National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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India and Tibet : vol.1 |
44 THE BENGAL GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS
Himalayas, we could not, and would not in any circum-
stances, encroach on Tibet, and we might offer to arrange
that none save Hillmen or classes domiciled in Tibet
should be allowed to go in without a pass, which would be
given under such restrictions that Government would be
responsible for the conduct of the holders.
The Lieutenant-Governor adduced as a further reason
for entering into formal relationship with the Tibetans that,
if we had an understanding between us, we should together
be able to keep in order the wild tribes inhabiting the
hilly country between British territory and Tibet. And
he instanced the case of the Mezhow Mishnies, who for
murdering two French missionaries in 1854 were punished
both by us and by the Tibetans, and who, in consequence,
ever after had " a most salutary dread of using violence."
'T'he Bengal Government also contended then in 1873,
as they are still contending now, for the admission of our
tea. Indian tea is grown in large quantities on the hills in
British territory bordering Tibet. But, said the Lieu-
tenant-Governor, nearly forty years ago : " The Tibetans,
or rather their Chinese Governors, will not, on protectionist
principles, admit our tea across the passes. An absolute
embargo is laid on anything in the shape of tea." The
removal of this, he thought, might well be made a sub-
ject of special negotiation. And besides tea, the Bengal
Government thought that Manchester and Birmingham
goods and Indian indigo would find a market in Tibet,
and that we should receive in return much wool, sheep,
cattle, walnuts, 'T'ibetan cloths, and other commodities.
Thus, thirty years before the Tibet Mission started the
local Government had made a real effort to have the
Chinese pressed to abandon their policy of exclusion so
far as Tibet was concerned. The lineal official descendant
of Warren Hastings in the Governorship of Bengal neither
attempted nor advocated any high-handed local measures.
He stated his case calmly and reasonably, and advocated
the most correct course—the attempt to settle the matter
direct with the Chinese.
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