Lord Lansdowne telegraphed Satow (lst September) to warn Ghina "against any such agreement with Russia. China (Ching and Chu) denied that such agreement had ever been discussed. "Secret agreement," referred to attributed (October) to Russian unofficial quarters—a ballan d'essai. Russian Charge d'Affaires calls at Foreign Office to inquire what we were really doing in Tibet.. Called again Gist December) to ask if it' were true we were sending a military expedition. In despatch No. 66, pages 150-156 inclusive, we have a comprehensive history of l'affaive Tibet, with the ultimate decision to send a "commercial mission" to Lhassa, now that "for the first time in modern history, there is a ruler in Tibet with whom it is possible to deal instead of an obscure junta masked by the Chinese amban." Especially, moreover, as the Nepalese Government re gauled the rumoured intrigues in Tibet with the most lively apprehension, considering its future directly involved. On the 2nd of February 1903 our Foreign Office received chit from the Russian Embassy which, inter alia, said that "the great importance attached by the Russian Government to the avoidance of all cause of trouble in China would cause it to consider " a British mission as likely to produce a situation of considerable gravity."" Tu the light of recent events, these belles lettres do enhance and glow the halo that ornaments the Diplomat in the eye of the average beholder. Loci Lansdowne told the Russian Ambassador on the 11th of Februang that the language of that communication was unusual, and, indeed "almost minatory" in tone." He went to sty (in diplomatic lan wasn't the first time Russia had meddled where she had no concern, and that if they wanted any information, they were to ask for it prettily, and "avoid the appearanc> of taking us to task." The Russian Amba". sador at once said they "didn't mean it," and hoped the two countries would not, quail. Russia had no political dep. upon Tibet, and he presumed we had not Lord Lansdowne said the Indian Govsen-
neighbour, and would, no doubt, take whit ment naturally desired to, trade, wis steps it thought necessary. The Russian Ambassador said that was only natunu, A week later Lord Lansdowne gave Count Benckendorff a lesson in geography. He spread a map in front of him, and pointe! out that while Lhasra was within a comparatively short distance of our frontier, it, was considerably over a thousand miles distant from the Asiatic gious Russia. Whatever Russia did in Tibet, we would have to "go one better," was' the moral of the lesson. The Secretary of State for India wrote that we had no to declare a Protectorate or to permanently occupy any part of Tibet, but if armed intervention should be made 'n 7) MEISUCS of that kind would be inevitable. In an interview with Lord Lansdowne'on Who 8th of April, Count Benckendorff went on to say that although the Russian Government liv! no designs whatever upon Tibet, they coil not remain indifferent to any serious disturbance of the status quo in that, country. Such " disturbance might render it necessary for them to exfeguard their interests in 3 not that, even in this case, ther would to interfere in the affairs of Tibet, as (civ policy ne viserait lo Tibet en aucun cas," but they might be obliged to take measu: cs elsewhere. They regarded Tibet. as. formin: a part of the Chinese Empire, in the integrity of which they took an interest. (!) His Excellency went on to say that he bop! that there was no question of any action our part in regard to Tibet which might have the effect of raising questions of this kind "T told his Excellency that we had no iden of annexing the country, but he was well aware that it immediately adjoined our frontier, that we had treaties with the Tibetans, and a right to trade facilities. If these were denied to us, and if the Tibetans did not fulfil their treaty obligations. any Tibetan, insist. upon our rights. signified assaut.""
His Excellency
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.