APPENDIX M
Page 187 of "Papers Relating to Tibet, 1904."
Despatch from the Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir C. Scott, dated April 8, 1903.
(Extract)
The Russian Ambassador informed me to-day that he had received from Count Lamsdorff a reply to the communication which he had made to him after his conversation with me on the 24th ultimo. Count Lamsdorff's letter had been despatched from St. Petersburgh before he could receive the further despatch which Count Benckendorff had addressed to him after our conversation on the ist instant. Count Benckendorff was now able to assure me officially that there was no Convention about Tibet, either with Tibet itself or with China, or with anyone else, nor had the Russian Government any Agents in that country, or any intention of sending Agents or Missions there. Count Lamsdorff had even expressed some surprise that Count Benckendorff had not taken upon himself to give an immediate contradiction to these reports. He was, indeed, astonished that they should receive so much credence by His Majesty's Government. Count Benckendorff went on to say that although the Russian Government had no designs whatever upon Tibet, they could not remain indifferent to any serious disturbance of the status quo in that country. Such a disturbance might render it necessary for them to safeguard their interests in Asia, not that, even in this case, they would desire to interfere in the affairs of Tibet, as their policy "ne viserait le Thibet en aucun cas," but they might be obliged to take measures elsewhere. They regarded Tibet as forming a part of the Chinese Empire, in the integrity of which they
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